“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)

It was John’s announcement when he first saw Jesus, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) Paul’s understanding of the world’s sin was,” for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Jesus had defined the extent of man’s sin. “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34) Jesus had come to earth to address mankind’s sin, which had established a bondage of men to sin and thus a separation between God and man.

Jesus has come to bridge the separation and then set man free from sin. He said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32) Paul would take the teaching of Jesus and proclaim, “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:38-39) While the people with Moses knew freedom from slavery, they had not found freedom from sin. Now Jesus would bring to the people freedom from sin, also the freedom from the slavery of sin which had held the people in sin.

 When Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia, he would emphasis the freedom which Christ brings into the life of a believer. “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) They had been burdened under the regulations of the law, because they had tried to justify themselves by their attempts to follow the law. Christ had paid their debt for sin and now offered them the freedom to live as those forgiven. “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.” (Galatians 5:4-5)

Once we are set free, we are to stand fast in our freedom. We are to follow Christ in our freedom and not be pulled back into the slavery of sin. We do this as we listen to the Holy Spirit who is leading us into truth. “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” (John 16:13) When we know the truth and are guided by the truth, we do not act upon our sinful desires. “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” (Galatians 5:16-17) This keeps us from falling again into the slavery of sin.

The result of our freedom is the action of the Spirit in our lives.  Which will produce in us, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-25)

In the Love of the Jesus,

Michael Block