From Bondage to Belonging: Embracing Our Identity in Christ

Freedom in Christ

5

1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Summary: Galatians 5:1-12 discusses the tension between the grace of God and the restrictions of the law. Paul emphasizes that freedom in Christ is not merely freedom from the law, but rather an invitation to a transformative relationship with Him, which radically redefines our identity. This passage illustrates how legalism can hinder our intimacy with God and our authentic Christian walk.

These direct claims reveal that Paul writes Galatians to combat people who are pressuring the Galatians to undergo circumcision and submit to the law of Moses as a means of completing their Christian experience. Douglas J. Moo

Application: This sermon can help Christians understand the importance of establishing their identity in Christ rather than in human regulations or perceived spiritual achievements. It encourages believers to reject the chains of legalism that distort their view of God and their self-worth, leading to a more profound sense of belonging in the family of God.

Teaching: The teaching from Galatians 5:1-12 reveals that God’s grace calls us into a relationship rather than a checklist of dos and don'ts. It demonstrates that striving for acceptance through works is unnecessary and detrimental to our spiritual growth. True acceptance and belonging come from embracing the gift of grace and the identity it provides as children of God.

This passage points to Christ: In this passage, Christ is portrayed as the pivotal figure who liberates believers from the constraints of the law, allowing them to embrace their full identity as sons and daughters of God. Throughout the Bible, Christ's sacrificial act not only frees us from sin but invites us into a deep and personal relationship with Him that redefines who we are.

Big Idea: The big idea of this sermon is that in Christ, we are no longer defined by our failures or legalistic measures, but are fully accepted and cherished, allowing us to live out our identity as beloved children of God, free to love and serve others.

1. Promise of True Freedom - Galatians 5:1-4 The immense value of freedom in Christ. Paul warns against returning to the bondage of the law, suggesting that adhering to legalistic practices nullifies the benefit Christ offers. Paul encouraged the believers to recognize that their identity and worth are not based on rule-keeping but on the grace and liberation found in Jesus. Paul contrasts slavery to regulations and the freedom of living as God's children.

It is part of the devil’s business to keep the Christian’s spirit imprisoned. He knows that the believing and justified Christian has been raised up out of the grave of his sins and trespasses. From that point on, Satan works that much harder to keep us bound and gagged, actually imprisoned in our own grave clothes! He knows that if we continue in this kind of bondage we will never be able to claim our rightful spiritual heritage. He knows also that while we continue bound in this kind of enslavement we are not much better off than when we were spiritually dead. Romans 6:4–7; Galatians 5:1; 1 John 3:7–8 Renewed Day by Day, Volume 1, Jan. 12. A. W. Tozer

For all those who are willing to take God at his word Galatians shows the way to true freedom (5:1). That genuine liberty is neither legalism nor license. It is the freedom of “bondage to Christ.” William Hendriksen; Simon J. Kistemaker

Galatians 5:2

“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.

The Word says if any man adds anything to the Cross, Christ profits him nothing.

Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 1203.

Galatians 5:3, 4

Illustration:

Suppose, while driving through town, you saw a flashing red light in your rearview mirror. You pulled over, and the policeman said, “You were speeding. 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 I don’t deserve to be fined,” 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 of God. 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.[1]

[1]Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 1203.

5:4. Although most Jewish people believed that they were born into the covenant by virtue of being Jewish, they recognized that one could be cut off from the covenant by refusing to obey it. But because salvation is only by Christ (2:21), Paul declares that seeking it any other way leads to being “cut off” (NRSV).

2. Power of Faith in Love – Galatians 5:5-8 These verses emphasize faith working through love rather than adherence to the law as the essence of Christian life. Paul reminds them that the race of faith should focus on the right goal—expressions of love rather than legalism. Paul challenges us to refocus our energies on living a faith that is vibrant and love-centered. This will transform our day-to-day interactions. Resist all hindrances to this race and persevere in love.

Part of my plea in this book is for the spirit’s work to be taken seriously in relation both to Christian faith itself and to the way in which that faith is ‘active through love’ (Galatians 5:6) N. T. Wright For Paul, faith proved its reality by “expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6) R. Kent Hughes

Galatians 5:5, 6(a)

It doesn’t matter whether you’re circumcised or uncircumcised, whether you worship on … [every] Sunday, whether you eat meat or not. As far as your relationship with the Father goes, this stuff is irrelevant.[1]

Galatians 5:6(b)

Embracing God’s Grace does not produce complacent, lazy, Christianity.

[Cheap Grace as it has been called.]

On the contrary, as James would write, true faith produces good works (James 2:17). Why? Not because our faith has to, but because it gets to.

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 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.[1]

[1]Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 1203–1204.

5:7–12: Paul Castigates His Opponents 5:7-8 Ancient writers on moral topics often compared the moral life to running a race. Paul here speaks of someone “hindering” (cf. NASB), possibly meaning “cutting in” (NIV, fitting the term’s etymology, though it can refer to any sort of interrupting or hindering), which throws the runners off balance and perhaps out of the race. *Rhetorically skilled persons liked to play with words, and Paul here alludes to circumcision (which involved cutting), as in 5:12 (“cut off,” KJV). The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Second Edition) 5:7–12: Paul Castigates His Opponents

3. Perils of Legalistic Influence - Galatians 5:9-12 Paul highlights the danger and subtlety of legalistic influence in a community. Paul uses the metaphor of leaven to show how a small element of legalism can permeate and disrupt the whole community of faith. A Christ-centered identity stands firm against such corrupting influences and believers must be vigilant and nurturing in maintaining their identity in Christ. True belonging and identity are rooted in embracing God's grace.

5:9. One of yeast’s most basic properties is that it spreads throughout the dough; Paul uses the same idea, possibly an ancient proverb, in 1 Corinthians 5:6 to warn of the negative effects of an unchecked spiritual malignancy.

Galatians 5:8

We who are believers in Jesus Christ, [when confronted with cultists and other non-Christian worldviews], can truly say, read the Bible. It’s all you essentially [check] need - although commentaries and other Christian books are of immense value. The scriptures are the only necessary and essential source of God’s written message to reveal the keys of spirituality to you. If you really want to know and obey the truth, read the Word.

We constantly encourage people to read their Bibles because we know that if they do, they’ll be on solid, secure footing. They won’t fall prey to some new idea or philosophy.[1]

[1]Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 1204.