11/20/16 – A Gospel of Freedom

Galatians 5:1-15 ESV
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. 7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! 13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

I.NOT KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW (1)
A.We know we are free theologically but struggle to live free practically because we have a double consciousness.
B.We are born into spiritual slavery with no examples of what it means to live free (Romans 6:15-23)
C.Trading paganism or hedonism in for legalism is just trading slave masters.

II.KEYS TO LIVING FREE
A.First, we must stop thinking like slaves.
B.Second, we must get used to our justification.

III.FALSE TEACHERS AND FALSE DOCTRINE (2-12)
A.If you accept works based righteousness you make Jesus insufficient, condemn yourself, deny grace, give up future glory, and are enslaved to fear.
B.False teachers are not from God, hinder obedience to God, contaminate others quickly, will pay eternally for their heresy, and persecute those who cling to the exclusivity of the cross.

IV.LICENSE TO SIN OR LOVE
A.We are free from sin, not to sin.
B.We are free to be slaves (love) of Jesus and one another.

NEXT STEPS:
1.We have been given a license to love, not use and abuse others. (15)