Series: Unlocking The Doors To Freedom [#8]
THE DOOR OF PEER PRESSURE
Galatians 5:1-15
Introduction:
Galatians 5:1 (NIV)
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
What are believers free from? Christians have been set free from the bondage of sin. Each of us face daily decisions whether to follow the direction of our peers or of God. Our text gives us 3 keys to enjoying our freedom in Christ.
Galatians 5:1-6 (NIV)
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
Key #1: Stand firm.
After we are saved, we must not go back to our old ways. When we face difficult situations we must choose to either revert to our old ways or to follow God.
Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
We cannot run away or run ahead; stand firm!
Galatians 5:7-12 (NIV)
“You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!”
Key #2: Continue running the race.
Be careful what you believe. When you are trying to decide what you believe, ask yourself, “Do I believe this because someone told me this” or “Do I believe this because this is what the Bible says”? Don’t be distracted from running the race.
Galatians 5:13-15 (NIV)
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”
Key #3: Love.
Your salvation is not a license to sin. We are to love all people. If we learn to love people regardless of the situation we will experience a joy and peace in our life like never before.
Conclusion:
Stand firm, continue to run the race, and love all people. God is always the authority on all decisions. Follow God and lead others to Jesus Christ.
