Galatians 5:1-15

Freedom in Christ

Galatians 5:1–15 KJV 1900

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. 7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. 11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. 12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you. 13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

The word that is most used in this section of verses, liberty or freedom! What does Paul mean by ‘liberty in Christ’ in Galatians 5?

The text is clear that whatever Christ did, has done, and thereby offering to those that believe in Him gives that person freedom!

This kind of freedom is a direct result of Christ’s work and labors on our behalf. Nothing that we have produced to bring about this liberty.

Galatians 5:1 “1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

So this freedom means being liberated from the curse of the law and sin’s compulsions.

The phrase that actually starts this passage off correctly, “It is for freedom that Christ hath made us free...”

Message from Paul, God through the person of Jesus Christ made us free citizens of the kingdom

For what purpose? That we would be free from the bondage of sin!

Galatians 4:9 “9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?”

Acts 15:10 “10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”

God expects that the freedom that He offers and thereby gives results in strength, success, victory, and ultimate freedom from the bondage that enslaved that person.

The Acts passage notes for us that fleshly actions in response to earthly issues were in danger of controlling the disciples of God again.

How do we live free? “Therefore stand fast” this is a military word that describes actions Christians must do.

Hold your ground in that liberty! Do not waver in your faith! James 1:6 “6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

Then a warning- Do not get “enecho” enslaved again to your sinful passions!

This is what happened to the Children of Israel. They were freed from Egypt only to be enslaved in the wilderness! They wondered in the wilderness and died!

Roman slaves - were first prisoners of war! Then through birth they became slaves. The slave life meant no rights or loss of rights. Often miss treated, used as property like that of animals.

One could become a slave was through child birth to a mother that was a slave, or pressure on the Father to prevent poverty. How a freed person could become a slave is through debt. In limited cases, a person might sell himself into slavery to prevent lose of social status for the family.

Paul’s examples of enslaving themselves again to the old nature!

Galatians 5:2 “2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.”

Literally - circumcising means nothing to God in the realm of Faith to Christ!

Christ plus nothing!

They were teaching Christ wasn’t sufficient. You must do something of value to God to gain eternal life.

Why is righteousness from works such a bad model?

Because it teaches that the works of man, are more sufficient than the finished work of Christ on the cross!

Now their would be no need of faith, trust, or dependency! We could all just have faith in ourselves.

Romans 3:23 “23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Would not exist!

Thus fear after faith would be normal and even justified. 1 John 4:18 “18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

We would be saying Christ profit’s me nothing! How could Paul say this? It wasn’t Paul that was the problem! It was the life, the teaching, and the practice of this Galatian church.

Galatians 5:4 “4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

In literal terms the church and individual that practices a salvation of works, spits on Christ and has no saving faith.

Why? Because it is based on the works of the law and not Christ’s finished work.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 “20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”

Galatians 2:21 “21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Only one thing that would satisfy God’s wrath, and that was the payment of our sin must be in full! Not in part.

Colossians 2:13–14 “13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

God made you alive with Christ.

How? By forgaving us all our sins,

What other provisions did Christ do? He canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness!

How did He perform this work? By taking our sin away, in which he nailed it to the cross!

Romans 4:4–5 “4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

The one who lives by works, His wages are still death! Why because all of the sinners works are just another way to say, this is your obligation.

But the one that believes in Christ’s finished work, their faith has credited as righteousness!

Why? Because the one who is sufficient, sanctifies through His body! Once for all!

Hebrews 10:10–14 “10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

Conclusion: Galatians 5:5 “5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.”

The Holy Spirit that is within us, waits meaning 553. ἀπεκδέχομαι apĕkdĕchŏmai, ap-ek-dekh´-om-ahee; from 575 and 1551; to expect fully:—look (wait) for.

Strong, J. (2009). In A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Vol. 1, p. 13). Logos Bible Software.

The Spirit connects within our body, speaking to our soul, causing a longing within to hope for eternal righteousness! No longer struggling with and fighting over the ground in battle! No we long for peace, hope, and eternal love through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This freedom means being liberated from the curse of the law and sin’s compulsions, with the ultimate goal of living a life empowered by the Holy Spirit—becoming someone entirely new, released from condemnation and legal expectations, and guided directly by God.

This is truly liberating, because Paul is causing the church to be aware of the struggle over sin. This is a progressive journey! Philippians 1:6 “6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

The ultimate expression of this freedom in Christ, is a transformed life powered by the Holy Spirit.

In your home, you may struggle with sinful habits, such as anger or impatience, particularly in stressful situations with family members. Take time daily to invite the Holy Spirit into your home life through prayer. Set aside 15 minutes each morning before the chaos begins to seek God’s guidance. Reflect on specific areas where you feel trapped in sin, then confess those to God. This spiritual practice will open your heart to His leading, enabling you to respond with grace and patience instead of frustration.

While attending church, you might feel disconnected from fellow members or struggle to apply biblical teachings to your life. Combat this by committing to join a small group or Bible study that meets regularly. In these smaller settings, share your struggles with sin openly and encourage each other in the spirit of love. This community will help you experience the support of the Holy Spirit through your brothers and sisters in Christ, guiding you towards a more empowered Christian life.

In public life, you may be confronted with societal pressures that challenge your beliefs, prompting fear or uncertainty. When this happens, practice speaking truths from the Word of God out loud, either through social media posts or during conversations. For example, if someone brings up a moral issue, confidently respond with a statement of truth grounded in Scripture. This practice will not only strengthen your own resolve but also reflect the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, encouraging others to see your commitment to living out a life of righteousness.

You may find yourself struggling with feelings of guilt or shame over past mistakes, which can hinder your Christian walk.

Overcome this by starting a 'gratitude and grace journal.' Each evening, spend a few minutes writing down three things you’re grateful for and one way you’ve seen God’s grace at work in your life that day.

This exercise shifts your focus from sin to the incredible freedom you have in Christ and helps you cultivate a Spirit-led life that is empowered by gratitude for His mercy.