It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
Summary: Understanding what Paul means by freedom is key to understanding what it means to be saved by faith in Jesus.
The word, “tautology,” means saying the same thing, only using different words. Today’s passage sounds like a tautology, but that doesn’t sound like the kind of mistake that God would allow in his Bible. Perhaps there is another way of looking at it?
The King James Version of the Bible translates this passage this way:
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free …”
Does that make more sense? The Message version of the Bible states it even more simply:
“Christ has set us free to live a free life.”
Even if we never looked at the original Greek of Paul’s letter, we could still figure out what Paul is talking about from the context.
Paul has been railing against the people who have convinced the Galatians to adopt the Mosaic laws as a requirement for being a Christian. Paul is appalled! To his mind, this is no better than requiring the chickens in the henhouse to invite the wolf to come in. The “wolf,” in this case, is the law.
The reason for the law was to keep God’s people out of trouble. Specifically, the kind of trouble that comes from following the passions of the flesh. Paul describes the flesh this way:
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” (Galatians 5: 19-21a)
By creating laws for all these situations, the law became a kind of wall between behaviors that honor God and those that dishonor God. The problem with the law is that it is like those light beams that ring a bell when you walk into a store. The bell tells you when you have crossed the line, but it can’t keep you from crossing the line. Only one man ever lived his entire life without crossing the line and that was Jesus.
Jesus was able to keep the law because, being God’s Son, he is the law. As he pointed out to Peter when they needed money for the temple tax, the children of the King were exempt (Matthew 17:24-27). When we turn to Jesus in faith, we are born again (John 3:1-21). We become children of God (John 1:12-13). As children of the King, we, too, are exempt from the law. Why, then, would we ever put ourselves under the yoke of the law?
Application: Enjoy the freedom that comes with being a child of God!
Food for Thought: How is being a child of a king different than being one of the king’s subjects?
How is being a child of a king different than being one of the king’s subjects?
See how much the Father loves us, we are called children of God!, 1 John 3:1
We were not born children of God. We become children of God, by the power of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are transformed into this truth by the renewing of our minds, (Romans 12:2). In our corrupt, sinful state, we were eternally, spiritually dead. (Ephesians 2:1) and upon repentance, we are “translated” from death to life (Colossians 1:13). Paul writes in Galatians that he lives but it is actually Christ living through him (Galatians 2:20). We begin to live as Christ on the Earth, not only allowed access to our Father, but welcomed into His presence.
Our Father is the King, the Master of the House, and Scripture makes no secret of the reality that we will inherit the Kingdom of God with the Son (Romans 8:17). We will not simply “go to Heaven.” The Bible says we will reign with him (2 Timothy 2:12), rule over angels (1 Corinthians 6:3),
As we stumble, we remember that we were also adopted, chosen out of love, secure beyond any power we can imagine. He is faithful and just to forgive all when we confess (1 John 1:9). Christ is in us, and the Bible also declares we are in Christ at the right hand of the Father (Colossians 3:1). His commitment to His adopted children is absolute. Our Heavenly Father will always receive us to purpose and joy and peace. We need no appointment!
Ron,
Your comment about ruling with Christ is important. Where do kings go for people they can trust? Family!
Well said!
Thank you R2T2. Great verses and comments.
There is another angle to look at this question. When we come to faith in Christ we are a child of God (John 1: 12 – 13: John 3:3). A subject could be seen as someone who willingly submits to Jesus as Lord of their life. So there is a potential positive way to look at being a subject or slave to Christ. Paul called himself a bond slave of Christ. He is Lord and now I gratefully submit as His subject (while also being a child). 2 Corinthians 5: 15; Galatians 2:20.
Thank you, Rich!
Scripture does emphasize our submission to Christ. That is an important point. The question I see Paul wrestling with is “Do we submit because we are family, or do we submit because of the law?”
Sometimes someone else has covered the topic so thoroughly that I just look for a different angle.
Thanks Rich!
Your “angling” is MUCH appreciated!! 🙂
Yes. I agree.