Galatians 5:1-6 “Christian Freedom”

I. What Is Freedom?

• The typical Westerner’s view. Most people in our culture today think of freedom as being able to do what you want, when you want, with who you want – with no authority ruling your life.

• But all is not well with Western individualism – it is not mere coincidence that the pursuit of individual autonomy and self-definition (without reference to any external authority) has led to a crisis of loneliness and alienation, and a sense that we’ve lost our way. “I’ve always said, based on my own head, “Give people the benefit of the doubt. Give them credit to think for themselves.” Nobody has the right to say, “Hey, I’m telling you what you can and cannot see, because I know better than you.” That’s ridiculous! I feel, “Yeah, empower the individual!” Then I turn on the news, and you see some new idiot who kills kids in a church, and my argument goes out the window. It’s troubling.” Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails)

• Artists can describe the result: "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose." Kris Kristofferson

• Sociologists can help explain it: “Western individuality has been and continues to be experienced as a great liberation. The modern individual has been freed from the repressive constraints of tradition, of caste and clan, and indeed even from the limitations of nature itself. We are free now to make something of ourselves if we can, to better our position in the social order, and/or simply to be left alone, and we are protected by laws and institutions which guarantee our rights over and against the larger society. Not surprisingly, then, modern Western history has exhibited a steady procession of characters who embody the ideal of autonomous individuality: the conquistador, the entrepreneur, the citizen, the bourgeois gentleman, the romantic artist-hero, the existential hero, and, most recently, the sexual revolutionary…[But there is mounting evidence to suggest that] the otherwise optimistic stress upon liberated individuality may have ironic and unintended consequences. In this connection, [sociologist Peter]Berger has contended that a certain measure of alienation is simply the price we must pay for individual autonomy, for to the extent that we are free from others. we are also alienated from them. “ (Craig Gay “The Way Of The Modern World” pg. 190-194)

• The modern liberations have left us lost – can we find a better way? Christianity has much to say to our world about freedom and the way it comes. "Most modern freedom is at root fear. It is not so much that we are too bold to endure rules; it is rather that we are too timid to endure responsibilities.” (GK Chesterton)

II. The Importance Of The Christian View Of Freedom

• It is central to the teaching of Christianity (vs. 1) – It is shorthand way to describe what Jesus came to accomplish. Christian freedom is about what Christ did for us and gave to us – He set us free! ] • It is central to what it means to live as a Christian (vs. 1) “Freedom” is the word Paul uses to describe how we are to live now. Living in Christian freedom is what we were set free for!

• It is worth fighting for! (vs. 1b, 4) Notice Paul’s intensity in vs. 2 “Mark my words! I Paul…” It is obviously a pretty big deal! Paul says they must stand firm! He says in vs. 4 that if they turn from the freedom of what Christ came to bring to the bondage of having to obey the law, then they are falling from grace. His point is that if you reject the heart of what Christ did then you are rejecting Christ – you are saying His work didn’t work. (This is not teaching that true Christians can lose their salvation, but that perseverance in the grace of God is the test of the reality of what you profess.)

III. So What Is Christian Freedom?

• It is connected to justification – the issue that Paul has been dealing with throughout this letter. It flows out of our faith that our standing in God’s eyes is based on what Jesus did rather than on what we do. That’s why it is natural for him to move from his statement about freedom in vs. 1 to his discussion of circumcision and obeying the law. The false teachers were telling the Galatians that they needed to be circumcised, not as a sign of God’s promised grace, but as an act that would make God accept them or justify them. Paul says that the one who lets himself be circumcised is turning from the freedom Christ has earned for them and is instead

pledging themselves to earn God’s acceptance by obeying all of the law. (vs. 3)

• It is a spiritual thing because it is about quieting our frightened consciences. (vs. 6) Rather than our focus being on what we do, Christian freedom is more about why we do it. Calvin says it well, "Christian freedom is, in all its parts, a spiritual thing. Its whole force consists in quieting frightened consciences before God -- that are perhaps disturbed and troubled over forgiveness of sins, or anxious whether unfinished works, corrupted by the faults of our flesh, are pleasing to God, or tormented about the use of things indifferent." Freedom deals with fear and our consciences being liberated. It is not about externals, but about spiritual things. As the gospel impacts us we

move from fear to freedom. Let's unpack Calvin's definition: A. Quieting consciences troubled over forgiveness of sins. The answer to this problem is found in the doctrine of justification. Calvin says that "Christian freedom is a thing of prime necessity, and apart from a knowledge of it, consciences dare undertake almost nothing without doubting, they hesitate and recoil from many things, they are constantly afraid. But freedom is especially an appendage of justification and is of no little avail in understanding its power." Understanding justification frees us from the burden of trying to earn God's approval by our works. It frees us from the principle of obedience as the way to be saved. As Luther put it (in his classic work on "Christian Liberty") "Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification is acquired by works." B. Quieting consciences that are anxious regarding unfinished or faulty works. The answer to this problem is found in the doctrine of adoption. How can God be pleased with what I do as a Christian since all my good works are still corrupted by sin and pride? Calvin finds the answer in understanding our nature as God's sons and daughters. "Those bound by the yoke of the law are like servants assigned certain tasks for each day by their masters. These servants think they have accomplished nothing and dare not appear before their masters unless they have fulfilled the exact measure of their tasks. But sons, who are more generously and candidly treated by their fathers, do not hesitate to offer them incomplete and half-done and even defective works, trusting that their obedience and readiness of mind will be accepted by their fathers, even though they have not quite achieved what their fathers intended. Such children ought we to be,

firmly trusting that our services will be approved by our most merciful Father, however small, rude, and imperfect these may be"

• Christian freedom is different than both moralistic religion and irreligious paganism (vs. 1b) Notice that Paul uses the word “again” in vs. 1. The supposed freedom of the irreligious paganism of their former lives is really no different than the bondage of having to earn God’s approval by their own works because both of these are ways of avoiding Christ and the freedom He brings. We can reject Him by saying “Screw you – I don’t need a savior, I make my own rules.” Or by saying “I don’t need a savior, I can make God like me by doing all that He wants.” But neither of these ways of living are really the freedom we long for!

• Freedom can only be found and maintained by submission to proper authority. Lies bring bondage, but the truth brings freedom as Jesus said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:32,36)

• One of the greatest lies we believe is that freedom is found through breaking out from under all authority. "When you break the big laws, you do not get freedom; you do not even get anarchy. You get the small laws." (GK Chesterton) When we break the big laws (submission to God as our King) we don’t get freedom, we get the little laws – the petty slaveries that are the experience most of us struggle with everyday.

• For example: If you don’t submit to God’s plan of salvation – you will inevitably have to justify yourself and whatever you are counting on to justify yourself will control you! "Whatever we live for has control over us. We do not control ourselves. The things we live for enslave us with guilt (if we fail to attain them) or anger (if someone blocks them from us) or fear (if they are threatened) or drivenness (since we must have them) or despair (if we ever lose them completely.) ... We have to live for something, and something will control us. What will we do then? There is one Master, however, who can forgive (none of the others ever will) and who will last (none of the rest ever can.) Neither failure on our part nor the circumstances of life can separate us from Him. Thus only in service to Him will we find freedom." (Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Pres in NYC)

• This is because true freedom is freedom to be who we were meant to be (not as autonomous self-defining individuals postmodern people think) but as men and women in the community of God’s people under God’s rule, dependant upon Him for all things – this is what we were made for! James calls the law the perfect law of freedom (James 1:25) because as we serve God and others in love (the essence of the law) we find true freedom because we are being who we were meant to be. "The law describes the way we are intended to live... The law is not arbitrary, nor are its intentions restrictive. Rather the law shows us the structure within which we can live a free and blessed human life, avoiding the pitfalls of sin. So the person who is most disobedient to the law is not only condemned by the law, but eventually is also the least fulfilled person. As believers in Christ, we need no longer fear the law's penalties. Instead we are set free to pursue with thankful hearts the course of life and peace set out in the law." (Jerram Barrs)

• Where do you find yourself enslaved? What things in our culture enslave people? 1. Advertising enslaves us -- what is beautiful? What is in? We are terrified of sticking out and yet we want to be noticed! But the gospel gives us what we are longing for -- we are made beautiful and we belong! 2. Success enslaves us -- because it tempts us to believe we don't have limits (technology can enslave us in this way too!) But the gospel shows us how to boast in our weakness and until we learn this truth we will never be free!

IV. How Then Shall We Live?

• How did Christ model a life of freedom? He found freedom by listening to God's Word above all other words. This gave Him freedom to be gentle and freedom to rage! The only true freedom comes from submitting to God's Word, the "perfect law of freedom" (James 1:25)

• Jesus submitted to God's Word even in the dark! (Is 50:10) It is a good thing Jesus didn't live by our motto, he could have stayed free and stayed safe, but love requires involvement. He came to set us free by bearing our bondage. Where will we get the courage to stand free? From the power of the gospel that Jesus gave up the freedom He deserved to take the bondage He didn't deserve so that we who deserve bondage and death could have a life of freedom!