Boldly Free

So we started our study of the book of Galatians on the third week of January. And while we took a few breaks in between, we are getting closer to the end of this study. So by God’s grace, we will finish out Galatians on the last first week of July.

But since we have been in this study for so long, I want to remind you why we chose this book. If you can remember back to the first week I told you that what I wanted you to know about me more than anything else as your pastor is that I am a man that is passionate about the gospel. This is my heart-beat. I am a gospel man. I’ve pretty much got one bullet in my gun…and its the gospel.

Why am I so passionate about the gospel? It’s because the gospel is a message about freedom.

And this is why Paul wrote this letter nearly two millenia ago. He was trying to help these Christians in Galatia see the truth that followers of Jesus no longer need to worry about their failure to obey the law because they were already righteous in Jesus Christ.

And this is a scandalous message. In fact, when many people hear the gospel rightly taught they respond by saying something like this? “You mean, if I just believe, it doesn't matter how I live? God will just forgive me? Man if I believe that what would keep me from just living any way I wanted? What would keep me from sinning?”

And this isn't totally unfair. At first glance, when the gospel is rightly preached, it does seem to remove any incentive for believers to pursue holiness. If God just makes us totally righteous, apart from my effort, then what’s the point of me trying to obey God at all? Why shouldn't I just go live it up?

And this is why the passage we are studying this morning is so important…Paul teaches us in this passage that the gospel frees us from the fear of condemnation, and frees us to obey God from the heart.

The Gospel, sets us Boldly Free. It frees us from fear, and it frees us to obey.

Galatians 5:1–15 (ESV)

1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. 7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 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. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! 13 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. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

The Basis of Christian Freedom

In verse 1 Paul writes:

Galatians 5:1 (ESV)

1 For freedom Christ has set us free...

This is a summary statement of the last 4 chapters of Paul’s argument. In chapter 2 Paul argues that we have been justified by faith. In chapter 3, he argues that we have been redeemed from the curse of the law. In chapter 4, he argues that we have been adopted as Sons and heirs of God through faith in Christ.

What’s the result of all of that? Paul says it outright…we are free!

As a matter of fact, in the greek, the wording is even more powerful than in English.

“For freedom, Christ freed you...”

Both the noun and the verb are the same word. Meaning: The gospel is all about freedom.

Freedom is the means and the end of the gospel.

The whole point of Christmas and Easter and everyday in between the life of Jesus was so that we could be liberated…set us free from bondage.

And notice the wording in that last phrase...

1 For freedom Christ has set us free...

This is a past tense action. Meaning that this isnt something that we have to work for…the work has already been done.

In Christ, we no longer stand condemned as sinners before God…because Christ was condemned in our place.

In Christ, we are no longer under the curse of sin…because Christ became accursed for us.

In Christ, we are no longer slaves…but have been adopted as sons and heirs of God through Christ.

What is the result: WE ARE FREE...

Jesus said it himself in John 8:36

John 8:36 (ESV)

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

So what’s the basis of our freedom?

It isnt our work or self effort.

It was the work of Christ..

And we can stand firm in this truth…We aren't just free. We are BOLDLY FREE…

But this doesn't mean that we dont have some responsibility in our freedom. Even though we didn't earn our freedom in Christ…we do have to guard it because it is possible to be lost.

Now…before we move on…let me be clear here...

I do not believe that what Paul is about to say means that we can lose our salvation.

Jesus said, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out...”

“Well that doesn't mean you cant jump out?!”

Listen… if Death nor life seperate us from the love of God, if angels nor demons cant seperate us from the love of God, if principalities nor powers can seperate us from the love of God. If tribulation nor distress nor persecussion can seperate us from the love of God…If noting in all creation can seperate us from the love of God.

I think that means that you and I can separate ourselves from his love. Im not sure many of us in here could bench press our own body weight…much less overcome the strength of our savior who holds us.

So we cant lose our salvation…but we can lose the freedom that comes with our salvation if we aren't vigilant to guard it.

Even if you just consider our national freedom…it isn't guaranteed. Our political freedom has to be protected.

And so it is with our spiritual freedom...

Look again at verse 1:

Galatians 5:1 (ESV)

1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

The word Paul uses for “stand firm” is a military word.

It means to stay alert. To be on guard. To protect.

And what are we to guard it against?

Paul says that we are to stand firm against the “yoke of slavery”

It was common in this period for Judaism to refer to the Law as a “yoke”—what does a yoke do? It keeps you in line. It keeps you from straying from the left or the right.

And what was the yoke? Circumcision…people in Paul’s day were preaching that in order to be a “serious” Christian you had to take on the Yoke of the Law…

And why Paul says is that we have to guard our freedom…we have to protect it…because it’s fragile...

So let’s do a little bit of application here:

How do we guard our freedom?

We have to remind ourselves that we have been freed.

We dont just need to preach the gospel to others…we have to first preach it to ourselves.

When you get into God’s word, the story that you find is that God has rescued you…he has redeemed you…he has set you free. And if your not in God’s word, you are more susceptible to the schemes of the the Devil...

Can i just remind you…you are in a battle…and the war isnt in the realm that we can see. There is a cosmic war going on for your soul. The devil hates you…and if he cant steal your salvation…he wants to steal your assurance. He wants you to constantly be doubting your salvation…constantly naval gazing…constantly so consumed with the state of your own soul that you become completely self centered and unconcerned with anyone or anything else.

You need to be in God’s word…you need to get it inside of you…that way when the enemy brings you a different word…a counterfeit, you arent dooped.

The basis of our freedom is the work of Christ…and we have to guard this truth...

But in this passage we also Find:

The Beauty of Christian Freedom

But Look what Paul says...

Galatians 5:2 (ESV)

2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.

To accept circumcision…or to attempt to live under the law nullifies the work of Christ.

Galatians 5:3 (ESV)

3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.

What Paul says here is that if you believe that God accepts you based upon anything that you can do…you are essentially nullifying the grace of God avaliable to you in Christ.

He says if you are going to try to earn your way into God’s grace, you cant do it half way…you cant half way try to obey your way into God’s good graces…if you are gonna try to earn it…you gotta obey every jot and tittle of the law.

Galatians 5:4 (ESV)

4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

Paul says that to take on the yoke of slavery…or the yoke of religion…or the yoke of a performance based relationship with God…is to essentially nullify the grace of God that is avaliable to us in Christ. When you believe that salvation is Jesus+ your obedience…you are despise the cross. and Paul says that when we do this, we are “severed” from Christ and “fallen from Grace...”

To the person who wants to be justified by their performance, Christ can be of no value to you because your are rejecting His work on your behalf.

What Paul is essentially saying is…if you believe the lie that what Christ did for you on the cross wasnt enough…you are without hope…the law is going to crush you.

Let me explain it this way: When my daughter wants to be held she holds her arms up to me and says… “I hold you Daddy...”—its cute—

Let me ask you a question…what would happen if I took that literally? What if I actually jumped on her to hold me?

I would crush her under my weight…it’d be like a fly on a windshield.

And the same thing happens when we try to live under the letter of the law. The weight of the law will crush us. If we seek to justify ourselves by our own efforts…if we seek to uphold the law…we will be crushed...

And that’s how many people feel. I have met more Christians in my time as a pastor who start out so well. They want to get their life right with God…so they start doing all the things that Christians are supposed to do. They pick up Bible reading…they pick up church attendance…they pick up religious virtues…they pick up better moral practices…they pick up better habits…because they think that all of these things will be what gives them assurance that God loves them...

But what happens if you mess up?

"Well I guess God doesnt love me anymore...”

And this is the danger of living under the law…the law causes you to treat God like he’s some grey headed judge in heaven who is just waiting to crush you…but the gospel tells us that God doesnt delight in crushing us…he delights in saving us.

You see…here’s the point…You cannot add to Christ without subtracting from Christ.

Look at what Paul says in v. 5-6…and you need to pay attention here…these are some powerful verses…you need to circle and underline some things...

Galatians 5:5–6 (ESV)

5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

This is the beauty of our freedom we have in Christ.

In Christ, you dont have to fear God’s judgement…you can eagerly await it because you know that Christ was judged for you.

And because of that, Paul says…neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything...

Let’s put that in 21st century language.

In Christ you perfect obedience and your imperfect obedience counts for nothing when it comes to your salvation.

On your very worst day…you are completely accepted in Christ.

And on your very best day…you are completely accepted in Christ.

The only thing that counts is faith working through love...

Here is what Paul is saying:

Believers have a different motivation for obedience…People who believe the gospel obey because the Spirit works gives us a new hope…a new assurance…a new love…a new motivation...a new passion…and what is that passion? LOVE…and this love doesnt cause us to fear God…it causes us to obey Him...

Galatians 5:7 (ESV)

7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

Believers experience the love of God in Christ…and they dont turn away from God…they turn toward God…They dont shrink back in fear of God…they draw close to God because they recognize that God in Christ has already drawn close to them...

The gospel totally changes how we interact with God...

This is the beauty of our freedom…we are free to pursue obedience out of a motivation of love FOR God…because we have already been love BY God

The Burden of Christian Freedom

Galatians 5:13–15 ESV

13 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. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Freedom in Christ is free…but it comes with responsibility...

What is that responsibility?

Galatians 5:13 ESV

13 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.

We arent given freedom to just sit back and focus on ourselves…we are given freedom in Christ to serve...

Galatians 5:14 ESV

14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Paul’s last words are the exact thing that Jesus taught...

The whole law is fulfilled in loving others.

So here is my question…are you serving?

Are you using your freedom to love others? Or are you using your freedom to serve yourself?

Freedom in Christ—what does it do? It frees us from just focusing on ourselves…and it frees us to live a life loving and serving and giving…because in Christ we have received Freedom...

So be Boldly Free church…stand firm in it. Enjoy it. And use your freedom to love and serve…because in this the whole law is fulfilled...