Ga 5:13-16 "How Do You Use Your Freedom?”

Introduction: When you think of Christianity, do you think of freedom?

Galatians 5:8 “ For He (God) is the one who called you to freedom.”

a) The main point that Paul is arguing, is the Galatians have gone back to bondage of following the law

b) Paul reminding them they have liberty or freedom in Christ

Stay free don’t get yourself tied up again

A prisoner who is set free, but decides to go back and give up their freedom:

Paul is clarifying that yes we have Christian liberty, but not to indulge ourselves in sin

“How do you use your God given Freedom?”

Humanity was given free will to reject God through their actions or to serve Him through obedience

1. (V13) Called to Freedom

**Some may say that Christianity is restricting, but the Bible teaches that we have freedom

a) Freedom from following after the law

**600 plus laws and ordinances to follow after

If you want to eat bacon, go ahead and eat it

If you want to work on the sabbath, you can

b) Freedom from sin

**Sin no longer has a hold on you

The Holy Spirit gives you the ability to fight against the temptation to sin

c) Freedom from Condemnation

This freedom was won for Christians by Jesus, whose death redeemed them from the curse of the law and removed its power to bring condemnation

1.1 But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature

a) Our freedom is not a licenses to do whatever we want

Sometimes people mistakenly take there liberty or freedom as a licenses to do whatever they feel at that moment……

a) The Christian is called to live a life of discipline

Romans 6:1 “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?”

** Some might say, because I have grace I can do whatever I want

1 Peter 2:16 “For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.”

**When you got saved, you repented of your sin and you commited to turn away from the old way

**Use you freedom to be a slave of righteousness

1.2 Use your freedom to serve one another

a) You can use your freedom to serve yourself with sinful desires or you can use your freedom to serve others

One way is acceptable to God and the other is not

b) Pauls is reminding us, to use your freedom to serve one another

Royal Law: Love your neighbor as yourself

(1 Cor 13) Instructs us love is action, not feeling

2. (V16) Let the Holy Spirit guide your life, not the flesh

Romans 6:12 “Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.”

If your indulging in sin then you are controlled by your sinful nature, also known as the flesh

a) Feed the Spirit through spending time with God

Meditating on the Word of God

Prayer

b) Yield to the Holy Spirit through submitting to God

2.2 Your sinful nature craves sin

a) Born with a sinful nature

To do wrong

Illustration of our sinful nature:

a) When you are in trouble, your’e tempted to Lie

b) When your hungry and you have no money, maybe your tempted to steal

c) When your angry, your tempted call someone a name or even hit them