It is so easy to get caught up in the routines of our faith, the busyness of life or the trials and frustrations we face and to totally miss the point of Christianity altogether. As we reach Galatians 5 Paul declares with simple clarity why Jesus died for us… why Jesus sacrificed Himself… what was in His mind as He brought us into salvation… FREEDOM! And yet so often we miss the beauty of this freedom and exchange it for the slavery of the Law. Pastor Joe takes us through the dangers of missing the point when it comes to freedom.
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.
Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” 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. 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. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!