But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
—Galatians 4:9
No one can accuse me of not taking my own medicine. I’ve been reading Galatians again and again under the Bible reading plan I proposed earlier this year. Despite having read this book countless times, it never sank in like it has now.
And what stands out more than anything else? Freedom in Christ.
Now I could quote all of Galatians here, but instead I’ll go to another of Paul’s epistles:
Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
—2 Corinthians 3:7-18
What does the presence of the Spirit in our lives afford us? Freedom.
Freedom from the Law.
Freedom from sin.
Freedom from expectations.
Freedom from judgment.
Freedom from mediocrity.
Freedom from blind living.
Freedom from shame.
Freedom from self-condemnation.
Freedom from fear.
Freedom from the past.
Freedom from ourselves.
Freedom to swim against the tide.
Freedom to love unconditionally.
Freedom to live unbound by any fetters.
Freedom to know Christ and to make Him known.
Freedom to be shaped into the image of Christ.
I don’t want to be one of those who turns back.
Oh now don’t shout that too loudly in the church. They are too busy trying to get us to swim with the tide, rather than against it.
I’m accepting this freedom. I’m so grateful for it, and it has freed me. Fully freed me. No longer will I wonder “what are they going to think about that?”… instead it is, God, what do you think?
It’s gotten me in a lot of trouble so far… I can’t WAIT to see where it takes me from here!
Freedom is exciting!!!!!!
Ronni,
Freedom only works if applied wisely. I see plenty of people who don’t apply it wisely, then talk of being “persecuted.” Always pray for wisdom in your freedom!
I agree, although sometimes you ARE persecuted for it… and you have to know the difference.
Yeah, I’ve brought some of it on myself… and I’m the first to admit that, but a good portion of it just comes with being who I am, and being obedient to what God tells me no matter how unpopular it is.
I find that in some circles, I’m VERY unpopular. In others, accepted, and in others, respected. You just have to be able to see the spiritual temperature of each to see why. 😉
Freedom to enjoy Christ and to see Him in the way others see Him so clearly!… Like in this video excerpt…
Freedom … that’s why I sign my emails with Psalm 118:5 and my email address ends with Gal. 5:1 🙂 ………
Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free … For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
As Ronni said above, “Freedom is exciting!!!”
~Heather (from FREE Heart Reflections 🙂 )
Heather,
Yep, 5:1’s slavery comment is apt. So many people want to go back to the Law, but Galatians repeatedly points out the impossibility of any human living out the Law. Christ lived it out for us. We don’t have to try to reinvent His success. It is finished, as he so duly noted!
How many 2 year olds have leapt from the tub, naked as a jay and covered with suds, and bolted for freedom, joy simply bursting from their lungs? As children of Christ we are not bound by the rules of society, folkways, morals, or laws, and yet we all somehow become 13 years olds, hemmed in by the social pressures that we allow to define us. Our boundaries are the grace and love of God, but somehow we manage to bludgeon one another into “proper” ways of worship, witness, and wonder.
Methinks we need to be more naked, joyful and covered in suds than sullen, moody and terribly, terribly afraid.
“somehow we manage to bludgeon one another into “proper ways of worship, witness, and wonder.
Oh that is SO good.
I’m feeling a big bludgeoned.
I like what Rick Joner says… “The unity of the church is a unity of diversity, not conformity.”