Introduction

Read through list of things from Galatians 5:19-21.

"For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did; sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

You Are A Free Slave...

* The Basis (Justification)- For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death

• Definition of Justification: An instantaneous legal act of God in which He (1) thinks of our sin as forgiven and Christ's righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be right in His sight.
• Key: In Christ Jesus: The freedom that Christ gives is complete and permanent deliverance from sin's power and penalty (and ultimately its presence). It also gives the ability to obey God. The very notion of a Christian who is free to do as he pleases is self-contradictory. A person who believes that salvation leads from law to license does not have the least understanding of the gospel of grace and can make no claim on Christ's saviorhood and certainly no claim on His lordship.
• Think about how frustrating the last part of Romans 7 is. We are stuck in this body that is constantly wanting to do those things that as Christians we no longer wants to be or do.

* The Boulevard (Substitutionary Atonement) - For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh

• Definition of atonement: The Work Christ did in His life and death to earn our salvation.
• The Law is a good poker and proder but it cannot save. It can let you know that what you are doing is wrong and that you are condemned for it but it can do nothing to save you from that sin.

*Some people think that they can achieve moral and spiritual oerfection by living up to God's standards by their own power. But James 2:10 reminds us "whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all".

*Matthew 19:16-22: Great point about a man who was extremely religious but he was self-absorbed. His righteousness counted for nothing. It would be as if someone in here were to say..."I have not had alcohol, smoked pot, cheated at school, disobeyed my parents, swore at anyone, not wanted what anyone else had." Only to hear Christ say, "Go and sell all that you have and become a missionary for me to Iraq." What would be some of the things stopping you from following that command? Or what about giving all of your free time to help out other teens at south tutoring them? Or what about not getting a new dress for the formal and taking the money you would have spent on the dress and giving it to someone who needs food? Do you see the residual sinfulness that lies around in each one of us?

* The Result (Sanctification)- so the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

• Definition if Sanctification: A progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and more like Christ in our actual lives.
• The true Christian has both the desire and the divinely -imparted ability to live righteously while still on earth. The greek word here (peripateo) refers to a habitual way of life or a life-style.
• Go back and take a look at Galatians 5:19-21 and Galatians 5:22-23. Which list does your life ,ore closely emulate?
• Remember this from tonight if nothing else: The purpose of the gospel is not to make men happy but to make men holy. As Christ made Clear in Matthew 5:3-11, genuine happiness comes to those who belong to Christ and are obedient to His will. True happiness only comes from holiness.