FREEDOM’S MEASURE—Galatians 4:19—5:5
or CAST OFF THE YOKE
July 4th
Paul exhorted the Galatian Christians to prioritize their freedom in Christ.
Christians should measure their freedom in Christ.
How can Christians measure their freedom?
4 measures of personal freedom.
1—Freedom is measured by
LOSS OF PROMISE(:21-28)
—Explanation:(:21-28) Covenant
:21—“Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?”
:22—“For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman & one by the free woman.”
Gen. 16, 18 & 21
“Bondwoman”—Hagar—Egyptian maid
“Free woman”—Sarai(Sarah)—Abraham’s wife
:23—“But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, & the son by the free woman through the promise.”
Gen. 16
:24—“This is allegorically speaking: for these women are two covenants, one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.”
“Two covenants”—
Law of Moses—Law—Works
New Covenant—Grace—Thru Christ
“To be Slaves”—Destined for slavery
:25—“Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, & corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.”
Bound to Law as salvation!
:26—But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.”
:27—“For it is written, “REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.”
:28—“And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.”
“Like Isaac”—Son of Abraham(90) & Sarah(100)
—Argumentation:
Heb. 9:15—“And for this reason He[Jesus] is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”
2Pet. 1:2-4—“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”
—Illustration:
Son, if you ‘do well’, then I’ll support you in whatever you do?
Building a bridge to St. George Island from Eastpointe/Job guaranteed to lowest bidder/No frivialities-cushion built into bid/Pork discovered=Loss of Promise
—Application:
?You Lost the PROMISE against the world?
?You have what it takes to be free? You living free in Christ?
2—Freedom is measured by
LOSS OF PREVENTION/PERSECUTION(:29)
—Explanation:(:29)
:29—“But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.”
“As at that time...so it is now also”—
If you never run up against a ‘brick wall’ regarding your Christian belief/worldview—loss of prevention—then freedom(in Christ) is lost!
—Argumentation:
Mk. 13:13—“And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.”
Mat. 5:11-12—““Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. “Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
—Illustration:
Pledge of Allegiance attack/Atheists oppose ‘under God’/No Loss of PREVENTION
—Application:
?You Lost the PREVENTION/PERSECUTION from the world?
?You have what it takes to be free? You living free in Christ?
3—Freedom is measured by
LOSS OF FORTITUDE(:30—5:1)
—Explanation:(:30—5:1) Firmness/Guidance/Decisiveness/Backbone/
Fortitude—Strength of mind to endure pain/adversity with courage.
:30—“But what does the Scripture say? “CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON, FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.”
Not heirs together.
2Cor. 6:14-18—“Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord. “AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.”
:31—“So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.”
“Of the freewoman”—Grace, Promise
Jn. 1:12—“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,”
:1—“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm & do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”
“The yoke of slavery”—
Col. 2:20-23—“If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with the using)--in accordance with the commandments & teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion & self-abasement & severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.”
—Argumentation:
Heb. 10:38-39—“BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”
—Illustration:
Wakulla Springs/Kids jumping off the high platform/Young man standing at edge & others urging him one—serious attitude toward the feat/Losst his FORTITUDE
—Application:
?You Lost the FORTITUDE to stand for Christ?
?You have what it takes to be free? You living free in Christ?
4—Freedom is measured by
LOSS OF CULTURE(5:2-5)
—Explanation:(:5:2-5)
CULTURE—‘The customary beliefs, social forms & material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.’
:2—“Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.”
“Benefit”—
:3—“And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.”
“Keep the whole Law”—Live by Law...Perfectly
:4—“You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”
“Fallen from grace”—
:5—“For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.”
“Through the Spirit”—by means of quickening Spirit.
“By faith”—Faith puts God’s Holy Spirit into action in your life bringing hope/certainty.
“Waiting for the hope of righteousness”—For certainty of Jesus’ return or certainty of the new heaven & earth.
—Argumentation:
1Jn. 2:15—“Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
1Cor. 1:18-19, 21—“For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE....“For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
—Illustration:
Homosexual lifestyle/Only FL, MS & UT explicitly ban Homosexual adoption/Don’t buy-in to the ‘Homosexual Agenda’/Loss of CULTURE
Application:
?You Lost the shackles of worldly CULTURE?
?You have what it takes to be free? You living free in Christ?
—CONCLUSION—
Action:
Freedom is measured by...
LOSS OF PROMISE(:21-28)
LOSS OF PREVENTION(:29)
LOSS OF FORTITUDE(:30—5:1)
LOSS OF CULTURE(5:2-5)
Presented 06/30/02am to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 39897
