Paul's Epistles - Galatians Part 12 – Freedom in Christ

Paul's Epistles - Galatians

Part 12 – Freedom in Christ

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

Paul wrote the Galatians concerning some of the false teachings that had been allowed, specifically salvation in Christ with works (or obedience to Old Covenant) added in.

Paul explains plainly to them this is a false teaching. These are two completely different covenants with God, with the Old only showing our guilt and condemning, and the New showing our salvation in the Lord and freeing us from the condemnation of the first.

Being a slave to sin exposed by the commands, and being set free by Christ revealed through His ministry and Gospel.

Paul explains there is no other gospel but the one he originally taught them, the one that saved them and changed them. To accept any other teaching does not “add” to their salvation, but causes them to move in a direction which takes them away from it.

Paul explains God’s promise, and how salvation through Christ alone was set in motion and can be seen in the Abrahamic Covenant. The promise of a coming Savior, how those who put their faith (or trust) in him (not just believe as in He is real), would become the children of God and heir to the Kingdom.

He explained how the two covenants work, the first based on works of the flesh, which only lead to condemnation, and the second based on the Spirit which leads to life everlasting.

Paul denounces their legalism, which is based on the works of men for salvation, and tries to convince them of the Truth, which is the freedom only found in Christ Jesus, a free gift, not earned, or deserved, but given by Faith alone.

There is freedom in Christ Jesus.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Galatians 5:1-12

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!

    I.      FREEDOM OR THE YOKE OF SLAVERY

a. Your choices in life always have consequences

                                                                 i. “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.”

                                                              ii. Every choice we make in life has a consequence.

1. When you choose anything other than God’s way, you are returning yourself to the slavery of sin!

b. Are you trying to be justified by the Law by doing Works?

                                                                 i. “Mark my words!”

                                                              ii. “If you allow yourselves to be circumcised (return to works), Christ will be of NO value to you!”

                                                           iii. You cannot belong to the Covenant in Christ AND the Old Covenant of condemnation. It MUST be one or the other. No one can serve two masters.

c. By choosing works, you alienate (separate) yourselves from Christ

                                                                 i. Because Christ and the Promise given to Abraham of the children of God and the Kingdom are all found through Jesus, not the Law.

                                                              ii. If you are obeying one part of the Law, you MUST obey ALL of the Law!

                                                        iii. This is why people, who try to keep the Sabbath, or certain food laws, etc, are wasting their time. In Christ, we are free from all of that!

                                                            iv. The Law has been clear from the beginning, if you break one, you have broken them all. You cannot pick and choose which you will honor, and which you will ignore.

                                                               v. There is NO salvation in the Law, only in Christ Jesus.

II.      YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM GRACE

a. Through the Spirit we wait by Faith for Righteousness

                                                                 i. Righteousness (ours) comes by Faith, just as it did for Abraham

                                                              ii. It comes by the Spirit, and is not ours, but His

                                                           iii. We cannot earn it, work for it, or deserve it

b. In Christ Jesus (works) circumcision and uncircumcision have NO value

                                                                 i. You cannot add by your hand any value to what Christ did at the cross!

                                                              ii. He said, “It is complete!” Because He completed it!

c. The ONLY thing that counts is FAITH EXPRESSING itself through LOVE

                                                                 i. Faith (putting trust in Christ)

1. Not simply believing…

                                                              ii. Expressing (action)

1. True faith DOES

2. Does what? Works to earn salvation?

a. No…does ACTIONS to express FAITH

3. What actions express or show our faith?

a. LOVE!

                                                        iii. When we live I Corinthians 13, we are showing our Faith by Expressing Love to others.

I Corinthians 13:4-8 “ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. “

III.      A LITTLE YEAST (SIN / ERR) CAN RUIN THE TRUTH

a.  You were running a good race

                                                                 i. 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.

b. A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough

                                                                 i. I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view.

c. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty.

CONCLUSION – as for those agitators (the ones throwing the galatians into confusion), i (paul) wish they would go the whole way (when circumcising themselves) and emsculate (castrate) themselves!

Have you ever heard the phrase, “They shouldn’t breed.”

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!