Grace From Galatians (7 0f 19)

For example to understand that, we have to consider a dictator like Saddam Hussein. Why did he use intimidation, torture and death as a means to control the people of Iraq? The people in Iraq were afraid to say anything bad about him for fear that he would have them killed.

Illus: Let me give you an example. During the Persian Gulf Crisis, Secretary James Baker went to Iraq. He met with Teriq Azis, (similar to our Secretary of State) one of Saddam Hussein’s main men. Secretary Baker met with him to try to stop the Persian Gulf War before it got started. Those in the meeting said that Azis spoke with great confidence. But Secretary Baker pulled out a letter from President George H. Bush and asked him to give it to Saddam Hussein. He read where President George H. Bush told him he had to disarm. As he read the letter, those present noticed that his hand began to shake. When he had completed reading the letter, he laid the letter on the table and said, “I can not give President Hussein this letter!” And He didn’t!

WHY DIDN’T HE GIVE IT TO HIM? Because he knew that those in the past that brought him bad news were killed. He knew to deliver that letter would cost him his life.

Dictators hold their people in check by using torture and death.

Also, there are people today who belong to the cults and they have been so brainwashed by the cults that they are afraid of leaving them, because they think they will spend eternity in a devil’s hell if they leave.

The false religions hold their members in check by putting them under bondage. If they do not do what they are told, they will lose their salvation. Undeniably, fear is a motivation.

Illus: The British had an organization that Americans are now considering adopting. It seems that in England, they had a men's club called Bachelors' Anonymous. It was highly successful in making men fear or even hate marriage.

The club provided a unique way to treat the problem of bachelors wanting to marry. They send over a mother-in-law in nightgown, hair curlers, and a mud pack.

When it comes to fear, we have to consider that sometimes it does not motivate people.

Illus: I think about the church service that was about to start. Everyone was in their pew, chatting about their families, jobs, etc. when suddenly Satan appeared at the front of the church.

Fear fell on the congregation like never before. In their rush to get out the back doors, people jumped over pews, trampled one another, and flew through the doors at record speeds. When the dust settled, the only ones left in the auditorium were Satan and one older gentleman, who did not seem at all concerned that Satan was standing directly in front of him. Now this confused Satan a bit, so he walked up to the man and said, "Do you know who I am?"

To which the older gentleman replied, "Yup. Sure do."

Satan said, "Aren't you afraid of me?" The older gentleman replied, "Nope, sure ain't."

Satan was quite perturbed at this so he got right in the man's face and asked, "And would you mind telling me why not?" The older gentleman replied, "Been married to your sister for 48 years."

Fear is a motivation that works many times, but those who promote fear as the way of holding the congregation under bondage forget something, that is, the strongest motivation in this world is not FEAR but LOVE!

This is why the Lord said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments..” Notice, he did not say, “If you fear me you will keep my commandments.”

In the verses in this passage, Paul deals with this STRONG MOTIVATION that moves Christians.

The Judaizers had been teaching that if they wanted to please God they had to obey the law. We recognize that as the children of God, we are not justified by works, but by grace.

HOW DOES PAUL DEAL WITH THIS?

I. HE USES IMAGERY

Look at Galatians 4:1, we read, “Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all.”

Paul gives us the image of a child who is an heir to everything his father has. While a young child might be an heir, he has to have someone to “tutor” him.

Look at verses 2-3, we read, “But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.”

The image of the child is a picture that shows that while the child in the Old Testament is an heir to all things, God had to send the law (governor) to govern their life until the proper time came.