For Freedom: Unhindered Joy in Christ

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Galatians 5:1–15 ESV

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

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frames both the preceeding passages as well as our section today.

“The reason Christ set us free is so that you would be FREE.”

When we distort this or forget this we forfeit the freedom we have in Christ.

Gospel= Freedom

The bible says we are all sinners. We are rebels against God, seeking our own way.

Because of our sin and our rebellious hearts, we are separated from God and deserve His punishment, His wrath.

Even at our best, we are stained by sin and cannot fix what is broken. Not through doing good or refraining from doing bad.

God

The bible says, “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Our only hope is for God to intervene and step into our situation.

Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for the sins of anyone who would trust in Him.

Jesus went to the cross and died for the sins of all who would trust in Him. He paid the penalty for ALL of our sins.

Three days later He rose from the grave,

When we put our faith in Christ the full penalty and weight of our sin is paid in full.

The full goodness and righteousness of Christ is given to us (imputed). Literally we take on all the goodness of Christ and He takes on all our evil and sin.

Our only act in this is trust. We hear the message of Christ, our hearts are opened to the reality of it, and we submit, give ourselves to Jesus.

When we trust Christ we instantly receive the Grace of Christ. We don’t get a list of rules. We receive FREEDOM.

Before Christ we live under the weight of the yoke of sin, but IN CHRIST we are set free in order to be FREE.

Free from the penalty of sin and free from the constant struggle of sin.

What is at stake in Galatia 2000 years ago is the same as today- loosing the very thing Christ came to give us.

Paul is going to show us the 2 ways we forfeit our freedom and submit to the yoke of slavery.

1) Fear-Motivated Legalism

Paul has been beating this into our heads so far. “You do not earn your salvation”.

Legalism is when we add to the Gospel rule and stipulation for gaining favor with God.

It is fear-based in that we are seeking to prove ourselves to God in order than He might find us favorable and not punish us.

It is the same thing we tend to do to our kids.

We place fear of punishment, fear of losing something, or fear of getting a spanking in them in order than they obey.

Discipline is essential in our home, but fear-based behavior modification does not free our kids to obey our of love and respect.

Breaking down the passage

vs 2- The Judaizers were trying to convince the Galatians to follow through with circumcision.

It was the way of initiation, to show others that you were on the right team.

They were making the case that their salvation was incomplete unless they are circumcised.

This is the Gospel+ that Paul has been fighting since the beginning.

When anything additional is added to the Gospel Paul say “Christ will be of no advantage.”

Anything added to the Gospel mean it is no longer the Gospel.

Jesus died for our sin, but if we need another step, or another set of requirements in order to receive it or keep it, Christ death is in vain.

VS 3- He goes on: if you think one part of the law is necessary to keep then you must keep the whole law.

If you were speeding down 231 and get pulled over and tell the cop “Yeah I was speeding, but I didn’t steal anything today and I haven’t murdered anyone.” The cop wouldn’t say, “Oh well your right, your obedience there is good enough. You are a law breaker and deserve justice.

VS 4- If your faith is in the Christ + the law then you are “severed from Christ” and “have fallen away from grace.”

He is not saying you can loose your salvation.

The question in the Scriptures is never…Can you lose your salvation? but rather…Have you been saved to begin with?

Matt Chandler

Just because someone says they are a Christian, do things Christians do, and seem to be pretty sincere about it; if a few month/years down the road they act like Jesus is like the care bears (lame and weird) then they never really knew Him.

VS 5- If we have the Spirit of God then we will wait eagerly for the “hope of righteousness”.

The longevity of our faith and hope indicate the validity of our salvation.

VS 6- Paul says there is no advantage gained from circumcision.

Anything we try to do to earn favor with God is empty and vain.

VS. 7-12

On the one hand the Galatians were forfeiting their freedom by

2) Pleasure-Motivated License

The worry of the Judaizers is that if the Gospel is what Paul says then you are giving them license to live how ever they want.

Galatians 5:13 ESV

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

The freedom we have in Christ is not a license to live however we want.

So now you have this whole demographic of people who attend church on the weekends but ultimately have not had their lives transformed in any way, have no real affection for Jesus Christ, and have no submission to who he is.

They simply go to church, call themselves Christians, and trust one day Jesus is going to cover all of that.

We are going to dive into this more next week.

But we have a tendency toward pendulum swings.

Maybe we look free, but in reality we are slaves to whatever feels right.

In parenting you see this when parents are more concerned with relationship than helping their kids make good decisions.

Examples

Failure of marriages

Pursuit of joy is stuff

The amount of debt we live with

The busyness of our lives

The pursuit of satisfaction outside of Jesus is slavery.

Symptoms of Slavery

Symptoms of Slavery

Christ becomes an add on

(vs 2, 3, 4)

Others become measuring sticks

(vs 6, 15)

Following Christ becomes passionless duty

(vs 2, 3, 13)

Proof texting and theologizing become your SOP

(vs 2, 7-12, 13)

Symptoms of Freedom in Christ

Faith-filled obedience

our faith in Christ guides our daily lives, not following rules or following the desires of the body (vs 5)

Christ-focused theology

God's word is our guide to following Christ (vs 10)

Grace-motivated love

we love God because of the Grace shown in Christ, we love others from the Grace we have received (vs 14)

we are not driven by proving ourselves or pursuing or pleasures

Christ-focused theology

God's word is our guide to following Christ (vs 10)

Joyous freedom

we are not driven by proving ourselves or pursuing or pleasures

We are free to experience UNHINDERED JOY IN CHRIST (Vs 1!!!)

We have an opportunity now to be struck by awe in Christ and express that awe as we sing out in worship.