Living In Freedom

Galatians 5:1 TPT – Let me be clear, the Anointed One has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past.

INTRODUCTION

• Paul and Freedom

o Paul uses the word FREEDOM 28 times in the Pauline Epistles

o Paul uses the word FREEDOM 10 times in his Epistle to the Galatians alone.

I. The Importance of Living Free

A. God’s Word says that the Son has set us free.

1. Bondage is a yoke that drags us down and hinders us from living out God’s best in our lives. (…be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage)

B. Without freedom, we cannot have true peace.

C. Freedom positions us to be a blessing to others!

II. Freedom From Debt

A. Credit Scores

1. There are different FICO Scores for different things.

2. Length of credit matters

3. Don’t miss payments

4. Debt to income ratios (the more credit you have available, the better your score).

B. Paying Down Interest Strategies

1. Most interest is paid out on the front end of the loan.

2. The earlier you can pay down principal, the more money you will save over the life of the loan.

3. If your institution will allow it, you can split your payment in half and pay half payments every two weeks. Over the span of a year, you will have paid an extra payment, and the interest will be tallied every two weeks instead of once a month on the remaining principal. This saves a lot of money on interest over the life of the loan, but not all banks will allow it.

C. Paying off your Credit Cards

1. Stacking

2. Transfer to smaller interest rate cards

3. Sell something you don’t need and apply the proceeds to the principal on your credit cards.

III. Freedom From Imposed Bondages

A. Freedom from the living under the Law of Moses

1. This is Paul's primary concern in this epistle - cf. Ga 2:16

2. Upon which he expounded in the first four chapters - e.g., Ga 3:23-25

3. Concerning which he wrote elsewhere - Ro 7:4-6

? Christ has delivered the Jews from their obligation to keep the Law of Moses.

B. Freedom from the Powers of Sin

1. Free from guilt and condemnation.

2. Writing of being "justified," Paul refers to being "not guilty of sin” - cf. Ga 2:16-17

3. Concerning which he wrote elsewhere - Ro 8:1-2

4. Jesus also spoke of the deliverance from the bondage of sin - Jn 8:31-34

? Christ has delivered all men from the guilt and power of sin.

C. Freedom from the Traditions of Men

1. Paul wrote of this in chapter four - Ga 4:9-11

2. Also in his writing to the Colossians - Col 2:20-23

3. Jesus also spoke of the danger of human traditions - Mt 15:3-9

? Christ has delivered us from the need to keep human traditions.

D. Freedom from the Approval of Other’s

1. God’s approval is what really matters.

Closing: Give an altar call for freedom.