Freedom!
Galatians 5:1-15
"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."
(GALATIANS 5:1)
We sat on the dock of a summer home and watched as our son Dave carefully rowed his kayak back and forth along the waterway, pulling a tube with his wife and two daughters hanging on. One of the girls waved an American flag she had made and mounted on a broom handle. People all along their docks waved, cheered and saluted as they kayaked by.
On July 4, we celebrate the wonderful and expensive freedom we enjoy in this country. But it's also a time to be reminded of the spiritual freedom we enjoy and celebrate in Jesus Christ. He has set us free - covered, bought and redeemed us out of the slave market. We are now His children in faith. Has there ever been more reason for joy?
How protective we must be of this cherished freedom. Paul tells us to "stand firm." We are not to allow ourselves to be enslaved to methods, rules, lawlessness or that which will keep us from growing in Christ and serving Him. Celebrate today with time in His Word and time in prayer, thankful for our cherished spiritual freedom.
INSIGHT
CHRIST HAS BROUGHT CHANGE AND FREEDOM TO US. LET THE JOY OF ONE SET FREE BE EVIDENT IN YOU.
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
1 Chronicles 20-21
Psalm 3
Matthew 3-4
Galatians 5:1-15
New Living Translation (NLT)
Freedom in Christ
5 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. 4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.
5 But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. 6 For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. 9 This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! 10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.
11 Dear brothers and sisters,[a] if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. 12 I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves.[b]
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[c] 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
Footnotes:
a. Galatians 5:11 Greek Brothers; similarly in 5:13.
b. Galatians 5:12 Or castrate themselves, or cut themselves off from you; Greek reads cut themselves off.
c. Galatians 5:14 Lev 19:18.
CHRISTIANS YOU SHOULD KNOW - MARIE ENS
It's hard not to respect a woman like Marie Ens. Few people have the courage to do the same. Click "listen" to hear her story of advocacy, adoption, and a life devoted to a bold gospel witness!
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