Freedom WARNING

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“Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: if you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you” (Galatians 5:2, NLT).

Insight
Paul warns believers about the impact their belief system on everyday life. Why a warning… Because a person can forfeit the benefits accomplished by Christ. Believers can cut themselves off from Christ and fall away from the practical application of God’s grace in daily life.
We jeopardize our benefits in Christ and the application of God’s grace when we are behavior focused versus faith focused. The two extremes of being behavior focused are: What I do does NOT matter and What I do DOES matter. When we say what we do does NOT matter we subject ourselves to bondage. This is a misunderstanding of grace and a selfish indulgence of our sinful nature. When we say what we do DOES matter… ie can make us right with God or cause us to be rejected by God… this is self-righteousness and bondage to the law.
What is important and central is faith that expresses itself in love (5:5). Its our faith that gains us access to God’s grace and the benefits of Christ. We believe that Christ has accomplished a right standing with God and offers it to us as a free gift. To receive this blessing brings freedom. We are free from the bondages of trying to earn a righteousness from God and free to receive all the benefits we could not earn on our own.
“So, Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (5:1). Keep your focus on Him and all he accomplished for you.

Prayer
Father, thank You for sending Your Son. By faith I receive all that Christ has accomplished for me. Help me to stay focused on faith and not on behavior. In Jesus name, AMEN.