Works Won't Work

Genesis 21:11–12 (ESV) And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.

Sarah wants Hagar and Ishmael out. Her child Isaac has been weaned and the son of the slave woman is laughing and taunting him. 

Paul will use this story to illustrate our salvation. Amazingly, he sees this passage as an allegory to compare works righteousness with God's righteousness. Hagar was Abraham's best efforts - his works to secure God's work in his life. But God would not let Abraham come to understand the promises of God depend on man's best effort. No. They are promises of what God will do for us, not what we will do for Him. 

When Sarah demand Hagar and son be exiled, it says this was "very displeasing" to Abraham. The word is also translated, "wicked" in other scriptures. Abraham thinks what his wife is suggesting is evil. But God says do it. 

This is an example where the Bible will not make sense without the interpretive filter of God's saving action in Jesus. Many more examples are to come in Abraham's life, most notably in Genesis 22, but this is a lesser used example. 

Abraham thinks he's done well to secure both a son of the flesh (Ishmael) and a son of the promise (Isaac). God promises to bless both sons, but only one will be the lineage of His purpose - Isaac. Only one will be the line through which God's salvation comes to mankind, and even ultimately Abraham. 

Abraham's struggle with this concept is a lesson for all of us. We want to be able to boast about what we can do. We want to be able to save ourselves and establish ourselves. We want to be in charge of our destiny. God will not have it. Sin is a problem far deeper and more menacing than we can ever comprehend. Our hearts are tainted with sin and even our best motivations are as well. As God eliminates any of our works for use toward our salvation, we can struggle with it. Our fleshly nature wants to cry foul before God as if we could offer something of value to secure our salvation. 

We cannot. It is always only of grace. 
Romans 11:6 (ESV) if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

Anything good we do is the product of the good done for us. Abraham would bless the nations through Isaac, the Son of promise. Our works merit us no favor with God, therefore they should be used joyfully to serve our neighbors and bless our communities. 

If you struggle to come to grips with this, you're on the road to understanding the Gospel much better than you ever have before.

Struggle on.