WE ARE FREE, FREE ATLAST
Galatians 5:1-17
CHRIST HAS SET US FREE
V:1-2. \” It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.\”
A. The text identifies two doctrines: the Law and Grace.
1. The Law was the old covenant introduce to the Jews after
they were freed from slavery in Egypt.
2. The law was designed as a tutor for the Jews in the
righteousness of God.
3. The law was not designed for salvation but for
condemnation.
4. The law pointed to the sins of man, and it still does.
5. No man except Christ Jesus was able satisfy all the
requirements of the Law.
B. The blood of Christ shed on the cross atoned for all the sins
of mankind, past, present and future.
1. Christ death, ended the Age of the Law and ushered in
the Age of Grace.
2. Faith in Jesus, freed all believers from the
requirements of the Law.
3. Adherence to the Law is works salvation which is no
salvation at all.
C. Circumcision was the sign of an everlasting covenant God made
with Abraham and his descendants regarding the possession of the promise land. Gen 17:10
1. Circumcision was included in the Law for all Jews.
2. Belief in circumcision is belief in the law which is
slavery.
D. The Law and Grace opposed each other.
1. The Law condemns. Grace saves.
2. The Law enslaves, Grace frees.
3. Those who believe in the Law nullify the effects of
Grace.
4. Salvation is by Grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
5. Salvation is a free gift of God and not of works.
FREED BUT ENSLAVED BY FALSE INTERPRETATION
V:3-4. \” And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.\”
A. If the Law could save there would be no need for grace.
1. If the Law could save, Christ would not have died for
our sins.
2. I think the problem is, if you are born and breed in
traditions that have served the nation for generations,
you will have difficulty disregarding your training.
3. When some new belief comes along, it is hard to let go of
the old.
B. The Jews had been trained incorrectly in their traditions ,
so that they could not see Christ as the answer to salvation.
1. For generations, Jewish male babies were circumcised on
the eighth day after birth in obedience to the Law, but
not for salvation.
2. Paul presents the doctrine of salvation by Grace, free
from the Law.
3. Whoever combines conditions of the Law with Grace,
nullifies Grace.
4. We are not justified by works of the Law, but by Grace
only.
5. Those who seek salvation by adding a condition of the
Law, fall from Grace.
6. Circumcision is of no value to salvation.
SAVED BY FAITH AND NOT BY WORKS
V: 5-6. \” For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
A. God is love.
1. Everything God has done, and will do is out of His love
for us.
2. God gave the Jews the law as a tutor for a season until
Grace came. Gal 3:24-25
3. The Law is good and teaches us the righteousness of God.
4. The Law was never designed to save, but to show us how
far short we fall from the glory of God.
5. There is no good in us to justify salvation.
B. It is the baptism of the spirit through faith in Jesus Christ
that renders us right before the Father.
1. Christ having fulfilled all the requirements of the Law
with His death on the cross open the door for believers to
enter into heaven.
2. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son for us.
3. Circumcision is works of the Law and not of love.
4. In Christ, there is equality of all believers of which
circumcision has no part.
5. Equality in the body of Christ comes through faith in
Jesus alone.
BE INFLUENCED BY THE WORD OF GOD, NOT BY THE WORLD
V:7-8. \” You were running well; who hindered you from obeying
the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls
you.\”
A. We do well in our Christian faith when we tune out the world and it\’s opinions.
1. We are a peculiar people which the world cannot
understand.
2. The World cannot receive the spirit of truth, because it
is foolishness to them.
B. It is very important that we study the Word of God for ourselves.
1. The preaching and teaching of the Word by others may help
our understanding.
2. It is when we study the Word for ourselves that the Holy
Spirit enlightens the truth that will be engraved in our
hearts.
3. For this reason, Satan is ready to bring in outside
influences to destroy our hope in Jesus.
DON\’T LET SATAN DESTROY YOUR CONFIDENCE IN JESUS
V:9-10. \” A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. 10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.\”
A. In this twenty first century, the influence of the world is
all around us. It is in the news and in the internet.
1. Miss information about Biblical Truths even comes from the
pulpit.
2. From the pulpit we hear sermons about the blessings of
God, but rarely about the sin that corrupts us.
3. We rarely hear from the pulpit that some of the blessing
of God are contingent upon our obedience to the Word of
God.
B. Acceptance of a little bit of sin will eventually lead to
more sin which can corrupt the whole body.
1. If we listen to the world, we would come to believe that
certain sins are worse than others.
2. Is murder worse than lying?
a. Is adultery worse than rape?
b. Certainly, according to our laws, one carries a
greater penalty than others.
c. But according to God\’s commands, all sin carries the
penalty of death.
3. If we are not careful, the world will influence us to
believes lies about the righteousness of God.
DON\’T ENSLAVE YOURSELF WITH OTHERS OPINIONS
V:11-12. \” But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. 12 I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.\”
A. The lie about circumcision as a condition of salvation was
propagated by those who opposed the Christian faith.
1. We as Christians, have to know the truth so that we can
stand against the opposition to our faith.
2. There are many religions today that do not accept Christ
as the way to salvation.
3. Some say Christ was a good man and that He did some good
things, but He was not the son of God.
B. There are some religions that do not recognize our God as
the true and living God.
1. We as believers cannot change the worlds belief about
their gods.
2. It is the Word of God that we proclaim that has the power
to change minds.
3. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
3. We should not get discouraged by the false information we
hear about Our God, but stand firm in our beliefs.
4. God is here to strengthen us in the face of opposition.
LOVE IS THE KEY TO YOUR FREEDOM
V:13-14. \” For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, \”YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.\”
A. Love is the key to our freedom in Jesus Christ.
1. All the requirements of the Law are fulfilled in our love
for each other.
2. God began His creative process with Love.
B. Love frees us from the emotion of hate.
1. Love promotes forgiveness.
2. Love sees the good in worst of people.
3. Love promotes tolerance and harmony.
4. Love sees the friend that our enemies can be.
5. Love allows us to be all that God desires.
DON\’T LET HATE CONSUME YOU
V:15. \” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.\”
A. What you measure out will be measured back to you.
1. Discouraging words promote more discouraging words.
2. Hate promotes more hate.
3. Corruption promotes more corruption.
4. You can\’t keep a person down without bringing yourself
down.
5. The very evil you crave will consume you.
B. In all that you do, do it with love and compassion for
others.
1. Let the aim of you day be to promote love and peace.
2. When opposition comes your way, see it as an opportunity
to show love.
WALK BY THE SPIRIT
V:16-17. \” But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.\”
A. When we accepted Christ, we were given the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
1. We must seek to allow the spirit to lead and guide us.
2. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to reminds us of what
Jesus would do in our situations.
B. The Holy Spirit reminds us that the best way to handle any
situation is with love and kindness.
1. We can face down the devil with love.
2. A soft answer turns away wrath, but grievous words stirs
up anger. Prov 15:1
3. It is a normal human reaction when push into a corner to
come out fighting.
4. The Holy Spirit reminds us that the battle is not ours,
it is the Lord\’s.
5. The best thing to do is to bestow love and kindness on
those who oppose us.
ENJOY THE FREEDOM THAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston Parkway
Houston, Texas 77040
For more lessons, follow me on facebook and visit my blogs
www.revmmitchell.com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com
