One Gospel (Part 5)

It is for Freedom

Galatians 5:1-4

Scripture

Galatians 5:1-4

1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

Pray

Help us to live for You

Story 1

Fighting wrong

Application 1

This is our 5th week in our series in Galatians. As we come toward the end of this book, Paul gives you and me more on the why of the gospel. We started that last week. As we continue to talk about this today, we are going to be honing in on the concept of freedom in Christ that we began to talk about last week.

Freedom is being able to do what you want, when you want. With that definition, let’s consider the gospel. How is it that people have a view of Christianity that is so far from what they see? Could it be that modern-day Judaizers have corrupted the Christianity that they have seen represented?

This is why knowing what is in the Bible is important. Think about this: how many people have been bound by what people think of them? How many Christians have that concept rolling around in their heads far more often than thankfulness for freedom in Christ?

I know that I have, and this is not just when I was in high school or college. This was last month. I try to be really honest with you guys ,and I’m here with you on most of the things in this book that people struggle with.

When I say let’s find freedom in Christ, and seek to walk through what that means for us, some weeks I’m talking to myself just as much as you. This week is one of those weeks for me.

1. Freedom is found only in grace.

Verse 1 is one of the game-changing verses in Scripture. Paul points out the source of true freedom. He says that Christ has set us free. That comes from the grace of the Father. Paul continues to tell us to own the freedom we have in Christ. He tells us this for a simple reason.

If we don’t get this, if we don’t own it, then our freedom will be replaced with a mindset that says grace is too easy. That thought comes coupled with the belief that we have to help God out. When we think that, we become just like who Paul warns against in verses 2-4.

He says that if we have that mindset, Christ does nothing for us, because we reject the gospel and the grace of the Father as a free gift. I have to stop here and point out that in verse 4, Paul talks about being severed from Christ. This is not to be taken as evidence that we can “fall away” from God’s grace or lose salvation. The question is not can you lose your salvation, but were you truly saved?

This is the freedom we have in the gospel. We have spiritual freedom because Christ has conquered sin. What does that mean when we apply our definition of freedom? We still come up short because of how we access this grace that grants freedom.

2. Freedom is found through faith.

Paul says we access this grace through faith. In faith established by God, we find our access to the freedom. When we do this, Scripture says we receive a new heart. That new heart changes things. We begin the sanctification processes, which makes us more and more a representative of Christ.

Because of this, our desires change. The more we realize the love of the Father, the more we desire to please Him. This means rejecting things that displease him. With that understanding, this definition of freedom in Christ fits not just philosophically but practically. This new heart is transformational

The freedom we have in Christ leads to God equipping us to be what Paul calls ambassadors for the Gospel. This transforms people, neighborhoods, communities, and cities for Christ. But the pushback that I’ve heard about the gospel is that it is unrealistic to think the change of the gospel can be lasting. People wane. We even see this in the reason Paul wrote to the Galatians.

Story 2

Mom trying to switch my ranch with light

Supporting Scripture

Ezekiel 36:26

I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Application 2

4. In our freedom, we are called to bring glory to the One who granted it to us.

Paul follows with some pretty strong words. First, he says that law-focused teaching attempts to remove power from the gospel. If we unpack what he says, he says it waters down the gospel. He explains that not only does this offend the gospel, but it takes glory away from God. Because in representing the gospel, we glorify God.

Jude reminds us that glory, authority, and dominion are ultimately reserved for God. My prayer is that as we walk in the freedom of Christ, we can seek to glorify God through Paul’s example in verse 13.

Conclusion

Do you use gospel freedom for you or for God?