The Liberty of Jesus Christ

Book of Galatians Chapter 5 verses 1 through 18

The Book of Galatians can be called God’s message of liberty, but the entire Bible can be called God’s message of liberty.

Liberty is best described as the opposite of servitude or bondage and applies to those who are set free from this oppression.

Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Some people just enjoy being in bondage to this world!

Some people think of nothing else but sin!

As Christians, we do not have to worry if we are good enough because we will never be good enough, no matter how badly we try to impress God.

We simply cannot impress God; we have no righteousness in ourselves.

Jesus Christ secured the ideal righteousness for us!

The Lord Jesus Christ bore our judgment and our punishment for having broken the Laws of God, which is death.

This is the message of the Gospel!

The Churches of Galatia thought they understood this until they began to listen to the false teaching of some Judaizers from Jerusalem.

The message today is that we must stand fast in the liberty that our personal relationship with Jesus Christ has given to us!

*Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

To stand fast is to stand our ground.

It simply means to keep the position we have taken with the Gospel and never give ground to falseness.

We are able to stand fast in our argument of the Gospel because it is the truth of the Scriptures and the truth of Jesus Christ!

The truth is always the truth!

Rom 15:12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Spiritual liberty cannot be affected by outward circumstances unless we allow it!

A great man of God said: our liberty has no emperor, nor a prophet, nor an angel from Heaven, but Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son has obtained it for us.

This is the thing the Devil will try to take away from us to place us back in bondage to this world.

It is sin that is a burden to carry, and it is not a burden to carry the liberty of Christ.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus Christ has freed us from the bondage of the law, so we must stand fast in the liberty that He has provided for us.

Anything else is turning our backs on Christ and our Heavenly Father!

We can only approach God through the work that Jesus Christ has done for our salvation!

It is a complete waste of time to try any other way, and we jeopardize our chance to get to Heaven.

Gen_6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

The Law is not God’s way for us to be justified!

*Gal 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
Gal 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

The Apostle Paul is speaking in the power of an Apostle of Christ here.

It is not the fact of circumcision!

Paul was circumcised and every Jew in the Church of Galatia was circumcised.

Circumcision happens every day in some hospitals because it helps to keep certain diseases from spreading, but not everyone is circumcised for one reason or another.

Paul had been talking to the Jews in these churches but now he is talking to the Gentiles who had it in their mind that they would have to first become Jews before they could become Christians.

For these Gentiles to become proselytes of Judaism would imply that they were seeking salvation by the Law which is sealed by circumcision.

There is no advantage for a man to be circumcised or not circumcised in seeking a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

A wise man said” ‘He who submits to circumcision does so because he stands in fear of the law, and he who so stands in fear of the law distrusts the power of grace, and he who distrusts “Grace” gains no advantage from that which is so distrusted’.

When we start trusting in rituals, then we will find no profit in Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him will end!

It is the job of the true preacher to warn us when we go against the Grace of God!

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

It is a fact if you trust in the Laws of Moses to get you to Heaven, you will not get there.

It is a sad fact that all those who fall into the trap of legalism to impress God will fall from Grace.
It is a sad fact that all those who depend upon rituals to gain forgiveness of sin will fall from God’s Grace.
It is a sad fact that all those who invest their lives in religion will fall from God’s Grace.

GRACE still means God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense!

Remember Hagar and her son Ishmael were banished from God’s Grace and cast out into the world.

False teachers are just that false teachers with a false message looking to derail your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Every so-called denomination has been infiltrated with such people who serve the Devil.

When we deny the Lord Jesus Christ, who was sent from Heaven with a mission to provide “Justification”, then we have lost any opportunity to reach the true Promised Land, the New Jerusalem.

We cannot add to or take away from the message of the Gospel!

To deny Jesus Christ is to deny His righteousness, His death for our sins, and His resurrection to show His power!

We should remember our Lord Jesus took all the sins from the beginning of our world to the end for every soul and took them down to Hell for them to remain there throughout eternity, why would anyone want to live in that place?

What will be the story of every false teacher who mixes a little bit of Grace with a whole lot of falseness when they face Jesus, the God they say they worship?

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

That woman who confronted our New President should think about these things before it is too late for her!

What in the world does the world do with the teachings of the Apostles especially the Apostle Paul when they study the Word of God except to ignore them?

The Word of God has to be rejected in many denominations today for them to do as they are doing. God have mercy on them.

What is the truth, they will be accursed!

In the first Book of Galatians, we read:

Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Who do we owe our life eternally to?

*Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Over and over again we see that it is “our faith” in the work the Lord Jesus Christ has done for our salvation sharing with us “His Righteousness” that we can please God.

There is no other way to please Him!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

If we do not have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ we will burn in Hell throughout eternity!

Any hope for righteousness comes by the Spirit of Christ who so many in terror call the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Spirit is our Divine source of “faith” and “spiritual life”!

It is a fact that no false teacher has ever felt the Holy Spirit, and never will they unless they repent and claim Jesus Christ!

Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

We can also say that those who preach a false message have never felt the love of God or His Son!

*Gal 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

We must understand that the truth will always be the truth!

We live in a world where our government and our corporations think it is best to hide the truth.

Paul tells these Galatians that they began their Christian life, but someone hindered them and we must realize that this is a favorite tactic of the Devil to immediately attack baby Christians and any Christians.

He still does this today and he frightens some so much that they never return to their race with the Christian Life, and that race will be over.

Jesus said:

Mat 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Mat 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

We see this happening at these churches in Galatia and it happens in every church today.

When we stop living for Christ, we put our lives in jeopardy.

When we run for Jesus Christ, we must run well and stand on the truth of God!

Php 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

*Gal 5:8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

We must have a clear understanding that we are called by the Holy Spirit and He will never lead us to error but He will lead us only to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Any teacher that teaches otherwise is teaching a false doctrine.

All those out there today who throw out the Scriptures of the Apostle Paul and teach some other doctrines are also teaching a false doctrine.

All sinners who come to the Lord Jesus must then repent of their past life and walk like Jesus walked and taught!

There are no exceptions, and the Holy Spirit does not make mistakes!

Just a little false doctrine can ruin any church!

*Gal 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

“Leaven” stands for evil and corruption, fermentation, and infection.

It takes only a small amount of “leaven” to influence a whole lump of dough.

So, it is with false teachers!

They only have to twist and change a few Scriptures to change the meaning of what God intended.

We live in a world where you have to be careful when you pick out a new Bible because so many are changed to reflect the beliefs of certain people rather than the truth of God.

The KJV is the English Bible that most closely reflects the meaning of the Textus Receptus, the original Scriptures before they were changed by the Catholic Church after the revolt of Luther.

Most of those Bibles that are printed for English-speaking people today, who say they just want to make them easier to read, and also change the meaning of certain Scriptures.

I avoid all of them and stick to the KJV.

All Scripture must focus on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer, or it is false Scripture.

The Scriptures are not about our goodness or our own works.
The Scriptures are not about rituals, ceremonies, or good works instead of our Lord Jesus.

The absolute necessity of the Lord’s righteousness and death and being born of a Virgin and His resurrection cannot be diminished or downplayed.

The false teacher will always downplay these things.

*Gal 5:10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
Gal 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
Gal 5:12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

If we stand by the written Word of God the true pastor will stand with us!

Paul had confidence that these churches in Galatia would do the same because the Lord would remain on their side.

Because the Holy Spirit lives within us, He will awaken us to false teaching if we listen to Him!

Paul believed that these churches would read and understand this great letter he had sent to them.

Paul always sent someone with the letters he wrote or caused them to be written, with someone he trusted to read those letters to the church.

All letters to the church were read in all churches.

We can be sure that every false teacher or preacher will stand before God and God will send them to the hottest part of Hell and to even a hotter part of the Burning Lake of Fire.

Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

False teachers only tell lies!

God will hold up His true Pastors!

Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

Jas 4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Salvation can only come through the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Only Begotten Son. through Him only!

Paul’s sermons had never veered from these facts!

What Paul had done before his conversion was irrelevant!

Paul was now a “Born Again” child of God just as any other saved soul!

We must understand that there is no punishment too good for a false teacher!

1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

*Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

We must not forget that we are free from laws, religion, and rituals.

We do not have to work to secure God’s approval and acceptance.

We are acceptable to God because He loves us as His own Son Jesus.

We cannot ever become perfect, no matter how good we do!

Many people question “Christian Liberty” but our liberty does not ever give the freedom to sin just because we are under the “Grace” of God.

Our faith will always be the key to our relationship with God!

We are free in Christ, free from the law, free from restraints, and free from works.

We live in Christ, move in Christ, and our being is in Christ.

When God looks down from Heaven, He should be able to see His Son dwelling inside us!

If we are slaves, we are slaves to our brothers and sisters in Christ and free to call on the lost world with the truth of God.

Joh 13:4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
Joh 13:5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

*Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Every law that has been ever written can be satisfied with love!

Love does not take advantage of any people.
Love will not be used by people to fulfill their own purpose.
Love will not hurt someone else any more than we would hurt ourselves.
Love endures everything without weakening.

Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

*Gal 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

To bite and devour is to act like a wild beast and this is a picture of Satan.

1Pe_5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

When we act like Satan, we are certainly not being Christian (like Christ)!

*Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

If we go against the Holy Spirit, we will only cause harm to ourselves.

The answer to conquering the lust of the flesh is the Holy Spirit!

Our flesh will always fight for dominance over our being and this is why God gave us a new Spirit, the Holy Spirit.

The flesh is very strong and difficult to control but it is not as strong as the Holy Spirit.

Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

The flesh is contrary to the Spirit!

The longer we listen to the Holy Spirit the stronger we will be, but we will be vulnerable to our flesh as long as we are in these bodies of flesh!

The Holy Spirit will always give us the power to walk away from the lust of our flesh!

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is our love for one another here in this church and any other church that keeps us focused on the things the Lord has given us to do after our salvation and discipleship.

Amen