Galatians 5 For Freedom
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Intro
Intro
Freedom is a concept we love as Americans
Freedom is at the heart of everything we do and believe
Its in our blood
We as Americans have a very clear sense of what freedom means and we know
What slavery is
What bondage is
As christians we should also understand what freedom is
What freedom from sin is
As christians we know what it feels like to have our slavery to sin broken
The chains lifted
FREEDOM from being known as a sinner
FREEDOM from the weight of tryin to make peace with God on our own
FREEDOM from the brokenness of our fallen bodies in this fallen world
Read Galatians 5:1-15
Read Galatians 5:1-15
What do we see here
Freedom cant be earned (v1-6)
No Other way (v. 7-12)
Use your freedom wisely (v. 13-15)
Freedom cant be earned
Freedom cant be earned
Look at Galatians 5:1-6
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.
Look at verse 1
For freedom Christ has set us free
Notice we did not set ourselves free
we did not earn our freedom
NO Christ set us free
We have been released by Jesus Christ from our sin, from our bondage
Christ has done this work not us
Paul is writing this letter to remind the church in Galatia about the importance of Christ’s atoning work on the cross
Paul is warning them about falling back into the rules of the law
Paul is warning about legalism
Todd Wilson says this in his commentary on Galatians
Galatians—Gospel-Rooted Living Chapter 20: What Ultimately Counts? (Galatians 5:1–6)
What is legalism? A simple definition would be this: Legalism is treating that which is good as though it were essential. Whenever Christians turn something valuable into something ultimate, legalism is at work and freedom is forfeited.
Paul is warning the church in Galatia to not give up what christ has given them to fall back into this pattern of legalism
Dont take the good things God has given us and turn them into things that define salvation
In the church of Galatia at this time there were people teaching that once you became a believer then you needed to be circumcised
This is Christ plus something = salvation
Paul is reminding this church that it is Christ plus nothing = salvation
Again Christ has set us free
Paul warning here is stark look at verse 4
4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
This is a stark warning, but one we must listen to with humble hearts
We are severed from christ when we think salvation can be earned
When we think salvation to be something we can achieve if we check off enough boxes
Paul is saying those who have set up the law as the ultimate thing the most important thing then you have cut yourself off from freedom
You have chose to allow yourself to be enslaved
I love the song Before the Throne
When satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within
When this happens we have a choice
Try to work harder to be better
Or as the song says look up
Upward I look and see him there who made an end of all my sin
Freedom cannot be earned through anything we do and we most not build unnecessary bridges to God that lead nowhere
No Other Way
No Other Way
Look at Galatians 5:7-12
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!
Here we see Paul’s heart for his people
This is a heart that burns with passion for people to understand and live out the freedom that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ
Paul’s heart is grieved by this false teaching
look at verse 7-9
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.
You oh Church of Galatian you were on the right track you were doing well who hindered you
I hear this and I think of the passage in Genesis 3:11-12
10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”
The deception that satan brings to eve and then to the church of galatia grieves the heart of God
Who told you
Who hindered you
What has come between you and truth
Deception and lies
A persuasion that is not from him who calls you VERSE 8
A little deception can deceive the whole church
Paul is convinced there is no other gospel and it grieves his heart to see a church lead astray
verse 10 his hope is still that they would take no other Gospel
That they would understand that the equation for salvation is always and will always be
JESUS PLUS NOTHING = SALVATION
In Verse 11 he makes this point clear
Galatians 5:11 “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.”
Paul is reminding them of the offense of the cross
This gospel that Jesus plus nothing = salvation is not one that is looked upon well
People always feel like you need to earn it
There is also the reminder here that no matter how we try and appease as christians who believe in the power of the cross we will always face hinderance
Even if we conform to what the world asks us to the push back will be ever growing
Look at our society now
Gay marriages leads to complete transgender ideology
If you arent for us your against us
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The one thing that rises above all this is the gospel of Jesus plus nothing
This is the gospel that frees us and sets us free from our sin
Use your freedom wisely
Use your freedom wisely
Look at Galatians 5:13-15
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.
Now what do we do with this freedom
We serve one another
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.
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