[Galatians 5, Proverbs 11]

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

E – Freedom!

When I hear the word “Freedom” I picture William Wallace on Braveheart willing to go the distance and fight for his country. His fight was for freedom. Freedom is something we all want. We want to live in a free country, with freedom in our choices, have freedom with our rights, and experience freedom in our minds. But, what about the greatest freedom that can be given; Spiritual Freedom?

Paul had wrote over the last 3 chapters (2,3,4) in Galatians warning these believers not to submit again to the yoke of slavery, which was going back to justifying their salvation by keeping the law. He reminded them that true freedom could never be accomplished through anything they could do, but only by faith in Christ Jesus. 

Notice these words in context to Galatians

1. “For Freedom Christ has set us free……” – Christ had set them free from the ceremonial law and regulations. Their freedom could not come from circumcision, eating the right foods, worshipping on the right days, or anything else that could be obtained by individual human effort. Nope, freedom was simply faith and belief that Jesus Christ was/is/will be sufficient for my justification and surrendered obedience to him, which makes our freedom alive through His Spirit (5:25).

2. “stand firm therefore……” – Paul commands the Galatians to “stand firm”. Because of who God is and what he has done for believers in Jesus Christ, Christians are commanded to “become what they are,” that is, to make visible in the earthly realm of their human existence what God has already declared and sealed in the divine verdict of justification. When I forget or downplay my justification and true freedom comes only from Christ then the temptation for the Christian is to lapse back into legalism, which binds me back into slavery and steals my freedom

3. “do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” – Paul knew the evidence of slavery. He had been there, enslaved by his flesh (5:19). Yet, because of his justification and continued sanctification (being obedient to who Christ calls Christians to be) he also knew the evidence of true freedom which is His Spirit alive and living through the life of a Christ follower. 

For instances the yoke of slavery is selfishness. The yoke of freedom is surrender. When i surrender you will see the evidence of Christ in my life (5:22-24). When I’m selfish you will see the evidence of me in my life (5:19-21). Therefore, true freedom remains when we continue to walk in the Spirit of the one who has righteously justified us (5:16). 

A – FREEDOM!! Don’t go back (5:1), run well in obedience (5:7), lovingly serve others (5:13), walk in the Spirit (5:16), crucify the desires of the flesh (5:24). 

R – Lord God, thank you for freedom. Help me to fight for freedom the right way. Thank you for your Spirit that lives within me. Lord, I pray your Spirit would guide me in your ways, convict me when I turn away from truth, and lead me back into the freedom of your righteousness. Continue to cultivate in my life the fruit of your Spirit.