Gentlemen,
I hope everyone had a great week. We will be covering questions 4-7 on pages 135 and 136. I have provided commentaries for each of the 4 questions with scripture pertaining to that particular question. Please feel free to add anything to this study that you have found valuable. Thanks!

Question 4
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? [Gen. 17:17].
Old Abraham just laughed. This is not the laughter of unbelief. I think it is the laughter of just sheer joy that this could happen. I am sure that you have had this experience. Every now and then in our lives, God does something for us that is so wonderful that we just feel like laughing. You don’t know anything else to do but to laugh about it. This was something unheard of. There was “the deadness of Sarah’s womb,” and Abraham was “dead”—have you ever noticed how Paul described this? “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 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. 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 Sarah’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:17–22). Abraham believed in God, and he is absolutely overwhelmed by the wonder and the goodness of God.
But then, all of a sudden, a thought comes to Abraham like an arrow to his heart. He thinks of a little boy who is his, a boy by the name of Ishmael.
McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (1:75). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Question 5
17:19 call his name Isaac. The name of the promised son meant “he laughs,” an appropriate reminder to Abraham of his initial, faithless reaction to God’s promise
MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Ge 17:19). Nashville: Word Pub.

Question 6
1 John 1:12-13
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name [John 1:12].
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power.” The word power is not dunamis power like dynamite, physical power, but exousian power which is delegated power, authority. “But as many as received him, to them gave he the authority to become the sons of God [children, tekna of God], even to them that believe on his name.”
Notice that this is for “them that believe on his name.” And always with the word “believe” there is a preposition. You see, faith, as the Bible uses it, is not just head knowledge. Many people ask, “You mean all that I have to do is to say I believe?” Yes, that is all you have to do, but let’s see what that implies. With the verb “to believe” there is always a preposition—sometimes en (in), sometimes eis (into) or sometimes epi (upon). You must believe into, in, or upon Jesus Christ. Let me illustrate with a chair. I am standing beside a chair and I believe it will hold me up, but it is not holding me up. Why? Because I have only a head knowledge. I just say, “Yes, it will hold me up.” Now suppose I believe into the chair by sitting in it. See what I mean? I am committing my entire weight to it and it is holding me up. Is Christ holding you up? Is He your Savior? It is not a question of standing to the side and saying, “Oh, yes, I believe Jesus is the Son of God.” The question is have you trusted Him, have you believed into Him, are you resting in Him? This chair is holding me up completely. And at this moment Christ is my complete Savior. I am depending on Him; I am resting in Him.
McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (4:373). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

John 1:12 (a)
But…
Praise God for the word “but.” How many great truths swing on this small hinge!
John 1:12 (b)
…as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
“Thou shalt call his name Jesus,” the angel said to Mary (Luke 1:31). The name “Jesus” means “Jehovah is salvation.” You will receive power to become a son of God when you believe that Jesus is not merely a Savior, or even the Savior, but that He is your Savior.
Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson's Application Commentary (437). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

1:12 as many as received Him...to those who believe in His name. The second phrase describes the first. To receive Him who is the Word of God means to acknowledge His claims, place one’s faith in Him, and thereby yield allegiance to Him. gave. The term emphasizes the grace of God involved in the gift of salvation (cf. Eph. 2:8–10). the right. Those who receive Jesus, the Word, receive full authority to claim the exalted title of "God’s children." His name. Denotes the character of the person himself. See notes on 14:13, 14.
1:13 of God. The divine side of salvation: ultimately it is not a man’s will that produces salvation but God’s will (cf. 3:6–8; Titus 3:5; 1 John 2:29).
MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Jn 1:12). Nashville: Word Pub.

Galatians 4:21–23
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.
To validate his argument, Paul appealed to Abraham, father of the Jewish race. God said to Abraham, “I’m going to bring you into a new land. I’m going to give you a new name. I’m going to make you great. And from you will come forth a people as innumerable as the stars in the heavens or the sand on the seashore.”
Abraham believed God. But when he was eighty-six years old, with the promise yet to be fulfilled, his wife said, “Honey, I realize God spoke to you, but let’s be practical. You’re eighty-six. I’m seventy-six. This promise isn’t going to come to pass the way we thought it would. Therefore, take my slave girl, Hagar, have relations with her, and the child you produce will be the promised seed from which will come the nation God promised you.”
When God gives a promise, there is almost invariably a gap of time between the giving of the promise and the fulfillment of the promise. And it is in that gap of time that we get impatient. “Time is running out,” we say. “I’ve got to make something happen.”
Abraham agreed to Sarah’s plan. The result was the conception and birth of a baby boy named Ishmael. Thirteen years went by. Then God spoke to Abraham again, saying, “I’m still going to give you a child.”
“Let Ishmael live,” said Abraham. “He’ll do.”
“No,” said God. “Ishmael is not the fulfillment of My promise. He’s only your fleshly attempt to help Me.”
As I look back over my life, I see that every time I got impatient and tried to help God, the result has always been trouble—Ishmael. Because God is so good, the promise still comes because He’s faithful to His Word. But the problem is, I have a bunch of Ishmaels to deal with. You see, to this day, blood is shed daily in the ongoing struggle between the children of Ishmael and the children of Israel. So, too, in my own life, whenever Ishmael is born as a result of my own fleshly efforts, strife, anxiety, and tension are also birthed in my life.
Push God, rush God, help God out—and you’ll have an Ishmael on your hands. Abraham was a great man. Yet this friend of God, this father of faith, this incredible saint had a problem that God recorded as a lesson for each of us today: He was impatient.
“Impatient?” you say. “He waited how many years for God to keep His promise?”
It was at least twelve years between the time Abraham was given the promise and the time he went in to Hagar. But it could have been as many as eighteen years. Some of us think, I’ve been waiting eighteen days, eighteen weeks, eighteen months. When is God going to fulfill His promise to me? Abraham waited eighteen years before he said, “I better help God.” But it was a disaster, nonetheless.
Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson's Application Commentary (1197). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

Question 7
See questions 6

Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Paul borrowed the term “yoke of bondage” from Peter, who, in Acts 15, used it in reference to the rules and regulations of Judaism. You see, years previously, Paul was involved in this same basic controversy. Accused of preaching “cheap grace,” he and Barnabas were summoned to appear before the church leaders in Jerusalem. “Believing in Jesus is terrific,” they said, “but it’s not enough. To be a good Christian, one must also be a good Jew.”
“Wait a minute,” protested Peter, “neither our fathers nor we were able to bear the yoke of Judaism. Why should we expect the Gentiles to be able to bear it?”
“Don’t let anyone put a yoke of bondage on you,” echoed Paul. The yoke Jesus bore on His shoulders as He carried the Cross to Calvary is all-sufficient.
Galatians 5:2
Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
“If you add anything to the Cross in an attempt to obtain a right standing with God, you’re not saved. That’s how strongly the Father feels about the sufficiency of the finished work of His Son,” said Paul.
I know the Mormons are sincere. I see the zeal of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. But their doctrines very clearly state that, although the Cross is a good starting point, it is not enough in and of itself to save a man. Therefore, they’re lost. The Word says if any man adds anything to the Cross, Christ profits him nothing.
Galatians 5:3, 4
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Suppose, while driving through town, you saw a flashing red light in your rearview mirror. You pulled over, and the policeman said, “You were driving fifty-five miles an hour. You broke the law.”
If you said, “Oh, come on now, Officer. Lighten up. I never robbed a bank. I never shot a person. I never was involved in drugs. So don’t give me this ticket,” he would say, “I don’t care how many other laws you haven’t broken, you did break this one. You’re guilty.”
The same is true of the law. If you’re seeking justification by keeping the law rather than by accepting grace, breaking the law in even one point means you’re guilty—regardless of how many “good things” you’ve done in other areas.
Galatians 5:5, 6 (a)
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision…
It doesn’t matter whether you’re circumcised or uncircumcised, whether you worship on Saturday or on Sunday, whether you eat meat or live on birdseed. As far as your relationship with the Father goes, this stuff is irrelevant.
Galatians 5:6 (b)
…but faith which worketh by love.
Grace does not produce lazy, hazy Christianity. On the contrary, as James would write, true faith works (James 2:17). Why? Not because it’s got to, but because it gets to.
I asked one of the brothers at Applegate Christian Fellowship what he was going to do on his day off. “Oh, I can’t wait,” he said. “I’m going to my fiancie’s house, and I’m going to paint her living room, fix the plumbing in her bathroom, and then do some yard work.”
“That’s your day off?” I said. “Plumbing, painting, and yard work? It’s amazing what love does!” Truly, when you’re in love with someone, it’s not “got to’s”—it’s “get to’s.”
We get to worship the Lord as a congregation. We get to start our day with morning devotions. We get to tithe and be free from our own greediness. We get to lift our hands. We get to share our faith. We don’t have to do those things. We get to. The reason faith works is not to fulfill a requirement of the law. It was in response to an incredible love.
Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson's Application Commentary (1203). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.