As Americans there is little we value more than freedom

In just 1 1/2 years we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The birth of our nation.

The signing of a document stating “We are free!”

A little over 500 years ago a similar document was penned.

The Martin Luther’s 95 Treaties, while not a declaration of independence from the Roman Catholic Church, was a declaration of freedom from their false teaching

While Luther desired to reform, not split away from, the RCC, he was declaring his recognition of the freedom Christ gives us

Today, we look around at many churches and believers and we do not see people that are free

We see people unsure, doubting and wavering

While this is common, we should be free

Here Paul addresses our freedom in Christ.

Before we get started I want to draw your attention to a couple of items

First: The chapter and verse markings are not scripture.

They were placed along side the scriptures to help us better navigate and remember the Word.

They were created roughly between 1450 and 1550 and have been passed down every since

Also, it’s important to know the section headings and names of the books were given at later times also

The names of the books date back to the very early church, or about the second century (100-199AD) while the section headings you see are usually associated with the translation you choose to read

I have the ESV, and in my Bible it says “Christ has set us free” that is the translators giving us a topic heading for this next section of scripture

Most of you have an NIV, and in the NIV the title is “Freedom in Christ”

For those with a NKJV, the title is “Christian Liberty”

These are there to help us as readers get an idea where the translators believe a change in though occurs

I tell you this because Paul is about to make a shift in his thoughts.

The chapter markings align with his though process because when they were placed alongside the scripture, they were placed where it was believe to best break up thoughts.

In chapters 1-2 Paul defends his Apostleship

In chapters 3-4 he creates a theological argument for salvation by grace alone

now in chapter 5 he begins to teach us how to live

His focus is going to turn to our freedom in Christ and discuss how we can be free from the slaveries of our life

Christ Has Set Us Free

v1a

Through Christ’s death, we have been set free

There are at least 4 things Christ’s death freed us from:

We are freed from sin, death, and the Devil

First, Christ freed us from sin

Romans 6:16–18 “16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.”

Second, We are free from sins punishment of death

1 Corinthians 15:22 “22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”

John 3:16 “16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Third, We are freed from the power of Satan

Hebrews 2:14–15 “14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”

In each of these instances Christ has set us free.

We are no long in slavery,

In light of our new found freedom, we are called to stand firm.

Stand Firm in Your Faith!

v1b

Steko: Stand firm

It means “be stationary” and “persevere”

Paul’s encouragement to “stand firm” should not be taken lightly

We ought to recognize this will not be easy for if it were easy, Paul would not have felt the need to give this encouragement

Instead, we should recognize that is almost every moment of our life we are battling the desire to return to slavery

We desire to enjoy the pleasures of sin and forsake the freedom Christ has given us

In light of the Christmas season, this is easy to see

As we run around buying people gifts, going into debt and consuming as thought the stores will be empty tomorrow, we bring pleasure to the flesh

But as the write of Hebrews tells us, this is just temporary when speaking of Moses in Hebrews 11:25 he calls it the “fleeting pleasures of sin”

And this returning to slavery robs us from being able to live in the freedom Christ has given us.

Specifically the slavery he warns us avoid is the slavery of the law he has been speaking against for the previous 4 chapters

We must stand firm, because it is our natural desire to submit to the law

It is our natural desire to be able to say “I did this”

It is our pride and it is our sinful nature that want to be able to say we added something to our salvation

So we must stand firm

We must be on the lookout for any inclination we have toward “I” and stand firm on the work of Christ on Calvary

Paul now continues to warn that…

You Cannot Be Free In Yourself

v2-4

If you think you added anything to your salvation, you are wrong.

It’s not just that you cannot save yourself, it is that you cannot even participate in your own salvation

Paul returns to the issue of circumcision and is speaking both specifically of circumcision and generally about any works, especially the law and he does not mince words

If you accept circumcision, christ is of no advantage to you.

If you believe circumcision to play a role in your salvation, then Christ and His work on Calvary are useless to you

Let me give you another example around Christmas

I have 4 amazing boys

On Christmas morning they will all find presents under the tree

Those presents will say “From Mom and Dad”

What did they do to earn them? Nothing

They receive them 100% on the fact they are our kids

There is nothing they could do to earn these gifts

no amount of good works, no buttering me up

They just get them

If they were instead to try and earn the gifts, what would happen?

They would lose out on the great relationship we have

If instead of resting in the grace of Mom and Dad, they tried to ear their Christmas gifts, while we would have a cleaner house, they would have a different relationship to us

They would then have more of an employer/employee relationship

Working harder to get a bigger end of year bonus

While not a perfect picture of Christs grace, it gives us a good look into what Paul is speaking of

When we begin to believe circumcision or anything we do will bring us to salvation, it is no longer grace

The moment we add to grace, it’s not grace

The moment Christmas gifts are earned, they are not longer gifts, but wages

Likewise, the moment salvation is earned, it is no longer given by grace, but instead is what you deserve

What Paul is saying here is, if we believe salvation requires anything of us, we nullify the grace of Christ and do not have faith

Instead we are relying on ourselves

This is why so many people struggle to be secure in their salvation.

In their mind they think themselves to be the weak link questuining things like:

Was I sincere

was my repentance authentic

was I sorry enough

do I have enough faith

why do I still sin

Is the horrible sin I’ve committed even forgivable?

These are all questions we ask when we believe our salvation depends on us

But when we realize the only thing we can bring to Christ is our sin, we can receive freedom from these doubts

We can then walk in the newness of life the Scriptures talk about

In theological circles there is talk about the order of events around salvation

In other words when we are saved, what happens and when

There is only 1 thing that happens

We start off as a lost sinner and then Christ saves us.

All at once He:

Gives us faith: he gives us the ability to believe in him

We actually read in Romans that without Him we cannot even believe!

He converts us: makes us a new creation so that we are no longer who we were

He gives us the Holy Spirit

Now you might ask, what about repentance? What about accepting Jesus? What about confessing Him as Lord? Arn’t these required?

As one preacher put it, “Yes and no”

No they are not prerequisites to salvation because before God changes us, we do not have the ability to do them

Yes they are because once God changes we cannot but do them

If you want to have complete freedom in the salvation Christ has given you, it is found in recognizing your salvation doesn't depend upon you.

Not even 1%

In verse 3 Paul explains that it must be this way

Salvation must be 100% Jesus and 0% you or you would not make it

Paul explains that if you want to rest on any of your actions, in his case circumcision, you are obligated to complete the law in it’s fullness

This means your not saved by repenting

your not saved by praying a sinners pray (which isn’t scriptural anyway)

your not saved raising your hand, filling out a card or even “asking Jesus into your heart”

You are saved only and completely by the blood of Christ

Now this is true freedom

He then gives one last warning to those requiring works

“You have been severed from Christ”…”you have fallen from grace”

This is not a claim that they have lost their salvation

We know this because has previously called them sons of Abraham

Had they lost their salvation, they would no longer be sons

But it is a warning, a graphic warning

He’s saying you are so far removed from the truth of the Gospel that you are like the cut away piece from the circumcision, separated from the body

But what’s amazing about Paul is that he doesn’t just stop here and leave the readers in hopelessness

He then ties in everything he has said so far to…

The Hope of Righteousness

v5-6

Hopefully today you are sitting here with a joyful heart

Hopefully you are hearing this message and hearing “Christ had given you freedom”

Freedom from doubt

that in Christ you can rest assured of your salvation no matter how unworthy you are

Freedom from death

knowing that one day even if this body dies your soul will be face to face with the Saviour

Freedom from sin

Not freedom from struggling with sin but freedom from bondage and the penalty of sin

Instead, because of Christ, we can have hope

Hope that Christ saved us

Hope that He’s returning

Hope that He’s forgiven us

The best part about this? It doesn’t depend on us.

In verse 6 Paul tells us that circumcision or not, it doesn't matter

only faith working through love

Only faith, given by the father

through the love of the father for us