Week 5 - Freedom
This week in summary| Day 1 : Religion in Politics? | Galatians 1-2 |
| Day 2 : Following the Leader | Galatians 3 |
| Day 3 : Freedom | Galatians 4 |
| Day 4 : Prepare | Galatians 5 |
| Day 5 : Planning | Galatians 6 |
| Day 1 : Religion in Politics? | Galatians 1-2 |
| Day 2 : Following the Leader | Galatians 3 |
| Day 3 : Freedom | Galatians 4 |
| Day 4 : Prepare | Galatians 5 |
| Day 5 : Planning | Galatians 6 |
To say that Jesus was a game changer is a cosmic understatement. He turned society on its head. He dropped statements like:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."
"How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God"
"the first will be last, the last will be first"
In the years after Jesus departed the believers were guided by the Spirit of God to make sense of this upside-down movement. There was contention over the issue of what to do with the old Jewish life-style they had followed for centuries. A life-style that was inspired by God and should not be dismissed lightly.
On one side were religious teacher who rejected Jesus and his claim to be the Messiah. On the other side there were the apostles and disciples who followed Jesus and learned from him directly. Then you have the middle ground: some among the religious teachers believed Jesus was the Messiah and they join his movement. They were followers of Jesus but continued to teach the old religious law. So the question came up: What is the place for religion in Jesus' kingdom?
Paul addresses this topic to the believers in the region of Galatia. He fundamentally agrees with the Apostles on the issue. His message cannot be dismissed as a reproduction of the Apostles message because He met Jesus through unique circumstances independent of the Apostles. (Chapter 1&2)
Paul then contrasts living by faith in the Spirit with living by the religious code of conduct. It's no contest that living by the freedom of the Spirit is better. (Chapter 3&4)
To finish off his letter Paul warns against misusing the freedom that the Spirit gives. Following your desires will lead to slavery. For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Chapter 5&6)
From Paul's perspective people follow the desires of the flesh to their own destruction, so God gave them the law to contain the destruction and reveal how unhealthy it was. The law didn't fix the problem nor was it ever designed to, it just reveal that the problem was there. There is tension between the requirements of the law and the desires of the flesh. So the gut reaction is to embrace the desires of our flesh, but the Spirit's freedom from the law is not a license to pursue those unhealthy desires. Not at all. The desires of the flesh are just another form of slavery.
We are called not to follow the rules, nor are we called to follow our desires. We are called to obey the Spirit of God directly. It is the only true freedom. In the Spirit all things are possible but not everything is beneficial. It is as unsettling as it is freeing. It's not like the life we knew before.
Let not sin reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death
Romans 6
They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
Romans 1:29-31
For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is now free in the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ.
1 Corinthians 7:22
There are two deals offered, the first is a slave becoming free. That's easy to sell. But, it's hard to believe. The key to believing it is that Christ is more powerful than whatever holds you captive. Whatever your baggage is: Jesus owns whatever owns you. He has conquered it. He is your new master and he set you free. In Christ you have the freedom to disobey your previously irresistible force.
The second deal looks like a hard pill to swallow, but it ultimately comes down to the same issue: faith. This is an exchange that can only be made in faith. You must trust that obedience to Jesus is better than obedience to the self. Otherwise you will always go back to obeying the self.
Q: Why would someone who has freedom apart from Christ sell their freedom to be a slave of Christ?
Answer: Because Christ is better.
Slavery to Jesus simplifies life. We are no longer pulled in every direction by hundreds of voices: family, job, relationships and society. They all belong to Jesus now. He frees us from our obligations to the crowd. Even our bodies belong to Him. Jesus breaks all those ties and binds us only to Him.
Jesus is now the only filter for all decision we now make. All aspects of our former life and now subject to him. We are accountable to him alone. Christ frees us from all other obligations. All other membership allegiance and responsibility is subject to our relationship to God. Every relationship and every ethic is filtered through His lens. Every decision comes down to one issue: "how does this affect your Kingdom, Jesus?"
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:33
The world says do what you want to do, follow your heart; but is this really freedom? Do whatever you want is the behavior of toddlers and psychopaths. Freedom to do what you want is really slavery to the whims of your flesh. I can quit smoking any time I want. Just last week, I quit smoking 6 times. To be free means not satisfying the desires of 'the sinful nature', because to do that would put us back into slavery again. Think about it, using alcohol as an example, someone with a drink problem gets saved and then gets told that they can do whatever they want, in most cases the need/desire for alcohol is still strong, satisfying that need will lead them straight back into slavery again, their life will revolve around getting a drink and then another, and then another…and so it goes on.
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:31-36
Although they believed they were free, they were really slaves to sin. As much as they were following the Law, they followed sin too. They looked for every imaginable legal loophole to have their sin and follow the law at the same time. They had no choice about it. They had to sin wherever they could.
For example they invented a legal system "Corban" where they could selfishly use their wealth for themselves and give to the poor as the law required. By Corban you can enjoy your wealth as much as you like while you are alive and after your death your wealth is given to the poor. They invented a way to be selfish and generous at the same time. To do what the law required but to sin as much as they could get away with.
Although they believed they were free, they were truly slaves to sin. They weren't aware of their slavery because they choose it. But it wasn't really a choice as they had no alternative. Jesus gives an alternative. In Christ you have the freedom to disobey the flesh, a previously irresistible force.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1
The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Romans 8:21
Financial debt
Threat of violence (#whyIleft, #whyIstayed)
Poor self-image
Substance addiction (narcotics, alcohol or tobacco)
Material desire (wanting something)
Jealousy (wanting what someone else has, or is)
Anger
Need for attention or affirmation (social peer pressure)
Addiction to flesh (food, sex or sensations)
You were bought with a price; do not become slave of men.
1 Corinthians 7:23
The world says indulge but it wants to take control from you.
The Spirit offers you self-control.
Identify 3 opportunities facing you right now that may advance your purpose and vision
1
2
3
Identify 3 threats facing you right that hinder your purpose and vision
1
2
3
| Strengths | Weaknesses | |
| Strengths - Opportunities | Weaknesses - Opportunities | |
|---|---|---|
Opportunities | Prayer: Plan: | Prayer: Plan: |
| Strengths - Threates | Weaknesses - Threats | |
Threats | Prayer: Plan: | Prayer: Plan: |