Paul is perplexed at why we continue to run into the slavery of works when Christ has set us free. We settle for legalism instead of liberation through grace. “One of the tragedies of legalism is that is gives the appearance of spiritual maturity when, in realty, it leads the believer back into a ‘second childhood’ of Christian experience.” (Wiersbe Bible Commentary). There is something deep inside of us that runs from the free grace of God. The crux of all our problems, is looking for pseudo saviors, instead of accepting Christ's salvation. If we are free in Christ that should impact every aspect of our lives. If we don’t understand where our rescue is rooted, we will never experience the promise of life and life to the full.
Christ Has Set Us Free
March 12, 2023 • Jeff Gokee • Galatians 4:8—5:15
More from
Galatians
Living In The Spirit
March 26, 2023 • Mark Buckley • Galatians 6
The bible makes it clear, when we’re supposed to continue loving and helping someone, and when it becomes unloving to continue to help someone. It says in Galatians 6:2, to bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. That’s a big statement. Bearing one another’s burdens is fulfilling the very thing that Jesus Christ came to do. But three verses later, it says, but each person ought to bear their own load. That’s confusing. Should we bear their burden, or should we bear their load? Because it says not to bear their load, but to bear their burden. The distinction, according to the Greek, when we bear one another’s burdens, it means to empathize with someone, but to bear one another’s load is to take responsibility for someone’s actions and for their life, and that’s when it becomes unhealthy. When we take responsibility for someone who is toxic towards us and others, and not willing to help themselves by taking responsibility for their part, we’re hurting and enabling them. When we empathize with them, as Christ has done for us, that’s when we fulfill the law of Christ. To empathize with someone is to be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you. To rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. To be likeminded, sympathetic, loving one another with understanding, care, and humility. So, we are to empathize with all people, but not to take responsibility for them. That’s not our role, that’s God’s role. And taking responsibility for another person is not only unhelpful, it’s unloving.
In Step with The Spirit
March 19, 2023 • Ryan Romeo • Galatians 5:16–24
Attempting to earn salvation by the law is enslavement, but unrestrained sin itself, is enslavement as well. Our culture likes to say things are complicated or nuanced. We have religious leaders that love to say that they don’t know if something is a sin. But this isn’t helpful. And it isn’t loving to leave people confused in their sin. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us the heart is deceitful and desperately sick. Following the Spirit is not following your heart. Paul instructs us that freedom in Christ should produce a specific sort of fruit in our lives. Following the Spirit leads to the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, which should be evident in the life of a Christian.
The Fullness of Your Sonship
March 5, 2023 • Wade Joye • Galatians 3:23—4:7
In Galatians 4:1, it was common knowledge at that time, that under Roman law, a child was not legally considered a son until the age of 14. The son owned everything at birth right, but had no access to it until they came of age. In the same way, as we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become heirs of God’s sonship, receiving all the right as heirs to the Kingdom of God. Sometimes we grasp in our minds that God is Father, but not always receiving adoption as sons & daughters in our hearts. God sent His Son, Jesus, to save us, and He sent the Holy Spirit of His Son to experience the fullness of God’s sonship. The Holy Spirit transforms our hearts to know that God loves us deeply and enables us to have a relationship with Him. The Holy Spirit and our relationship with God, is our inheritance. It is a gift of intimacy, love, and power. That kind of access would have been unthinkable under the law. But as Christians, under the new covenant, we can come to the Lord at all times. When we are brought into the family of God, we are no longer required to live under the law, but we do have a responsibility to live according to the ways Jesus instructed us. To forgive, to conduct ourselves in a way that brings honor and glory to Jesus, to share the Gospel, to help others in need, to fully follow Christ. We are not to disqualify ourselves as heirs to God’s Kingdom. We have access, affection, authority, and assurance in Jesus Christ. We can deeply experience the faith filled recognition and confidence in our Abba. We can trust completely in the assurance of Christ and His plan for our lives. We know intellectually that God is our Father, but we need to know in our whole heart, that we are His children, and can fully embrace the love of our Father.