Week 7 Galatians 5:1-15

Today we are going to be doing half of chapter 5. This is a difficult part for us to accept. This is not a difficult concept, but it is a difficult application in our lives. Now, if this is an application in our lives, then we would see it transform our lives. I hope this will do that very thing today. Let’s read the first verse, for this will sum up the day almost completely.

Galatians 5:1
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Here will be the main theme of the day. Walking in freedom from God instead of walking in slavery to sin. It is a difficult thing for us as humans. Not the choice of freedom or slavery. Giving anyone that choice, unless in extreme circumstances, the choice is clearly freedom. So what is the struggle?

The struggle is living confidently in freedom instead of earning freedom. Now, we must begin, are we really free from sin?

John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Romans 6:14
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Romans 8:2
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Hebrews 2:14-15
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Clearly, we are free in Jesus Christ. He frees us from sin and death. Do we really believe that? Over and over again we will talk trying to earn our freedom instead of walking in the freedom. What do I mean by this?

Being a chef versus cooking for friends and family
We don’t have to strive, but that is often what we try to do. What do I mean by that? Let’s keep reading.

Galatians 5:2-6
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

Law versus Jesus, we see that man attempts over and over to be worthy. We don’t want to be in debt, we are capable, sure we make it our way. No, no we can’t. We can’t fix ourselves, we can’t save ourselves, we can’t earn freedom. It is only Jesus that gives us that freedom.

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus is the only way, Jesus is the truth, and Jesus is life.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Interesting, here is a verse that seems to perfectly answer a need we have as humans. We were save by Jesus through faith in what He did. This happens, so that no one can boast. Boasting is a part of pride, and pride is what directly leads us to sin, and directly conflicts with God. Why is that? What is pride?

**Pride

the quality or state of being proud: such as
a: reasonable self-esteem : confidence and satisfaction in oneself : self-respect
b: pleasure that comes from some relationship, association, achievement, or possession that is seen as a source of honor, respect, etc.
c: exaggerated self-esteem : conceit**

Confidence in oneself, possessing honor or respect, exaggerated self-esteem, these phrases sum up Satan who rebelled against God, and in those same weakness, we fall too, for we think we are worthy of honor, respect, we think we are all that and a bag of chips. Perhaps if we compared to each other, but when we are compared to God, we fall short of all those things. We are not worthy of honor in comparison to God. How could we be? We do not deserve respect in comparison to God, nor should we be confident, because what can we do that He can’t? Oh, yeah, we can fail, and we can sin. That is our special talent. And yet, we will try to earn our salvation, our redemption, because we are too proud to accept the gift of Jesu Christ. Is there any other way to have our sins removed?

Acts 4:12
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Nope! Jesus’s life and death paid for our sins, and there is no other payment other than our best efforts.

John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

By not accepting God’s gift of Jesus Christ, we remain under His wrath, because that is the rightful payment for our sins. That is what we deserve.

Romans 10:9
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Oh we try, but it is the gift of Jesus’s blood that fixes us, that saves us, that redeems us. All this to be said, because we still try to do it our way, and the Galatians, the Judiazers, all of mankind struggle with this.

Galatians 5:7-12
7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

We see that Paul is talking about someone who has deceived them. There is some thought that Paul is referring to an individual, not just the Judaizers.

Paul uses leaven as an example and how it affects the whole lump. Where have we seen leaven used before in the Bible?

Matthew 16:6-12
6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

We see that Jesus used the leaven as a negative example. Paul is harkening the church in Galatia back to this point. In fact, leaven is always a bad thing in the Bible.

The leaven is that we can fix ourselves. We can do something to earn God’s grace, earn His redemption. That is a lie. What Jesus did on the cross was the only way for you and for me to receive salvation, redemption, restoration.

Galatians 5:13-15
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

We see Paul brings it all the way around here. We started with freedom and slavery, and we finish today with freedom and slavery. We can live in freedom with God, or, left to our own efforts, we will consume each other. Left to our own vices, we will have might make right, the strong thrive, and the weak die, those who have power, and those who don’t. That is what the world offers. God offers redemption, he offers hope, He offers justice, He offers grace and mercy, which will you choose?

Main Points
Which will you choose, to be a slave or to be free?
How are you trying to redeem yourself?
How will you allow God to set you free?