The Gospel: Freedom Series

In my University literature class the professor would return the paper with comments on the paper like; give further explanation, clarify or expand this point. This professor had a system where you could re-write a paper and re-submit it for a higher grade.

I decided to take the professor up on this and I re-wrote one of my papers. My grade was higher on my re-write. I decided to re-write my re-write and then you guessed it, I re-wrote my rewrite of my re-written paper. Each time my grade was a little higher. I found out that no matter how many times you re-write there is always room for improvement.

We constantly improve, but God is not like us. He is perfect. There is no room for improvement in anything that He does. You canft improve on perfect. There is nothing to re-write.

When God became man he came to us, walked this earth in the person Jesus Christ. He lived the perfect life. He became the perfect sacrifice. Paul wrote the book of Galatians because some people could not accept Christfs work on the cross as complete and perfect. They felt that it was good, but not enough.

They taught that we must also work, do merit, achieve in order to be accepted by God and earn salvation. We canft add to the work of Christ. We cannot earn our salvation. It comes only by the grace of God.

Why you were set free.

Galatians 5:1

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.

When you trusted Jesus Christ as your savior something wonderful happened. Your sins were forgiven. Your heart was free. Christ set you free from the bondage of sin, so that we could live free.

Now you are fee from the law and regulations that bind us. Free to really obey moral principles of God. For freedom you were set free. Protect that freedom.

I have been watching a video of a rodeo. The bucking bronco rushes out of the gate and runs wild. They donft take being fitted with reigns, saddles, harnesses or bridles lightly. They will protect their freedom and buck off the rider. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm.

Paul uses the illustration of oxen yoked together. They have a wooden contraption around their neck so they can be controlled. Satan had you in control bound in sin. You have been saved by grace now stand firm. Resist the bondage. Donft let anyone tell you that Christfs death on the cross is not enough. Donft listen if they tell say that now you must earn Godfs favor.

Freedom is a precious thing. Donft live like a prisoner in the land of freedom. It doesnft mean we sin that grace may abound. It means we serve in love. Donft let anyone bind you with the yoke of legalism. Donft let them deceive you with a works oriented religion.

Christ says my yoke is easy, my burden is light Matthew 11:29. The Judaizers have a yoke of slavery. Donft tolerate their legalism. Buck it off like a wild horse bucks off the cowboy who is trying to bridle it.

A Freedom threatened

Galatians 2:2-6

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Jesus paid it all. We did not contribute to our salvation with any good works. We canft contribute or merit or salvation. We didnft help. If we submit to legalism our freedom in Christ is threatened. Then as this passage says Christ will be of no value to you at all.

A system of human achievement is contradictory of a system of grace. Christianity is about grace through faith. Everything else is about human achievement. Christ becomes of no value to you.

This doesnft mean you lose your reservation in heaven when you resort to a legalistic system. But you lose the joy. You lose the power. You lose the peace and the abundant life. You are living like mere men. This happens by living licentiously in uninhibited sin, but also when we resort to human effort, rules and regulation.

You become Bound to keep the whole law.