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INTRODUCTION
ILLUS: I chose “Battle Hymn” on purpose. Reminds us we are in a battle. Freedom is costly. This battle is a cosmic
battle. You can turn the verse order around for the sequence of events. The last verse tells us freedom is because of Christ who
transfigures you and me - He died to make man holy, let us life to make man free... Then this battle will conclude with the first
verse with “the glory of the coming of the Lord.” God wins!!!
In the meantime we are in a battle for freedom. This morning - TITLE. The Freedom as Christians.
1. The Treasure of Freedom 5:1a
- “freedom/liberty” is a gift from God = to freely choose without interference. Freedom is a balance
between the abuse of anarchy and the abuse slavery. Freedom balances individual needs and society needs, personal
passions and political expediency.
- Freedom in society and freedom as a Christian is not the right to do as you please, instead the ability to do what is
right, the power to do right.
QUOTES:
- Henry David Throeau Waddon’s Pond, religious but not Christian: “The ability
to follow a higher law, the dictates of our own conscious.”
- Peter Marshall, once chaplain of U.S. Senate: “Make us see that our liberty is not the right to do as
we please, but the opportunity to do what is right.”
- A writer of Our Daily Bread: “Freedom does not give us the right to do as we please,
but to do what pleases God.”
- For the Christian freedom is found in Christ. John 8:36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free
indeed.” The suffering, death and resurrection of Christ provides us our freedom. Jesus is the victor,
conqueror, the great emancipator. He has won the battles for us.
- We by nature and choice are captives to sin and death. In ourselves we have no hope of achieving freedom. Freedom is a
gift of God.
- 2 Cor 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of
God in Him.”
- We are free from: Sin’s domination - penalty and power (Rom 6:5-7), Satan’s
control (Acts 26:18), even the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15) and the second death (Rev. 21:8)
- Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and
death.”
- Free for: Faith in Christ’s salvation, Forgiveness of our sins, full access to the throne of
God, fruit of the spirit, fashioned in the likeness of Christ, fulfillment of our purpose in life, faithful exercise of
spiritual gifts, fellowship of the Body of Christ, future eternal home in the glory of heaven with the saints of the
ages. Then enjoying the fullness of everlasting perfection, purity, provision, protection, and privilege.
- We are free in Christ - no one else can give us all that - no gov’t.
ILLUS: This weekend we rejoice in those who fought to make us free in USA, we pray remain free. Christ gives so
much more, Gospel gives freedom even to people in political/cultural bondage.
2. The Threats to Freedom 5:1b, 13
- Slavery to law. 5:1
- I am not talking about laws of our nation, but the laws of legalism within Judism. Rules to make man holy.
Slavery to law - legalism
- Galatians written to Christians who have been rescued from the bondage of sin. Paul’s readers were now
living in bondage to the law the rules they believed gave them salvation.
- They were free from the law, they didn’t have to do certain things to be saved, they didn’t have to
meet certain expectations, they were free in Christ to be all Christ called them to be.
- They were caught up in religious legalism - lists of do’s and don’ts. Legalism focuses on externals
not internals, the actions not heart.
- This is a huge threat church often imposes, well meaning Christians.
ILLUS: Somehow in church life we go beyond Bible and make rules to be holy. Samples of past issues of law:
Parish Paper Feb. 2002
- And we can make another list of things we still stress today.
- While some rules help us, all rules don’t save us. But rules/laws do not make us holy, Christ gives us
holiness - Jude 24-25
- Opportunity for the flesh 5:13
- This is a threat the devil seeks to impose. Trying to convince us we can’t be holy, so why try, or
redefine sin as something good.
- 1 Peter 2:16 “Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as
bondslaves of God.”
- While legalism is the first threat, license is the second threat.
- “Since I am forgiven anyway, why not go ahead and sin?” Paul answered that in Romans 6:1,2
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall
we who died to sin still live in it?”
- Yes we have forgiveness, but sin still breaks fellowship and still has can have consequences for a life time -
addictions, imprisonment. Sins of our youth can haunt us.
- Freedom is the balance between legalism and license.
- Instead “in love serve one another...you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Look out for the
interests of others, love by surrendering, and not harming or offending a new believer, fellow Christian.
- Ask God to keep your passions and drives under control. “Submit to God, resist the devil and he will
flee from you” James 4:7
CONCLUSION
In Christ we have the greatest freedom of all. Are you free in Christ? Are you saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus
Christ?
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