“The Scottish preacher John McNeill liked to tell about an eagle that had been captured when it was quite young.

“The farmer who snared the bird put a restraint on it so it couldn’t fly, and then he turned it loose to roam in the barnyard.

“It wasn’t long till the eagle began to act like the chickens, scratching and pecking at the ground. This bird that once soared high in the heavens seemed satisfied to live the barnyard life of the lowly hen.

“One day the farmer was visited by a shepherd, who lived in the mountains where the eagles
lived.

“Seeing the eagle, the shepherd said to the farmer, ‘What a shame to keep that bird hobbled here in your barnyard! Why don’t you let it go?’

“The farmer agreed, so they cut off the restraint. But the eagle continued to wander around, scratching and pecking as before.

“The shepherd picked it up and set it on a high stone wall. For the first time in months, the eagle saw the grand expanse of blue sky and the glowing sun. Then it spread its wings and with a leap soared off into a tremendous spiral flight, up and up and up.

“At last it was acting like an eagle again.”¹

The Galatians had been taught to put themselves under the law. They had been captured, snared, and restrained by bad teaching and, as a result, figuratively speaking, they were pecking around the barnyard like chickens. The Book of Galatians is like Paul setting the Galatian believers on a high stone wall and showing them the great expanse of sky, wanting them to know that they are free, encouraging them to spread their wings in their liberty in Christ, and fly, and soar like eagles, and live for His glory in that freedom.

Abraham’s Two Sons

“Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
“For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.“
But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise” (Gal. 4:21-23).

Paul asked those who desired to be under the law and to be under its bondage, “do ye not hear the law?” Paul countered the desire to be under the law with an argument based on and from the law, that is, from Genesis, one of the five books of the law written by Moses in the Old Testament. Paul challenged the Galatians to consider what this book of the law taught.

Essentially, Paul was saying, “Let’s have a Bible study. Open your Bibles to Genesis Chapter 16.” Referring to Genesis 16-21, Paul wrote in Galatians 4:22, “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.”

Paul uses the “two sons” of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac, as examples. These sons were born to different mothers. Ishmael was born to Hagar, an Egyptian slave of Abraham’s wife, Sarah (Gen. 16:1). Isaac was born to Sarah, a free woman.

Years after God first promised a son to Abraham, Sarah had not yet borne a child; she was still barren. Impatient, anxious, and losing hope that the promise would ever be fulfilled, Sarah convinced Abraham to take Hagar as his wife and to conceive a child by her so that he would have an heir.

When Abraham was 86 years old (Gen. 16:16), Ishmael was born naturally from this union with Hagar. Fourteen years later, when Abraham was 100 years old (21:5), Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah, despite their old age, according to God’s promise to them.

In Galatians 4:23, Paul wrote “But…”, to call attention to the difference between these two births. The birth of Ishmael was “after the flesh,” or according to the will and plan of the flesh and not of faith. It was God’s will for Abraham to wait for a son from Sarah, but it was Abraham’s and Sarah’s will to enact their own plan and not wait for God. It revealed Abraham’s and Sarah’s lack of faith in God’s promise, and so failure to believe God was the basis for Ishmael’s birth.

Isaac, however, was the son of God’s promise, resulting from God’s intervention and action, and was God’s miracle for Abraham and Sarah. Sarah was 90 years old when she conceived. It was a miracle of God for Abraham and Sarah to have a child when he was 100 and she was 90, far beyond normal childbearing age, and especially when Sarah had been barren all her life (Heb. 11:11).

The birth of Ishmael represented man’s way, the natural result and way of the flesh, whereas Isaac’s birth represented God’s way, the way of His miraculous promise. Ishmael signified reliance on self and the flesh, but Isaac signified reliance on God and faith in His promise.

Abraham’s Two Wives

“Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
“For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the other of us all.
“For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband” (Gal. 4:24-27).

A man once said, “I find it ironic that the colors red, white, and blue stand for freedom until they are flashing behind you.”²

Paul gives an illustration in this passage of things that stand for and picture freedom. Paul plainly states that the births of Abraham’s two sons in Genesis “are an allegory.” An allegory is a record of an obviously apparent, literal event that has a deeper, symbolic, spiritual meaning.

Paul took the literal, historical events surrounding Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Isaac, and Ishmael and used them to illustrate truths that applied to the situation with the Galatians. Abraham’s two wives and the two sons from these wives are used to portray the difference between law and grace and to demonstrate the superiority of grace over law.

Paul wrote, “for these are the two covenants.” Paul makes it clear that Agar (Hagar) represents the covenant of the law that God gave to Moses at Mount Sinai. And although Paul does not specifically say so in this passage, it becomes obvious that Sarah represents the Abrahamic covenant and its promise.

In verse 24, Paul describes the Mosaic covenant as “the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.” “Gendereth” means brings forth, conceives, begets, gives birth to. Paul wrote that Hagar gives birth to bondage. The status of a mother directly affected the status of her son. Hagar was a slave, and so a son born to a slave woman was also a slave. Hagar, a slave in bondage, gave birth to Ishmael, a son in bondage.

Hagar represents the law, which brings forth children in bondage who, as slaves, are told, “thou shalt” and, “thou shalt not.” Paul’s point is that, by putting themselves under the law, the Galatians were making themselves slaves.

Continuing the allegory, Paul wrote, “For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia.” Mount Sinai, of course, is where Moses received the law, and it is in Arabia. One commentator wrote, “The descendants of Hagar through Ishmael eventually moved into the desert areas to the east and south of the Promised Land. They came to be known broadly as Arabs and their territory as Arabia.”³ Thus, it is significant that Mount Sinai is in Arabia, and that Hagar and Ishmael picture the law that was given there.

Hagar, being a slave and representing the law, and Mount Sinai being the place where the law was given, then, metaphorically, “Agar is mount Sinai.” And Paul wrote that Mount Sinai, with its bondage, in turn, represents another place: Jerusalem. Paul wrote in verse 25, “For this Agar…answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.” The words “answereth to” mean corresponds to. Thus, Agar also corresponded to “Jerusalem which now is,” or the Jerusalem of Paul’s day when he wrote this letter to the Galatians around AD 49 or 50.

Hagar represented the first-century city of Jerusalem, a city physically enslaved to Rome at that time but also in spiritual slavery to the law of Moses, trying to carry out the law in the weakness of their flesh. They were enslaved by the law and Judaism. Jerusalem was then and still is in bondage to the works of the law, as Paul wrote in Romans 9:31-32:

“But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone.”

Paul then introduces another, parallel metaphor, that Sarah is the heavenly Jerusalem, and he contrasts the two Jerusalems: the earthly Jerusalem and the heavenly Jerusalem. In contrast to Hagar, Paul wrote of Sarah in Galatians 4:26, “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Jerusalem below in Paul’s day was in bondage to the law, and it corresponded to the bondwoman: Hagar. However, Jerusalem, which is above, is free, and corresponded to the freewoman: Sarah. Sarah represented the Jerusalem in heaven, and God’s own heavenly Jerusalem, “the city of the living God” (Heb. 12:22), is free from any bondage.

It might seem confusing at first, making one think that Paul is explaining that our future residence will be in the new Jerusalem. However, that is not the case. The new Jerusalem is scheduled to depart heaven one day, when it will descend to the new earth (Rev. 21:2,10), but we will remain in heaven forever (Eph. 2:6-7).

Paul is simply using the Jerusalem above in his allegory and comparison to speak of the present condition of all believers in the dispensation of grace. Just as the Jerusalem, which is above is free, so we are free. It is not about our place to live eternally, but our way of living presently, by grace and freedom like Jerusalem above, not by the law and bondage, like Jerusalem below.

The spiritual freedom in Jerusalem above is noted by Paul to contrast it with the spiritual bondage of the earthly Jerusalem, and the law that can never make one free. The Jerusalem above is free from any spiritual bondage. It is utterly free, like we are free in Christ under grace.

In the allegory, Hagar, a bondmaid, represented the law, the flesh, Mount Sinai and Jerusalem below, and bondage. Sarah, a freewoman, corresponds to grace, faith, Jerusalem above, and freedom.

Sarah, representing the Jerusalem which is above, “is the mother of us all” (Gal. 4:26). Earlier in Galatians, Paul wrote, “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham” (3:7). And in Romans 4:16, Paul referred to “Abraham, who is the father of us all.” Abraham represents faith in Scripture, and Abraham’s wife, Sarah, represents grace. In that we are justified by faith, Abraham is the father of us all, and in that we are saved by grace, Sarah is the mother of us all.

Hagar represents the law and bondage in the allegory while Sarah represents grace and freedom. And because we are saved by the grace of God, Sarah is the mother of “us all,” or all of us in the Church, the Body of Christ. Grace “gendereth” or gives birth to all of us in the Church. By grace, we are set free from all our sins, and we are free from the law and its bondage. Grace and faith are what this entire dispensation is all about.

Oil and Water

“But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
“Nevertheless what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman” (Gal. 4:29-30).

“He that was born after the flesh” refers to Ishmael (v. 23), and “him that was born after the Spirit” is Isaac. Ishmael’s persecution of Isaac refers to Genesis 21:8-9: “And the child [Isaac] grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian [Ishmael], which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.”

When Abraham held a feast to celebrate Isaac’s weaning, Ishmael mocked the occasion, probably ridiculing the aged mother and her newly weaned child. Ishmael felt animosity toward Isaac just as his mother, Hagar, felt animosity toward Sarah. And Paul remarked in his own time, “even so it is now.”

Under grace, those who are born after the Spirit and saved by grace through faith are often mocked and persecuted by those who are after the flesh and who follow and trust in the law and its works.

The persecution that believers face will not always come from the world, which does hate believers (Jn. 15:18-19), but often from religious, works-based people who fiercely disagree with our beliefs of grace and faith alone in Christ for salvation. Paul faced this opposition throughout his ministry. There is a battle going on between law and grace, and legalists often lash out, persecute, and mock those who rejoice in the grace of God.

This is because grace and law are polar opposites. Putting yourself under the law is about what you do for God; being under grace is all about what God has done for us. Under the law, the focus is on self; under grace, the focus is on Christ. Under law, the focus is on one’s works; under grace, the focus is on faith in Christ’s finished work. Under law, one tries to earn righteousness; under grace, one receives God’s righteousness as a gift.

Grace seems too simple to many and too good to be true, and most feel like they must do something to earn God’s favor. Those who cling to religion and trust in their own performance and their own righteousness often stand opposed to the teaching of God’s Word, that justification is by grace through faith apart from any works. And just as Ishmael, the son of the bondwoman, persecuted Isaac, the son of the freewoman, so our freedom in Christ also comes under attack from those who are under bondage.

Paul then added in verse 30, “Nevertheless what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” This refers to Sarah’s words and her plea to Abraham after Ishmael mocked Isaac. Sarah would not tolerate Hagar and Ishmael remaining to live in their midst. She had Hagar and Ishmael cast out of Abraham’s household. The bondwoman’s son, Ishmael, representing the law, shall not have been heir with the freewoman’s son, Isaac, representing grace.

This means it must be one or the other, grace or law. Paul uses this conclusion to make the important point that law and grace don’t mix and cannot coexist. It’s like trying to mix oil and water (Rom. 4:4-5; 11:6). They are incompatible. One negates the other, and one of them must go. Paul told the Galatians that they needed to “cast out the bondwoman and her son,” meaning that legalism, the teaching of putting people in bondage to the law, needed to be cast out of their midst. Many churches need to do the same today.

The reason for Ishmael’s expulsion was, as Sarah said, that the slave woman’s son, Ishmael, would not be heir with the freewoman’s son, Isaac. ONLY Isaac would receive the inheritance and blessings of God through Abraham. In the allegory, this shows that, under the dispensation of grace, those who seek acceptance with God through following the law will never be sons and heirs; they will never be righteous. Righteousness, salvation, sonship, and being an heir of God only come by grace.

Thus, in light of all these things about law and grace, and bondage and freedom, Paul exhorts us in the first verse of the next chapter:

“STAND FAST therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entagled again with the toke of bondage.” (Gal. 5:1)

<sub>1. Thomas Clawser, contributor Sermon Central, February 9, 2002, https://sermoncentral.com/sermon-illustrations/5961/the-scottish-preacher-john-mcneill-liked-to-tell-by-thomas-clawser.
2. Author unknown, Quote Catalog, accessed August 1, 2025, https://quotecatalog.com/quote/unknown-i-find-it-ironi-O1Mb6k7.
3. John MacArthur, Galatians (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1987), p. 125.</sub>

The Last Days

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come” (2 Tim. 3:1).

Paul warns all those in Christ Jesus that in the last days perilous times shall come. Many have taken this warning lightly, but God would have us prepare ourselves to avoid becoming a spiritual casualty due to a lack of preparation. If we were engaged in a military operation, it would be prudent to gather as much intelligence on the enemy as possible. For example, the size of their unit, how heavily armed, and how well they are supplied must all be determined before the conflict begins. As the last days loom on the horizon, now is the time to gather spiritual intelligence to prepare ourselves for those sinister times ahead. The apostle says, “This know also.…” What do we need to know? What should we expect to face?

First of all, “perilous times shall come.” In Matthew 8:28 the term “perilous” is translated “exceeding fierce,” when referring to Legion, who was possessed of many devils (see Luke 8:30). Paul characterizes the last days then as being exceedingly fierce wherein evil men will wax worse and worse. Whatever we may be called upon to endure at the hands of men will be nothing compared to the wrath of God in the coming Tribulation. As Paul describes some of the characteristics accompanying the last days of the age of Grace in verses 2-4, it could be said that these trends have troubled every generation to some degree. However, the apostle implies that these trends will intensify to epidemic proportions resulting in the near collapse of morality and authority.

Characteristics of Men

“For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:2-4).

If we did not know better, this almost sounds like an editorial out of this morning’s newspaper! Paul is describing for us the moral and spiritual condition of the world and its influence on the Church preceding the Rapture. It is not our intent to enter into an exhaustive discussion of the trends set forth here by the apostle. We simply propose to comment briefly on three of these characteristics, so you will be in a better position to capture the sense of the apostle’s words.

“For men shall be lovers of their own selves.” As we approach the end of this age, men will become more and more self-centered. A case in point is the present-day teaching of self-love, self-esteem and self-worth. The influence of this unsound teaching has nearly permeated every strata of Christianity today. Like the beat of a drum, this theme is heard almost constantly from the pulpits of America, and frequently appears on the pages of Christian literature. Beware when you hear or read: “It is important to feel good about yourself,” “Learn to love yourself,” “Probe your innermost being to understand why you think and feel the way you do,” “God sent His Son to die for you because you are of great value.” Satan never rests in his insatiable desire to corrupt the Word of God.

On the surface these phrases may seem admirable, but in reality they are diametrically opposed to the Scriptures. The above has been weighed in the balances and found to be wanting. For example: “The heart [innermost being] is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). Paul concurred when he said, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) [old nature or self] dwelleth no good thing…” (Rom. 7:18).

The old man (self) is at enmity against God (Rom. 8:7). He hates God and the things of God, and left to himself he will not seek God. The Scriptures, from beginning to end, speak with a unified voice that the old nature is rotten to the core (see Rom. 3:9-18). Consequently, our old man (self) has been crucified with Christ. Paul made reference to this when he wrote to the Galatians, “I am crucified with Christ [i.e., his old nature]: nevertheless I live [Paul’s new nature]; yet NOT I [self], but Christ liveth in me….” We are to put off the old man and put on the new, which is created in holiness and righteousness (Eph. 4:22-24). It is futile to attempt to improve one’s self-image, especially since God abhors any attempt to do so. Rather, we are to conform ourselves to the image of His dear Son (Rom. 8:29). With that said, those of the household of faith are to live accordingly:

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Phil. 2:3).

Self takes great pleasure in acclaim, indulgence, approval and praise—it glories in all these things. But are we not robbing God when self is esteemed more highly than His glory? “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:19,20). Shall we permit the “love of one’s self” teachings to overshadow the love of God in Christ Jesus? God forbid! May God help us to stand against this insidious satanic philosophy.

Also during the last days, a spirit of independence will prevail throughout the land. I can remember a time in my life when everything centered around the home, the church, and the community. A new day brought the milkman or baker to the door, giving everyone an opportunity to chat and share their concerns about the neighborhood. Since everyone knew one another, a walk to the corner grocery store meant stops along the way to visit with friends. Unfortunately, those days have passed and with them our involvement in the lives of others; consequently, we have fewer opportunities to witness for Christ.

In our modern day of advanced technology, man has managed to become so self-sufficient that he has insulated himself from others. Consider this solemn thought for a moment: We drive to the gas station where we pay at the pump, then stop by an ATM to do our banking, purchase a hamburger at a drive-thru window, and electronically open and close the garage door upon arriving home. Whether we realize it or not, we have successfully avoided any personal contact with those around us simply for the sake of convenience.

To complicate matters further, our children are taught that man has evolved from the lower life forms, therefore denying the very existence of God. Humanism naturally follows, erecting a philosophy that man is the be-all and end-all—he is the alpha and omega. The humanist claims that human wisdom has brought us to where we are today; as a result, it is important to get in touch with ourselves, they say. After all, “You DESERVE it!” as the commercial says. Little wonder the world is in the state it is! Man has become a god to himself with no room for the true and living God or his fellow man.

“Covetous,” means that men will be consumed with the love of money, which is an inescapable fact of our generation. This insatiable desire to have more and more possessions is destroying the family unit. Businesses as well have trodden down this path of no return. Pride in workmanship and product quality has taken a backseat to the all-consuming desire to get rich quick.

The pursuit of gain is observed on every hand. Every time you enter a supermarket, the management is manipulating you throughout the store. Here is a case in point: Have you ever noticed that when you go to the market to purchase milk and eggs, they are seldom at the front of the store? Nine times out of ten, these two items are at the back of the store, which means you must pass the soda, snacks, and those irresistible sale items at the end of each aisle. Products normally priced $2.29 marked down to $.99—who could possibly resist? So a trip to purchase two staples ends up costing you a bundle. This has all been engineered by the store management to entice you to buy additional products, which results in a handsome financial profit. It takes discipline to shop these days!

“Without natural affection.” Years ago, it would have been difficult to understand what form this could possibly take. Today, self-love and the lack of natural affection are seared into the conscience of our nation. Who would have thought that we would ever see the time that a mother’s love and affection for her unborn child would wax cold. Since Biblical times, conception and birth have been celebrated as joyous occasions as a new life was received as a gift from God (Gen. 21:1-8). Today, however, in many cases conception has become a death sentence for the child who is unwanted. On average there are 1.2 million reported abortions performed in America annually! The cost of abortions at a 16-week gestation period is approximately $500. The slaying of the innocents has become a multi-billion dollar industry!

At the time of Christ’s birth, King Herod decreed that in Bethlehem all infants two years of age and under should be slain (Matt. 2:16). How many little ones do you suppose lost their lives—40 or 50? It was more likely hundreds. At any rate, throughout history this has come to be known as the slaughter of the innocents. Although we are horrified at Herod’s insensitive “The pursuit of gain is observed on every hand.” crime, it pales in comparison to the abortion rate today. The mother of the unwanted child who is contemplating an abortion, along with the physicians who perform the abortions, are disgraceful examples of what it means to be “without natural affection.” Thankfully, there is forgiveness for those who have had an abortion through Christ and His shed blood.

A Form of Godliness

“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Tim. 3:5).

Man has always been inherently religious. This may take the form of the animist who worships nature, or the eastern cults that worship idols and practice self-mutilation. With a growing sense of hopelessness in the last days, the world will flock to the house of religion to fill the longing of their souls. However, multitudes will be led astray by religious leaders who merely have a form of godliness. They will have the outward semblance of godliness, but it will be nothing more than a cheap imitation of the genuine. With their lips they will honor God, but in reality their hearts will be far from Him.

Since the natural man would rather not hear that he is a sinner, these godless leaders will proclaim a social gospel mingled with political concerns. Their philosophy has no room for the Deity of Christ or His finished work. Paul says they will “deny the power thereof,” that is, they will reject the preaching of the Cross and dismiss the blood of Christ as repulsive. Thus, the apostle admonishes us, “from such turn away.”

Any pastor, teacher, missionary or ministry that denies or questions the finished work of Christ must be avoided. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). It has been correctly said that Hell will be filled with religious men and women.

Obviously this phrase “having a form of godliness” will manifest itself in many ways. A good example may be found in the teachings of the New Age Movement. Norman Geisler, professor of theology at Dallas Theological Seminary writes: “At least 14 doctrines are typical of New Age religions. While not all New Age groups hold all these beliefs, most groups embrace many of them. And all groups are characterized by the pantheistic perspective reflected in them.

“These beliefs are: (1) an impersonal god (force), (2) an eternal universe, (3) an illusory nature of matter, (4) a cyclical nature of life, (5) the necessity of reincarnations, (6) the evolution of man into Godhood, (7) continuing revelations from beings beyond the world, (8) the identity of man with God, (9) the need for meditation (or other consciousness-changing techniques), (10) occult practices (astrology, mediums, etc.), (11) vegetarianism and holistic health, (12) pacifism (or anti-war activities), (13) one-world (global) order, and (14) syncretism (unity of all religions).”¹ The warning is clear: Believer beware!

Miracle Workers

“Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was” (2 Tim. 3:8,9).

Prior to our Lord’s return for the Church, there are going to be those who will claim to have the power to perform miracles. Paul swiftly exposes these deceivers by comparing them with Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses in Egypt (Ex. 7:11,12). The remarkable thing about these two magicians, who stood in Pharaoh’s court, was their uncanny ability to do miracles by the power of Satan. To demonstrate the mighty hand of God, Aaron cast down Moses’ rod before Pharaoh, and it miraculously turned into a living serpent.

But, amazingly, Jannes and Jambres threw down their rods and they, too, became serpents. These evildoers challenged the servants of the Most High, and we can expect the end-time seducers to do the same. “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (v. 13). Vine defines the Greek word goes (seducer) as one who wails: “Hence, from the howl in which spells were chanted, a wizard, sorcerer, enchanter.” In other words, these impostors will weave their miraculous manifestations on the looms of the magical arts.

But what possible purpose could Satan hope to accomplish by having his ministers of darkness perform miracles in the sight of men? This will be one of the many means whereby he will deceive men. While Satan is inferior to God, he does possess extraordinary power to do mighty wonders (2 Thes. 2:9). He afflicted Job just short of causing his death. One can only conclude that he also has the power to remove affliction and heal. In Luke 4:5,6, the devil flashed all of the kingdoms of the world before the Savior in a moment of time. Furthermore, during the future Tribulation he will empower the false prophet to call fire down from heaven (Rev. 13:13,14). In the last days of this dispensation, the adversary will use pseudo miracles to deceive the world and turn the hearts of men away from the living Word by enticing them to follow experience.

Three Safeguards

“But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose…” (2 Tim. 3:10).

How can the child of God avoid falling victim to the evil influences of the last days? There are three safeguards that, if applied daily, will keep us from spiritual harm. First, we must familiarize ourselves with all of the doctrines taught by the Apostle Paul in his epistles. Doctrine always affects walk. If you believe the Church is going through the Tribulation, then you should be storing food and water, and praying that the Antichrist does not declare himself to be God on the Sabbath (Matt. 24:15-21). However, if you hold, as we do, that Paul teaches the Church will be delivered from the wrath to come, then we should spend our time leading men and women to Christ

Second, we must follow Paul’s manner of life even as he followed Christ. Paul loved the Lord and by the grace of God sought to apply the Word of God in every area of his life. His heart’s desire was to be more like Christ—patient, humble, kind, and esteeming others better than himself. In addition, diligence should be taken to carry out the purpose that was given to our apostle. And what was Paul’s purpose in the ministry? To finish his course with joy, and “make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery” (Acts 20:24; Eph. 3:9). May God give us this same burden to the praise of His glory.

Final Trials

“Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me” (2 Tim. 3:11).

What prompted the apostle to single out these three cities from the others he had visited on his apostolic journeys? The answer is twofold: First, the rejection of the gospel of the grace of God greatly intensified. Second, Paul’s persecutions grew increasingly worse in each of these cities. At Antioch, the enemies of the Cross reviled Paul and Barnabas, and forced them out of the city. At Iconium, things deteriorated even further when their very lives were threatened. And at Lystra, the multitude was so enraged that they dragged the apostle out of the city and stoned him—some say, to death (Acts 13:50; 14:5,19).

By relating these thoughts in the context of the “last days,” the apostle implies that the closing days of this dispensation are going to follow the same course. He is merely preparing us for the inevitable. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). The persecution that the apostle speaks of here will be at the hands of ungodly men who despise the very name of Christ. So naturally the object of their wrath will be directed at those who proclaim the good news of Christ and Him crucified. Undoubtedly, the first wave of oppression will be very subtle. It may simply take the form of intolerance. But this will quickly turn into threats, and in some cases believers may even be called upon to be martyrs for Christ. Standing for the truth in the “last days” could have grave consequences. We must be very careful here never to confuse these wicked deeds of men with the wrath of God to come; they are two entirely different sets of circumstances.

Many believe the Church probably will be driven underground before the Lord returns. Little by little, we are losing our “religious freedom,” even as we speak. The Bible is no longer welcome in society and is summarily dismissed on the basis that it is not relevant. Prayer and Bible reading once observed in public schools is banned. Many Christian schools have had to close due to nonconformity to unreasonable regulations imposed by state and local governments. If you stand against abortion or homosexuality, you are labeled intolerant and identified with so-called radicals on the Christian right. The very tenor of these words should be cause for alarm throughout the household of God.

The time is soon coming when we may be worshiping in the catacombs of our basements, much like the first century believers. In the midst of this oppression which lies ahead, there is hope! Paul says, “But out of them all [persecutions and afflictions] the Lord delivered me” (v. 11). This promise is given to all those who are faithful in Christ Jesus. May the utterance of our lips be in accordance with the words of the apostle: “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death” (Phil. 1:20).

^{1. Bibliotheca Sacra, Volume 144, January—March 1987, Number 573. The New
Age Movement, Norman L. Geisler, p. 85.}

“A minister, a Boy Scout, and a computer expert were the only passengers on a small plane. The pilot came back to the cabin and said that the plane was going down but there were only three parachutes and four people. The pilot added, ‘I should have one of the parachutes because I have a wife and three small children.’ So he took one and jumped.

“The computer whiz said, ‘I should have one of the parachutes because I am the smartest man in the world and everyone needs me.’ So he took one and jumped.

“The minister turned to the Boy Scout and with a sad smile said, ‘You are young and I have lived a rich life, so you take the remaining parachute, and I’ll go down with the plane.’

“The Boy Scout said, ‘Relax, Reverend, the smartest man in the world just picked up my knapsack and jumped out!’”¹

Sometimes knowledge is incomplete or partial. The full knowledge and revelation of the Word of God for our program today under grace was still partial and incomplete when Paul wrote to the Corinthians. That’s what he was referring to when he wrote, “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part” (1 Cor. 13:9). In 1 Corinthians 13:8-13, Paul teaches us when the miraculous sign gifts, such as prophecy, tongues, and words of knowledge would cease.

Charity Never Fails

“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away” (1 Cor. 13:8).

“Charity [Gr., agape] never faileth,” Paul wrote. God’s agape love is constant, permanent, and continues forever. It never ends. This is so because “God is love” (1 John 4:8), and His love is as eternal as God is. The Greek word translated “faileth” means to fall powerless to the ground like a fading flower with falling petals. But God’s agape love never withers, falls to the ground, corrupts, or fades in its power.

The verse that follows this statement about charity presents a contrast. We are taught that while charity never fails, the gifts of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge would fail and cease to operate. When Paul wrote these verses, they were a fading flower with petals falling to the ground.

These sign gifts were essential for the foundation of the Body of Christ and for revealing God’s will and message of grace to the world. While these gifts were still in operation, however, there were a couple of problems.

First, the Corinthian church was exalting the gifts themselves over love. In their carnality, they were enamored with their spiritual gifts, but Paul taught them that these gifts needed to be used in love and selfless care for others. Second, the Corinthians were focusing on something that was temporary and fading away when they needed to live by what endures forever.

Pastor C. R. Stam, found of Berean Bible Society, rightly pointed out that Paul addresses three subjects in these verses, 1 Corinthians 13:8-13: (1) that which was to be done away, (2) that which was to take their place, and (3) that which was to abide. We’ll look at these verses in this light.

That Which Was to Be Done Away

In 1 Corinthians 13:8, Paul chose three gifts prominent among the Corinthians: prophecy, tongues, and knowledge. Notice that Paul compared three gifts that would cease (v. 8) with three virtues that abide (v. 13). Paul makes it clear that there would come a time when the sign gifts of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge would fail, cease, and fall away.

“Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail.” The gift of prophecy was a revelatory gift in which God gave His Word through a prophet. The prophets literally spoke the Word of God by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, speaking verbally with the same inspired authority that Paul experienced and exercised when he wrote his epistles.

Paul could not be everywhere at once, so God used people with the gift of prophecy to speak the Word of God to the church in different places. At the beginning of the Dispensation of Grace, this gift of the Holy Spirit was needed and used to reveal to the Body of Christ the truths of the Mystery (Eph. 3:4-5).

“Whether there be tongues, they shall cease.” The gift of tongues was the means through which prophecy and the divine truths of grace were communicated to the nations of the world. The gift of tongues was the gift of languages, the miraculous ability, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to speak languages the evangelists did not know. This enabled the gospel of the grace of God to spread rapidly around the world while the Body of Christ was being established.

“Whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” This was spiritual knowledge disclosed by God. It was the immediate imparting of spiritual truth to the mind. It enabled the recipient to know the mind and will of God for this dispensation.

That Which Which Was to Take Their Place

“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (1 Cor. 13:9-10).

As Paul proceeds to reveal the timing of the cessation of these sign gifts, he sets up a now (present tense) time and a then (future tense) time. When Paul wrote in the present tense, he was referring to the time at which he was writing; when he wrote in the future tense, he was referring to a time future to the time of his writing.

In verse 9, he was writing about his now, the time of his writing, that now “we know in part,” and now “we prophesy in part.” In verse 10, he was writing about his then time: “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” In verse 12, you see both his now and his then: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” These now and then contrasts show that the miraculous sign gifts were temporary and nearing their end and would have no permanent place with the Body of Christ in this Dispensation of Grace.

“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part” refers to the incomplete knowledge and prophecies concerning what Christ was revealing to Paul: the Mystery, that is, the body of truth for the present dispensation (Eph. 3:3). The truths of grace and the Mystery were revealed progressively to Paul. Paul didn’t have the complete revelation of the Mystery when he wrote 1 Corinthians. Later, in 2 Corinthians 12:1, Paul wrote, “It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.”

Knowing “in part” and prophesying “in part” speaks of having only part of the knowledge of the Mystery. The content of the message of grace revealed through the sign gifts of knowledge (“we know”) and prophecy (“we prophesy”) was only “in part,” or incomplete and imperfect at that time. There were only partial knowledge and partial prophecies concerning the Mystery. The full understanding of the church truth for today was still coming.

“But,” or in contrast to the way it was at the time Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 13:10, “when that which is perfect is come….” There was a time coming when what was imperfect would be perfect. A change was coming. Eventually these supernatural gifts would cease and give way to a permanent provision for the Body of Christ. Then the spiritual knowledge that they had in part, and the prophecies of divine revelation that were in part, would be complete.

I believe that 1 Corinthians 13:10 means the following: “But when that [the Word of God, in particular the revelation of the mystery given to Paul] which is perfect [brought to a completed end by progressive revelation] is come, then that [the supernatural sign gifts] which is in part [incomplete information from incomplete revelation] shall be done away.”

Incomplete knowledge and partial prophecies ended with the coming of “that which is perfect,” which is the completion of God’s Word through the revelation given to Paul. When the Mystery was fully revealed to Paul, the supernatural sign gifts of the early church fell away. At that point, no longer did they “know in part,” because full knowledge had then been revealed for this dispensation of grace. There was then no need to “prophesy” because all the divine revelation was given in His completed Word through the Apostle Paul.

Prophecies, tongues, knowledge, and the other miraculous sign gifts were given to the Body of Christ while the Word of God was still being revealed. However, after the Scriptures were complete, these temporary methods of divine revelation and the miraculous gifts ceased and fell away. They were unnecessary once we had a completed Bible.

“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the Word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints” (Col. 1:25-26).

According to this passage, the Mystery revealed to Paul fulfilled the Word. It completed the revelation of God by revealing the entirety of the second part of God’s eternal, twofold purpose. That twofold purpose is (1) for Israel and the prophetic saints to rule and reign with Christ on the earth, which is revealed in the Old Testament, the four Gospels, and the Hebrew Epistles; and (2) for the Body of Christ to rule and reign in Christ in the heavenly places, which is revealed in Paul’s epistles.

By the latter part of Paul’s ministry, “that which is perfect” had come, and the sign gifts had ceased. You find Paul, as well as his co-workers, not performing miracles or healing any longer (1 Tim. 5:23; 2 Tim. 4:20). And the gift of tongues is never mentioned again after the Epistle of 1 Corinthians.

“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Cor. 13:11-12).

“The Sunday School teacher was describing that when Lot’s wife looked back at Sodom she turned into a pillar of salt, when Bobby interrupted. ‘My mommy looked back once while she was driving,’ he announced, ‘and she turned into a telephone pole.’”² Like Paul wrote, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child.”

Paul uses two illustrations to demonstrate the temporary nature of the sign gifts. He begins by contrasting childhood with becoming an adult, the immature with the mature. The sign gifts were the immature and incomplete way.

During childhood, knowledge is incomplete, speech is undeveloped, and understanding is simple. But as children become adults, they mature in all these areas. My father, Pastor Paul M. Sadler, wrote this: “When we became adults we put away all our childhood toys. Hence, our immaturity was gradually replaced with a fuller understanding of things once we became adults. Thus, the supernatural gifts were put aside with the maturing of the dispensation which came with the completion of Paul’s revelation.”³

The illustration of a child represents the beginning of the Dispensation of Grace, the infancy of the Body of Christ, the unfolding of the Mystery, and the incomplete knowledge that accompanied that time. The sign gifts belonged to childhood, figuratively speaking. But the Apostle Paul adds, “when I became a man, I put away childish things.” This refers to the maturity of the dispensation with the receiving of the full revelation of the Mystery and the putting away of the earlier, formational, figuratively childish things of the sign gifts.

The healings and speaking in tongues that today may be found attractive or intriguing are not to be regarded as signs of spiritual maturity. According to God’s Word, these are signs relegated to the “childhood,” the formative years of the Church, the Body of Christ. Maturity in our current dispensation come about through study, growth, and application of the Word of God, rightly divided.

Paul’s second illustration of the change that was coming and the cessation of the sign gifts is that of a mirror. The “now” of “now we see through a glass, darkly” refers to the time when Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians. The “glass” was something looked into with the purpose of seeing a reflected image, or a mirror. Unlike our mirrors today, mirrors in biblical times were at best just flat pieces of polished metal from which one could hardly make out one’s own image. They did not give off a bright, clear reflection as our mirrors do today.

Paul wrote that now we see through a glass “darkly,” or dimly, indistinctly, without a clear image. When Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, he still had an incomplete and unclear view of the revelation of the Mystery for the Body of Christ. And the sign gifts were like looking into an ancient mirror and being unable to get a complete, detailed picture.

“But then,” or after “that which is perfect is come,” the image would be “face to face.” In other words, when the full revelation was given, everything would be crystal clear, like looking at someone directly in the face, able to see everything clearly in perfect detail.

From seeing, Paul returns to knowing: “now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” “I know in part” is Paul’s reminder that he only had a partial knowledge of the Mystery at that point. But there was coming a day when the knowledge would be complete and everything would be known. Still using the analogy of a mirror, Paul is teaching that when he did receive the full revelation, everything would be so clear that it would be as if he were actually looking at himself. He would know how he looks with the same accuracy that others know him, without a flawed reflection from an imperfect mirror.

There are two different Greek words for “know” in verse 12. Paul wrote, “now I know [Gr., ginosko] in part; but then shall I know [Gr., epiginosko].” The first Greek word for “know” means to perceive or understand. The second word for “know” means to recognize, knowing thoroughly. Later Paul wrote to the Ephesian church,

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ…may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge [Gr., epignosis] of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened…” (Eph. 1:17-18).

The Greek word for “knowledge” in Ephesians 1:17 is the noun form of the verb “know” (Gr., epiginosko) in 1 Corinthians 13:12, and likewise means full, thorough knowledge and recognition. When Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he had by then received the full revelation for the Body of Christ, the full knowledge of Christ according to His heavenly ministry today. And he prays that the Ephesians would be enlightened to this full knowledge of Christ by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

We gain our knowledge of Christ by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. As we spend time with God’s Word, we see Christ, we know Him more, and we “are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18).

That Which Was to Abide

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” (1 Cor. 13:13).

The “now” and “then” contrast finishes here with Paul concluding, “now abideth.” This did not await the completed revelation of the Mystery. Paul was teaching them that “now,” and for the entire Dispensation of Grace, “abideth faith, hope, charity.” These three crowning graces abide throughout the dispensation. While the miraculous sign gifts would cease, faith, hope, and agape love would remain.

Faith, hope, and agape love are the foundation for our Christian lives. We are called to “walk by faith” (2 Cor. 5:7), to “walk in love” (Eph. 5:2), and to be “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

Paul did not look for tongues, healings, and miracles in the churches he established; he looked for faith, hope, and love. As he wrote to the Colossian church, “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel” (Col. 1:3-5).

This is the true measuring stick of spiritual maturity in Christ and of a strong church. These are the three essential qualities for our Christian lives. God desires that faith, hope, and love be the driving factor in all we do in life as we serve Him. And the greatest of these is love. “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men.”⁴ May God use our hands, feet, eyes, and ears to show His love to this world.

<sup>1. Ted Sutherland contributor, “Intelligence Is Not The Same As Wisdom,” Sermon Central, February 19, 2001, https://sermoncentral.com/sermon-illustrations/1443/intelligence-is-notthe-same-as-wisdom-by-ted-sutherland.
2. “Joke of the Day,” The New Times, May 21, 2010, https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/38325/joke-of-the-day.
3. Paul M. Sadler, The Supernatural Sign Gifts of the Acts Period (Germantown, Wisconsin: Berean Bible Society, 2017), p. 54.
4. Augustine of Hippo, BrainyQuote, accessed May 5, 2025, https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/saint_augustine_148553.</sup>