Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)
LIBERTY
February 25, 2024
Galatians 5:1 is a powerful verse in the New Testament that encapsulates a key theme of the letter to the Galatians written by the apostle Paul. In this verse, Paul addresses the issue of freedom in Christ and warns against falling back into slavery to the law. Paul exhorts believers to stand firm in the freedom that Christ has provided. This implies a posture of steadfastness, perseverance, and unwavering commitment to the truth of the gospel. Believers are called to hold fast to their faith in Christ and resist the pressures to revert to legalistic practices or works-based righteousness.
Abraham: The Historical Facts (Gal. 4:19–23)
Abraham, originally known as Abram, was a man living in the ancient city of Ur in Mesopotamia. According to the biblical account, God called Abraham to leave his homeland and go to a land that God would show him. Abraham, along with his wife Sarah and his nephew Lot, obeyed God's command and journeyed to the land of Canaan. God promised Abraham that he would become the father of a great nation and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. However, Sarah was barren and unable to conceive a child. Sarah, who was initially called Sarai, was impatient and suggested that Abraham have a child with her Egyptian maidservant, Hagar. Abraham agreed, and Hagar bore a son named Ishmael. Years later, when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90, God fulfilled his promise and Sarah miraculously conceived and gave birth to a son named Isaac. This was a test of faith for Abraham and Sarah, demonstrating their trust in God's promises. As Isaac grew, tensions arose between Sarah and Hagar, leading to Hagar and Ishmael being cast out into the wilderness. God promised to make a great nation out of Ishmael as well, and Hagar and Ishmael survived and prospered. On the surface, this story appears to be nothing more than a tale of a family problem, but beneath the surface are meanings that carry tremendous spiritual power. Abraham, the two wives, and the two sons represent spiritual realities; and their relationships teach us important lessons.
Allegories: The Allegorical Interpretation (4:24-27).
In applying the truth from the biblical illustration, Paul made three comparisons.
4:28. First, Paul compared the birth of Isaac to that of Christians. As “Isaac” experienced a supernatural birth and was a child by means of a promise, so each believer experiences a supernatural birth (John 3:3, 5) and is a recipient of the promise of salvation (Gal. 3:9, 22, 29). As children of promise Christians are in a distinct category and should not live as children of bondage.
4:29. Second, the apostle compared Ishmael’s persecution of Isaac to the false teachers’ opposition to believers. Abraham celebrated the weaning of Isaac with a banquet. On that occasion Ishmael mocked Isaac, laughing derisively at the younger boy, since Ishmael was the elder son and assumed he would be heir to his father’s estate (cf. Gen. 21:8-9).
4:30. Third, Paul compared the action of Abraham to the obligation of the Galatians. When Sarah observed Ishmael mocking Isaac, she asked Abraham to expel the slave woman and her son lest Ishmael become a joint heir with Isaac. And God granted Sarah’s request (cf. Gen. 21:10, 12). A fundamental incompatibility remains between Law and grace, between a religion based on works and a religion based on faith.
4:31. In conclusion, Paul affirmed that he and the Galatian believers were not children of the slave woman who was driven away and was denied a share in the inheritance. Rather all believers are children of the free woman.
Paul draws a parallel between the situation of the Galatian Christians and the story of Abraham's two sons. He is emphasizing that believers in Christ are like Isaac, children of promise born by the power of the Spirit, while those who rely on works of the law for salvation are like Ishmael, born according to the flesh. Paul is encouraging the Galatians to embrace their freedom in Christ and not to return to a mindset of slavery to the law. He uses the story of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, and Isaac to illustrate the distinction between those who are under the law and those who are children of promise through faith. Ultimately, Paul is highlighting the importance of faith in Christ as the basis for salvation and freedom, contrasting it with a reliance on legalistic observance of the law. He is urging the Galatians to stand firm in their faith and not to be burdened again by the yoke of slavery to the law.
Assurance No Yoke of Bondage! (5:1)
This verse speaks to the heart of our faith as Christians. As Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” We are called to a life of freedom in Christ, liberated from the bondage of sin and the law through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Christ has set us free not to live according to the works of the law but to walk in the freedom and grace that He has provided through His redemptive work. As believers, we are called to stand firm in this freedom, to resist the temptation to fall back into legalism or works-based righteousness. We must not allow ourselves to be burdened again by the yoke of slavery that comes from trying to earn our salvation through our own efforts. Instead, let us embrace the freedom that Christ has won for us and live in the grace and power of His Spirit. Let us walk in the liberty that comes from knowing that we are saved by faith in Christ alone, not by our own works. May this truth anchor our faith and empower us to live boldly as children of God, secure in the freedom that is ours through Jesus Christ. John 8:34-36 “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
