Like when Paul is talking about Sarah and Hagar, he brings a spiritual meaning to it, the one in bondage and the one that is free.
Looking at the verses below, Paul writes of Abrahams' faith in God, ie, taking God at His Word as why Sarah bore Isaac.
Romans 4:18-22 (KJV)
18
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
20
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Pauls' references to bondage is always in reference to being in bondage to the law, not in Hagar being an Egyptian slave. Look at the verses from Galatians 4 below -
Galatians 4:4
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Galatians 4:5
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Galatians 4:9
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? (I'll add: to the law)
Galatians 4:24
Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Galatians 4:25
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. (KJV)
The reference to Hagar being Mt Sinai is referring to where God gave the 10 commandments to Moses, thus, the beginning of the law. The bondage in verse 25 speaks of Jerusalem (ie, Israel) being under bondage to the law.
It's interesting to note one of the realities repeated throughout the Bible:
1Corinthians 15:46-47 (KJV)
46
Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47
The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
Cain and Abel. Ishmael and Isaac. Esau and Jacob. Hagar was an example of the fleshly first, the spiritual second. Abraham went into Hagar 'in the flesh', not in the spirit. His faith in Gods' word so many years prior waned to the point he chose the fleshly solution first.
I believe Paul was accompnied by those that walked and talked and lived with Jesus. And beginning from his conversion on the road to Damascus, these men told Paul what they had witnessed and the Gospels were written at the same time the books of Acts is being lived.
I believe Paul is in prison at the time he wrote this:
2Ti 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
2Ti 4:12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.
2Ti 4:13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus,
when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
What are these parchments? I believe they are the scrolls of the OT, that Paul is translating from carnal to spiritual knowledge.
I addressed my thoughts about some of the disciples being with Paul in a prior post. I'll repeat what I wrote in post #153 on Friday - "If Paul was with them when each wrote their Gospel sometime after returning from Arabia, wouldn't there be some of Pauls' Gentile teachings, at least just a little bit, in the 4 Gospels?"
What's in the parchments? It could very likely be the OT. He was in prison and had left much behind from clothing to his library. Given his likely age (I think he was born a few years one way or the other of Jesus), his memory was likely starting to fade, like all of us old folks today. So having the OT handy as a reference is a valuable tool...no different than my looking at my Bible when writing these replies (I have 1000s of notes written in large print my Bible), but I also use a free Bible program - e-Sword - more frequently. Would Paul be 'gleaning' some hidden meanings from the OT? I doubt it. As I wrote in my previous post earlier tonight, there's next to nothing about Gentiles in the OT and God kept it hidden.
As far as seperating the law from grace... depends on ones interpretation of the word law.
God's law says we should love our neighbor as ourselves and to love him with all our heart and mind and soul.
God's law says not to steal or lie or commit adultery, respect your parents and don't commit murder, which includes hating someone without a cause.
I have no issues with these laws.
When it comes to the Levitical laws of animal sacrifices and the ceremonial laws, these I beleve have all been filled by Christ himself.
Without law there is only lawlessness. And we see where that's heading.
I believe Paul is the sword (vessel) by which the Word is divided from carnal knowledge to spiritual understanding.
I have no issues with Paul. Where would christianity be without his Epistles?
There is no need to 'intrepret' the law, except for our learning. We are not under the law! Separating law from grace is perhaps the biggest 'leap' possible in understanding Gods' Word. It took me longer than it should have for me to figure it out.
Paul wrote over and over that believers in salvation by grace alone through faith is all important -
Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:15
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Galatians 5:18
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. (KJV)
Romans 6:1-2 (KJV)
1
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Does being under grace exempt us from the law that we may sin as we choose? Of course not! For us believers, the law is written in our heart at the moment of salvation.
Romans 2:14-15 (KJV)
14
For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another
We naturally follow the law as it is the indwelling Holy Spirit that leads us. But we still have freedom of choice to follow the Spirit or the flesh. When we follow the flesh, we sin.
It's interesting to note that Romans 2:14-15 above essentially mimics the 'New Covenant' that God makes with Israel in Jeremiah 31 -
Jeremiah 31:31-34 (KJV)
31
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
33
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
We believers have the advantage of already having the law written in our hearts. Israel will have to wait until Jesus' 2nd coming for it to happen.
