<Gal 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.

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

7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Threats to freedom:

– Legalism

– Lawlessness

1. Threats to freedom:

(1) Legalism

<v2-12>: cannot have faith in Christ and also faith in the law.

Saved by Christ, not “Christ ++”

We both “get in” and “stay in” a covenantal relationship with God, by faith alone, in Christ alone. 

Freedom from self-justification and curse of the law.

(2) Lawlessness, License to sin

<Gal 5:13> You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 

Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. <Jn 8:34>

Not freedom to indulge the flesh, but to oppose the flesh.

New heart to not only to do what is right, but also love what is right.

Christ-given freedom brings about power, not indulgence.

Freed from the bondage and penalty of sin.

2. Faith, Freedom, Love

1) Faith is expressed through love.

v6: ‘The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.’

2) Freedom to love and serve one another.

<Gal 5> 13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 

14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

<1 Co 8> 9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak… 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 

<1 Co 10> 23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

<1 Co 9> 19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 

<1 Co 9> 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

– Love will make us restrain our freedom, even in things the law doesn’t address.

-Instead of “testing water” to see how much sin I can get away with, ponder “how much more can I do to glorify God?”

-Dreadful opposite of love: Mutual destruction.

…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith…     <Heb 12:1b – 2a>

Reflection

What are some threats to your freedom? In what ways have you failed to stand fast in the freedom Christ has given you?

How are you exercising your freedom to love and serve others?