Freedom in Christ

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Galatians 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

We’re going to have to make an effort here…..but it’s not the effort of good works, or of the law, or of guilt or shame or condemnation or fear.  It’s the effort of being and staying free in Christ.  In the freedom that Jesus Christ himself bought and paid for and brought us into.

This word liberty is the same word as free (well, one’s a noun and one’s an adjective…..but they’re both from the same Greek word).
With freedom Christ has made us free. Praise the Lord.  Let’s take a look at what this freedom really is.

This word freedom (liberty)  comes from a Greek word meaning “the freedom to come and go.”

The first time this word, in any form, (noun, verb or adjective……freedom, make free, free) is used in the New Testament is:

 Matthew 17:24-26   And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Does not your master pay tribute?  He said, Yes.  And when he was come into the house, Jesus preceded him, saying, What do you think, Simon?  of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute?  of their own children, or of strangers?  Peter said unto him, Of strangers.  Jesus said unto him, Then are the children free.

The children are free from obligation to pay the toll, or tax.
Here is my understanding of this word….freedom.  The right and ability to come and go without incurring an obligation of any kind.  The opposite of freedom is bondage, debt, owing, obligation.

We are children of God, and our sonship has been bought with a price which has already been paid.  We have the complete freedom to come and go as we desire, without incurring a debt to God.  The toll, tax, tribute that pays for our entry into the presence of God….has already been paid!!!

John 8:31,32   Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him, If you continue in my word, you are my disciples indeed (in doing) and you shall know (gnosko – experience, come into relationship with) the truth, and the (experienced) truth shall make you free.

Lies keep us guessing, keep us wandering in circles.  If your life is reflecting a failure to gain traction with God, to make very real, sustainable, measurable gains with God……then you are not in a good relationship with the truth.

Walking in a relational experience with the truth brings freedom.  No more feeling around in the dark.

John 8:36   If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. (in being)

Notice the two different words used for indeed.
Verse 31 indicates a behavior modification, resulting in being a disciple of Jesus in the doing.  This is the best Jesus’ disciples could do during the time he was on the earth.
Verse 36 indicates an inward working by Christ himself, resulting in a being free.  This wouldn’t happen until Jesus was glorified and his spirit sent into the world.  (see previous study….. The Glorified Christ).

The son of God causes us to be free….thus we come and go as we please without incurring any debt of any kind…..to anyone, including God Himself!  This is speaking spiritually, in our relationship with God, as well as in our life and living.

There are debts, obligations, agreements in this world.  The freedom we have is to decide which, if any, of those obligations we choose to take on, when and for how long.

Think of your job.  Is it all freedom there?  No….there are lots of expectations.  You are not free to come and go.  (Of course, you’re free to quit).  What if you own your own business…..you’re still not free to come and go.  I’m a painting contractor.  When I take on a job for someone, I take on a debt….to do what I agreed to do, when I agreed to do it.

It is Jesus Christ, via the spirit of that very Christ which he gave to us, that makes us free.

II Corinthians 3:17   Now the Lord is that spirit; and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Don’t think the religious world will hail your freedom to come and go as you please without obligation.  No it won’t.  Without the ability to condemn people, to lay on others the obligation or the need to change behavior, many ministers and pastors believe, they wouldn’t be able to keep their congregation under their control!

Galatians 4:29   But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

This freedom which is our birthright in Christ has to be claimed, demanded, adamantly defended and guarded.  The god of bondage, Satan, has to be resisted, withstood, stood against.

Galatians 2:4  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privately to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.

Our freedom is preciously bought, and we should highly prize it!

This freedom in Christ is freedom before the God who created all life and truth.

Romans 8:2   For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

The two uses of the word law in this verse should be understood, not as the law of Moses, but in the sense of “how something works”, like the law of gravity.
How the spirit of life in Christ Jesus works has made me free from how sin and death work.
Think about it.

Romans 8:7  Because the carnal mind (tying one’s identity to things of the flesh) is enmity (at war) against God, for it is not subject to the law of God (to how God works), neither indeed can be.

As long as you think that what you do, or how you behave is what determines your standing before God….in actuality, you are at war with God!
God cannot work with a mind that thinks this way.  There is no freedom to come and go without obligation,  in the carnal mind.

The carnal mind is always measuring, figuring, reckoning, seeking balance, equity, justice, fairness, reason………..this is all nothing but fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Man doing his best to be right before the very God he’s at war with.

Only the Son of God can make you free in your being.

Galatians 5:2  Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.’

Well, after taking a poll, it turned out just about every single male in the room was circumcised….guess they’re out of luck!  No, that can’t be it!
This is talking about the Jewish belief that circumcision gave you an identity with God.  Like church membership or water baptism can today.  Remember, there is no freedom in the carnal mind that thinks, “If I do this, or that, or such and such…..then I belong in God’s presence.”

Galatians 5:3  For I testify again to very man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 

See, if you have to belong to a church, then you owe something, and the owing never stops!  Get off the OWE TRAIN and into Christ where you are free indeed!

Galatians 5:4  Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace. 

This is saying what Romans 8:7 said.  God can’t give you anything as a gift, when you’re walking with the mind that owes anything to God.

Galatians 5:5  For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 

Not by works, by behavior, or by trying to fulfill a debt to God.

Galatians 5:6  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails (kratos …..is able to overcome, or accomplish) anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which is energized by love. 

Which is why……………

Galatians 5:7  For, brethren, you have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to (serve) the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Our standing before God is without obligation.  However, in order to gain spiritual ground, we may choose to take on an obligation, before God.  This we are free to do!

One last thought.  We’ve seen that, in Christ, we’re free to come and go without incurring a debt of any kind, to man or God.  In order to enjoy this benefit, it is necessary only to bind ourselves to this freedom…..this spiritual freedom.

Romans 8:12-16  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.  For if you live after the flesh, you shall die; but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live.  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  For we have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again, but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father.  The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God (and therefore, free from owing anything to God).

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Tollroad Christianity
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On Grace, Gifts and Thankfulness
Dead to the Law
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