FREEDOM IN CHRIST

Gal. 5:1

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. We, as Americans, have several basic freedoms: speech, press,
      privacy, worship, etc.
   B. Before the Convention of Delegates of Virginia, March 13, 1775,
      Patrick Henry said, "Give me liberty or give me death."
   C. "We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of
      America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the
      Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions,
      do, in the Name, by Authority of the good People of these
      Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United
      Colonies are, and of Right ought to be, Free and Independent
      States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the      
      British Crown, and that all political connection between them  
      and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally     
      dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have  
      full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances,    
      establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which  
      Independent States may of right do.   And for the support of   
      this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of    
      Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other out lives, 
      our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."  (Conclusion to the        
      Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776)
   D. Americans have fought and died in many wars in the last 200
      years in order to obtain and keep our freedoms.
      1. The basic freedoms that we enjoy, and take for granted, are 
         a great blessing.
   E. However, none of these compare to the freedom we have in
      Christ.
      1. In this lesson we want to examine one short verse, Gal. 5:1,
         which speaks of our freedom and responsibility.

I. "For freedom did Christ set us free." ASV
   A. How do we obtain this freedom?
      1. John 8:31-32 - We must abide in His Word.
      2. The Messiah, among other things, was to bring a spiritual
         deliverance. Isa. 61:1-3; Luke 4:18-19; John 8:36
   B. In what ways are we free?
      1. Free from sin. Rom. 6:17-18
      2. Free from the fear of death. Heb. 2:14-15
      3. Free from the condemnation of the law. Rom. 8:2-4
      4. Free from religious oppression.
         a. Paul emphasized freedom from religious bondage.
            (1) "To spy out our liberty." Gal. 2:3-5; 4:9
            (2) Col. 2:20-23 - We refuse to be in bondage to the
                traditions and doctrines of men.
         b. Jesus condemned religious oppression.
            (1) Matt. 23:4
            (2) We refuse to be in bondage to anyone, except
                Christ. 1 Cor. 7:22-23; 2 Pet. 2:19
            (3) We serve only one master. Matt. 6:24

II. "Stand fast therefore."
   A. Some other exhortations to stand fast.
      1. "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith." 1 Cor. 16:13
      2. "Stand fast in one spirit." Phil. 1:27
      3. "Stand fast in the Lord." Phil. 4:1
      4. "For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord." 1 Thess.   
         3:8
      5. "Stand fast and hold the traditions which you have received
         from us." 2 Thess. 2:15; 3:6
   B. The Galatians were being moved by a crafty Jewish force. Gal.
      5:6-12; 6:12-16; Phil. 3:1-3
      1. Judaism still threatens the church today in the form of
         dispensationalism and premillinialism.
      2. Humanism, modernism, new forms of evolution, human
         philosophy in one form or another, will continue to destroy
         faith, especially in our young people. 1 Tim. 6:20-21
      3. Sectarianism, liberalism, loyalty to a man or a group of men
         who push things foreign to the Word of God continues to be
         a problem.
         a. Many have lost sight of our "distinctive plea" or "we
            speak where the   1 Pet. 4:11
         b. Another problem is cliquish divisions among us. In many
            churches, we are too busy fighting among ourselves to
            teach the lost. Gal. 5:15

III. "And be not entangled again."
   A. The affairs of this life, worldliness, entangle one. Probably  
      this is the greatest danger facing Christians today. Luke 8:14
      1. Worldly affairs keep us so busy that there is no time left  
         to serve the Lord.
      2. Our religion then becomes a "spectator" religion.
         a. We come in on Sunday mornings, if we make it at all,
            and sit and watch what's going on. We really don't get
            involved anymore, our minds are too entangled with
            other things.
         b. We are too busy to visit the sick, so let's hire an      
            official "sick visitor" and we will call him "our        
            minister."
            (1) We have missed the point of the spiritual benefit to
                the individual.
         c. We are too busy to study and to teach the Word of God,
            so let's hire a professional, who has a Bible college
            degree, to do that for us and we will call him "our
            preacher."
            (1) Again, what about my own personal responsibility
                and benefit?
         d. We don't have time for prayer anymore; thus, we hire
            one to make supplications to God for us, and we will
            call him, "our "priest."
   B. 2 Tim. 2:3-4

IV. "In a yoke of bondage."
   A. The yoke here in this context was the one Judaisers were       
      putting on the free Gentile Christians. Acts 15:10
   B. There are other yokes that must be avoided.
      1. Sin is a yoke of bondage. John 8:34
      2. We must avoid the unequal yoke with unbelievers. 2 Cor.
         6:14-18
         a. The business and social ties that lead the Christian into
            sin must be avoided.
      3. The only yoke for us is that of Jesus Christ. Matt. 11:29-30
   C. Christ has liberated us from bondage. This freedom makes us
      slaves in a new sense.
      1. "Servants of righteousness." Rom. 6:18
      2. "Servants to God." Rom. 6:22
      3. "Serveth Christ." Rom. 14:18
      4. "Serve the Lord Christ." Col. 3:24
      5. Serving "from the heart." Eph. 6:6
   D. We have freedom in Christ, but it cannot be misused.
      1. Gal. 5:13 - Freedom is not given for a person to act without
         restraint.
         a. The devil would turn freedom to licentiousness. The
            fleshly mind would reason, "If we are without the law,
            we may as well indulge."
         b. Jude 4 - "into lasciviousness" - using the pretense of
            religion to gain their own fleshly desires.
         c. For example, answering "yes" to Rom. 6:1,15.
      2. 1 Pet. 2:16 - Free from the law, sin, fear; yet we cannot   
         use this freedom as a cloke (covering) for wickedness (ex.  
         it does not allow freedom from restraints), but as servants 
         of God (because of our liberty in Christ, we become the most
         helpful servants).
         a. We have been set free; we are now willing servants. Gal.
            4:7,31; 5:1; Psalm 110:3

Concl.
   A. A Christian is the only truly free person.
      1. It's a great blessing to have freedom of speech, the press, 
         to privacy, etc.
      2. All of those can be taken away, and the Christian will still
         be free.
   B. Thus, Gal. 5:1