Gal 5:1-6 Christ has set us free so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom. So keep on standing firm in it, and stop attaching yourselves to the yoke of slavery again.
2 Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you.
3 Again, I insist that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised is obligated to obey the entire law.
4 Those of you who are trying to be justified by the law have been cut off from Christ. You have fallen away from grace.
5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. What matters is faith that is active through love.
I. Introduction
a. We are free from the law through Christ
b. But what does that mean?
c. We are free from the law because we obey it naturally through love
d. We fulfill the law from Christ, so the law has no consequence
e. We received forgiveness and mercy when we fall short of the law
f. However, we are still commanded to have of heart and live blamelessly before the Lord
g. When we live outside of Christ, we are not only naturally break the law, but also violate Christ’s sacrifice and teachings
h. Mat 7:21 "Not everyone who keeps saying to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will get into the kingdom of heaven, but only the person who keeps doing the will of my Father in heaven.
i. Mat 5:20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
j. Luke 13:24 "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.
k. So, what is this freedom that we have in Christ
II. Freedom to Enjoy Life
a. Titus 3:1-8 - 1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. 3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
b. We can live life humbly in the site of the Lord and focus on this that are good and profitable for us all
c. This passage also implies that we are no longer foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by our passions and pleasures.
d. People in the church who are living selfishly or indulging in fleshly activity are actually in bondage to the flesh and subject to the law.
e. You cannot live after the flesh and receive the benefits of freedom from sin. That is reserved for the Sons of God, who live after the Spirit.
III. Freedom to Serve God
a. We have free access to God through Christ – through our spiritual adoption
b. Jesus opened the door for our relationship so that we can freely experience His power
c. We can worship with freedom since there I no one to impress or judge.
d. We can develop and close relationship with the Holy Spirit through communication and personal time with Him
e. We are free to choose Him even when the circumstances bully us to choose something else
f. His Word frees us from ignorance of how things work
IV. Freedom to Make An Impact
a. The focus of the Galations passage is impact – doing good.
b. You are adequate built to do the work that God has for you
c. Your righteousness comes from the acceptance of God’s grace through a Spirit-led
d. You are freed to explore things that you have never experienced through obedience to Christ
e. You are freed from guilt, shame, and excuses from your past
f. What frees you?
g. What gives you unchangeable rights and authority?
h. What provides true freedom from ceremony, tradition, and ultimately sin?
i. The answer is a life of faith-full love and mercy – a life directed by love Himself.
j. Is your life being lived in the Spirit?
k. Is your life led by, directed by, a mission of love?
