Stand fast in liberty.

Opening Comments:

Please go ahead and make your way to Galatians 5:1-6 in your copy of God’s Word this morning. The apostle Paul typically follows a formula in his writing where he begins with personal comments, then makes his way to doctrinal teaching and then follows that up by applying the doctrine to daily living. That is the pattern he has followed throughout Galatians.

Personal (1-2)

Doctrinal (3-4)

Practical application. (5-6)

Today we begin the final two chapters of Galatians which make up the “practical application” portion of the book.

Let’s look at our text this morning. This is the Word of the Lord.

Galatians 5:1–6 NKJV

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

Introduction:

Freedom and liberty are key themes in the book of Galatians. You can see that on full display in v.1 of our text.

The believers in Galatia had experienced the freedom that Christ brings when they had become believers but they allowed that freedom to be stolen from them. You see, the enemy of freedom is legalism. Legalism is a tyrant that shows no mercy and hates anything that is associated with freedom. Legalism desires nothing but to tie you up with its heavy burden so that you cannot ever experience the true freedom that faith in Christ brings.

Let’s take a moment to biblically define legalism? Because those who desire to place believers under its authority will say that legalism is simply believing in works salvation. Which is true. That is part of the false teaching that was being peddled in the Galatian churches by the Judaizers. But, we must remember that most of the Galatians were already saved. SO, that was not entirely what encompassed the legalism that was being taught. The false teachers were also saying that adherence to “religious rules” was the only way to become a good christian.

So to define legalism as simply works based salvation is to give it too narrow of a definition.

A better definition of legalism would be to treat that which is good as if it is essential. Whenever we as christians turn something of value into an ultimate standard then we are guilty of practicing legalism. When we do this, we forfeit our freedom in Christ for a yoke of bondage.

We can only experience the true freedom that faith in Christ brings when we make that which is essential to God essential to us; and keep everything else in its proper place.

I grew up in a church and in a movement where everything was treated as essential, except for what was actually essential. If you didn't have the right Bible translation, didn't listen to a particular kind of music, wore shorts (men), didn't only wear dresses (ladies),, didn't have your hair short enough (men), long enough (ladies), didn’t attend the right school etc. etc. etc. then you were not a good christian and God would be angry with you. But, if you did all of these things then God loved you more than he did those who didn’t. Many of you in this room have had similar or even worse experiences. Churches that teach this way are toxic and unbiblical and people should flee from this as fast as they can.

But, lest we think extreme separatists are the only ones who deal with legalism, it lurks in the heart of every believer and every Christian faith community.

When we lose sight of what is important. When we start thinking of the non-essentials as essential to the faith. When we start insisting that good things are actually necessary things we have fallen prey to legalism. Which will lead us to looking down upon anyone who may disagree or practice differently than us.

The Judaizers were seeking to convince the Galatian churches that circumcision (a secondary issue) was primary to the faith.

Acts 15:1 NKJV

1 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Apparently they were convincing enough in their arguments that they were able to cause the Galatians to see a secondary matter as necessary for salvation and were causing many to seek circumcision.

Paul is giving a very straightforward and direct appeal to these confused churches to “Stand fast in the liberty of Christ.”

Galatians 5:1 NKJV

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

When we place our faith in the Lord Jesus, we are set free from the bondage of the law and its enslaving power.

Neither the law nor the penalties of breaking it hold any power over those who are in Christ. We must rest and stand firm in this fact. We have been provided liberty and yet here stood the Galatians about to become entangled again in the yoke of bondage that the law brings.

We have been set free from the power of law to live free in Christ.

It is in that freedom we must stand firm.

But what happens if we fail to stand firm and allow ourselves to be placed back into the yoke of legalism?

How does living under the bondage of legalism compare to living in the freedom of Christ?

It is those two questions we will seek to answer from our text this morning.

1.) The consequences of placing ourselves under legalism. ( v.2-4)

***Note: When Paul speaks of circumcision in Galatians we must understand that he is using this Jewish ceremonial religious rite to refer to the whole of the Judaizers lifestyle.

Paul here is telling these Galatian believers that there are consequences to them turning away from Christ and getting circumcised.

A.) Christ will be of no benefit to them. (v.2)

If the Galatians were to undergo ritual circumcision they would essentially be saying that Christ sacrifice on the cross wasn't enough to atone for their sins or to sanctify them. They would be adding to Christ payment for sin. By becoming ritualized they would be saying that what Christ had done for them was of no benefit. That the sacrifice of Christ had no effect on them. They needed to preform their own works to earn salvation and in return they would be rejecting the work of Christ.

From a legalistic point of view they would be saying that there was really no need for Christ to have died at all.

By turning to the law for salvation they were rejecting Christ.

B.) You’ll have to keep the whole law.(v.3)

If the Galatians were to be ritually circumcised they would be placing themselves back under a covenant that required them to keep the whole law or be guilty of all of it.

Romans 2:25 NKJV

25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

James 2:10 NKJV

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

The Galatians couldn't just choose to keep one small part of the law. Its all or nothing.

If a person approached God by ritual, any ritual, he assumes responsibility for keeping the entirety of the law.

Just like when you took your wedding vows, you were placed into a covenant relationship as a husband or wife. Circumcision obligates people to follow the lifestyle that it demands.

C.) You will be alienated from grace. (v.4)

By receiving circumcision the Galatians would be severing themselves from the Grace of Christ.

(This is a play on words, the NASB95 does a better job of capturing Paul’s meaning in the greek. Severed is a more literal translation than estranged.)

Paul is not saying here that if the Galatians who had genuinely trusted Christ as their savior and then got circumcised would lose their salvation. Salvation is not in view here, law and grace are in view.

Paul is discussing law/grace as two diametrically opposed ways of life.

He never says that they have fallen from salvation if they were circumcised

But, when a person chooses to live a legalistic lifestyle, they have fallen from the lifestyle of grace and all of the benefits that accompany it.

When we pick up the torch of the power of our own flesh and run with it instead of God’s grace we forfeit all that grace has to offer for bondage.

Application: Living under the grip of legalism isn't pleasing to God, it’s offensive to him. It doesn't make you more like Christ, it drives you away from Christ. God is more concerned that we live in submission to the internals of righteousness and obedience to him than that we adhere to the externals of religion. When we make our christian life all about adherence to external standards we interrupt the sanctifying work of God’s grace in our lives. Living by the power of our flesh interferes with living a life led by the Spirit.

2.) How does living under the bondage of legalism compare to living in the freedom of God’s grace. (v.5-6)

A.) The approach to righteousness is different.(v.5)

When we live according to the power of our own flesh we believe that the burden for personal holiness rests only upon our own shoulders. So we will feel compelled to work and do all that we can to achieve the kind of righteousness that is needed to earn extra favor from God.

But, when we live according to grace, we know that our righteousness is secure in Christ. That the Holy Spirit working in us daily will conform us to the image of Christ and that true perfect holiness will only come when Christ gives us a glorified body one day in heaven.

B.) The character of our lives are different. (v.6)

The person living under the grip of legalism is characterized law and works. Works are the essential fuel for their lives. The outward appearance is of utmost importance because their works are a substitute for their lack of faith in God’s power.

It was God’s love that sent His Son to secure our righteousness for us by dyeing for us. It is this wonderfu love of God that stirs us to love him.

The person living according to grace lives a life characterized by the love of Christ. The true Christ-centered life expresses their faith through love.

Our love for Christ is manifested through our good deeds and done not to merit extra favor or righteousness but out of a genuine concern for others.

James 1:27 NKJV

27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

James 2:14–17 NKJV

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

While faith and law are mutually exclusive, faith and love are inseparable essentials for a life lived in God’s grace.

3.) Why does it matter. (v.6)

Nothing is more important for the Christian to be focused on then what is of utmost importance to our savior.

We stand fast in the liberty and freedom of Christ when we avoid the spiritual slavery of legalism and stay laser focused on what ultimately matters most.

Galatians 5:6 NKJV

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

Paul is not saying that the act of getting circumcised in and of itself is bad or sinful, he is saying that in the light of eternity, it doesn't matter!

You see what ultimately matters in this life as it relates to being a christian is what ultimately matters when we stand before Christ.

Is our faith in Christ alone?

If it is, then it will express itself openly through and in love for both God and others not in outward deeds of the flesh.

Many of the good things that bible believing christians insist upon are not in and of themselves wrong, they may be good things, but they are not ultimate things.

Allow me to reword what Paul is saying in v.6 in a way that perhaps makes it a little more contextualized for us.

Neither premillennialism nor amillennialism ultimately counts, but only faith working through love.

Neither Arminianism nor Calvinism ultimately counts, but only faith working through love.

Neither Congregationalism nor Presbyterianism ultimately counts, but faith working through love.

Neither traditional music nor contemporary music ultimately counts, but only faith working through love.

Neither teetotaling nor enjoying an occasional alcoholic beverage ultimately counts, but faith working through love.

Neither voting Republican nor voting Democrat ultimately counts, but faith working through love.

Neither six-day young earth creationism nor old earth progressive creationism ultimately counts, but faith working through love.

Neither pre-tribulational rapture nor post-tribulational or even mid-tribulational rapture ultimately counts, but faith working through love.

Neither KJVOism or modern translations ultimately count, but faith working through love.

Neither wood pulpits or plexi-glass ultimately count, but faith working through love.

Neither suits or blue jeans ultimately count, but faith working through love.

Neither women wearing skirts or pants ultimately count, but faith working through love.

Neither a single song leader or a worship team ultimately count, but faith working through love.

Neither having Baptist on the sign or not ultimately count, but faith working through love.

That is not to say that these issues are important or unimportant , but we must realize they are only important if they promote faith in Christ working in love.

If they don’t, then we’ve lost focus from what ultimately matter to God.

1 Corinthians 13:3 NKJV

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Conclusion:

It is absolutely critical for believers to measure everything we do to its importance on judgement day.

If it doesn't ultimately matter, then we must allow ourselves to Stand fast in the Liberty by which Christ has made us free.

We often treat too many good things as if they are ultimate things because we are hoping that it will enhance our relationship with Christ and that is dangerous territory to walk in.

The Bible says that it is God who puts us in a right relationship with him when we place our faith in Christ.

Remember this:

“In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things charity.”