How to Handle Freedom

Introduction

A. Open Your Eyes!

When Jesus was dealing with the Pharisees, He was trying to get them to understand that they were slaves to the law of God.

But because they believed that they were already spiritual, they didn’t listen to Jesus Who was trying to set them free, but they argued with Him and questioned Him. Instead of embracing the Son of God, what they did was embrace their sonship of the world. They made the claim, “We are children of Abraham! We aren’t slaves? How can you set us free when we aren’t in bondage?”

But Jesus was talking about more than just national heritage, he was talking about the sin nature. The sin nature is something that was passed down from Adam, and something that has affected all of humanity.

Romans 3:23 NKJV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

But the Jews thought that because they were descended from Abraham that they were free from the penalty of sin. This is because they had the law of God. They said, “We have kept the whole law of God, and therefore, we deserve salvation.”

Jesus was trying to get them to open their eyes and see that salvation could never come from obeying the law because the purpose of the law was to discipline them, not save them.

John 8:31–36 NKJV

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

How is it that the Son of God makes us free?

By faith, not by works.

B. Paul Transitions in Galatians

He has already given us the doctrinal support for everything he is about to say.

If you will go back and look at chapter 3 then you’ll notice that Paul relates the law of God as a harsh school master who can never bring you into the family of God, but is there to baby sit until the eldest Son comes to promote you to the status of a son.

Galatians 3:19 NKJV

What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made.

The entire point of the letter to the Galatian church is the freedom we have in Jesus Christ.

The Galatian churches, because of the influence of legalists, are returning to the system of human perfection to be clean instead of relying on the blood payment of Jesus Christ to be clean.

The reason that the law is described as a harsh master is because it won’t let you get away with anything.

James 2:10 NKJV

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

That means that breaking any law of God is good enough for God to condemn us to Hell.

C. I’m Thankful for God’s Grace!

That’s why grace is so important. That’s why living in God’s grace everyday is important.

The grace of God is our salvation, our power, and our inheritance all in one. Without it, we cannot achieve anything.

D. Grace Fulfills the Law // Legalism Breaks It

The argument that the Judaizers in Galatia were making is that Paul was a liberal Christian who denied the truth of the law. Paul is just setting the record straight and showing how living in freedom under Jesus doesn’t negate the law, but fulfills the law and how it supports the life of the Christan.

Gal 5:1-12 says, “I have been set free.”

Galatians 5:13-26 tells us, “I have been given the Holy Spirit so I can live in freedom.”

Galatians 6:1-10 tells us, “The Spirit causes me to love others and deny myself.”

Galatians 6:11-18 tells us, “The freedom God gives allows me to live for His glory.”

Not only is he going to argue that we have freedom in Christ, he is going to expose the false teachings of the legalists.

I will obey enough rules to get closer to God. (Reading the Bible without internal reflection, praying without obeying God’s commands, serving without abandoning self-preference.)

I will be strong enough for God to consider me worthy.

1 Corinthians 1:27 NKJV

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

I will behave good enough or I will achieve enough so that others are impressed. (Impressing the pastor, leaders, peers, all for my glory, not for the glory of God). “Believing that we are doing God a wild favor!” -Rogers

I am more spiritual than others and they should listen to me.

This is an attitude that says, “If I don’t do it, then it won’t get done right.”

It is an attitude that comes spilling out in possession of the church instead of service to the church.

It is an attitude that says, “If God didn’t have me, then He couldn’t accomplish His purposes.”

Jesus has given us freedom, and that comes with some real responsibility.

I think about all those seniors that walked last night to receive their diplomas.

They all, because they are graduating, think that they’re about to have their world opened to endless possibilities.

Because the culture now says that they’re adults and because they believe that they are adults in their minds, even though they’ve never lived on their own, what they have gained is maximum freedom.

Have you ever thought, “If I could just go back, how I’d do things differently!”

Unfortunately we can’t, and because we had freedom to choose poorly, we learned that there are real consequences when we use our freedom in the wrong way.

What we discovered is that if we don’t do things the way that they’re supposed to be done, all of a sudden, we’ve created a life that feels more like maximum security prison than it does maximum freedom.

By the time that we get done clawing ourselves out of the hole we dug, we say to ourselves, “I am going to cherish my freedom, I’m never going to make those decisions again.”

We have the same responsibility when it comes to our freedom in Jesus.

Just like all those young versions of ourselves, if we give our freedom away, if we borrow against it for temporary satisfaction, or if we allow someone to steal our attention and our joy, we will suffer for it.

We must make sure that we know how we can appropriately handle our Freedom in Jesus Christ.

I. Don’t Give it Away (v. 1-2)

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." -Benjamin Franklin

We can easily treat the freedom that Jesus purchased for us with contempt. That’s what the Galatians were doing.

There is something in the human mind that says, “I feel more secure with what I know, and I don’t want to let it go.”

And even if we are put in a better place and are totally free, because it doesn’t feel comfortable, or because it doesn’t satisfy our flesh or our human desire, we try to return to a place where we live in our own power.

When we return to living in our own power, we forfeit the power of the Holy Spirit, and we “fall from grace”.

Galatians 5:1–2 NKJV

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.

A. It is Precious

Endless possibilities!

B. It is Irreplaceable

John 14:6 NKJV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

C. It is Satisfying

John 4:14 NKJV

but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

D. It is Comforting

Matthew 11:28 NKJV

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

E. It is Reliable

Romans 8:37–39 NKJV

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

II. Don’t Put a Lien on it (v. 3-6)

Galatians 5:3–6 NKJV

And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

A. Our Debt Was Insurmountable

B. Our Debt Was Paid

C. His Payment was Wasted

If we willingly walk back into bondage, then we spit in the face of a holy God. He sent His Son to die, to cover our imperfection, and we just take that and borrow against as if it meant nothing to us.

III. Don’t Be Hindered From it

Paul loves to use athletics to illustrate his points. He is going to talk about running and then being hindered. The imagery is of a track meet, where a runner is running in his lane, and another runner comes to obstruct him and hinder him from passing. There are those in the Galatian church that have come for the sole purpose of hindering these new Christians from running the race of grace in freedom.

Galatians 5:7–12 NKJV

You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!

A. An Enemy (v. 7;12)

Based on v. 7, Paul is talking about a person or group of people. He is identifying a competitor (enemy).

In v. 12, he says that this person who is trying to get Christians to be circumcised out to be castrated!

B. A Deceiver (v. 8)

This was a person who came to preach a false gospel.

John 8:44 NKJV

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

C. A Disease (v. 9)

The leaven of legalism will spread like wildfire!

D. A Shepherd (v. 10)

Jesus Christ is our Great Shepherd and He has appointed His undershephers

E. A Reward (v. 11)

James 1:2–3 NKJV

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

Conclusion