What Are You Doing With Your Freedom In Jesus?
STORY / CONTEXT
In Galatians 5, Paul continues warning the church about the danger of adding religious works to the gospel of grace.
The Judaizers were teaching that faith in Jesus wasn’t enough. They insisted that believers must also follow the Jewish law to be right with God. They argued that freedom from the law would only encourage people to live however they pleased.
But Paul makes it clear that freedom in Christ isn’t permission to sin. It’s freedom to live for God and love others.
THE DANGER OF RETURNING TO THE LAW
Galatians 5:1–4
Paul warns that trying to earn righteousness through the law has three serious consequences:
- FORFEITED (v. 2) — Treating Christ’s sacrifice as though it isn’t enough.
- OBLIGATED (v. 3) — Becoming responsible for keeping the entire law, not just the parts we choose.
- SEVERED (v. 4) — Seeking justification through the law rather than relying on God’s grace.
We cannot earn what Jesus has already provided through His sacrifice.
FAITH THAT WAITS AND WORKS
Galatians 5:5–6
Paul reminds believers that the Holy Spirit makes the difference in how we live.
- Through the Spirit, we wait in faith for the hope of righteousness.
- Through the Spirit, our faith expresses itself through love.
- Our relationship with God isn’t based on outward religious practices but on faith in Christ.
The Holy Spirit empowers us both to endure and to serve.
THE DANGER OF FALSE TEACHING
Galatians 5:7–12
Paul compares the Christian life to a race. The Galatians had been running well, but false teachers were leading them away from the truth.
He warns in verse 9:
“A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
Just as a small amount of yeast affects an entire batch of dough, a little false teaching can influence an entire church.
- False teaching does not come from Christ.
- Even a small compromise can have serious consequences.
- Standing for the truth may bring persecution.
- We must guard against influences that lead us away from the gospel.
THE PURPOSE OF CHRISTIAN FREEDOM
Galatians 5:13–15
Paul reminds believers that freedom in Christ isn’t an excuse to satisfy sinful desires.
Instead, we are called to use our freedom to serve one another in love.
“Law means I must do something for God; grace means that God does something for me.” — Watchman Nee
We don’t work to earn God’s grace. We serve others because we’ve already received it.
THREE RESPONSES TO FREEDOM IN CHRIST
When it comes to our freedom in Christ, people either…
1. REFUSE IT
Galatians 5:1–4
We refuse freedom when we try to earn God’s acceptance through our own good works.
Salvation isn’t a scale where we hope our good deeds outweigh our bad ones. It’s a gift made possible through Jesus Christ.
Trying to pay for a gift someone has freely given us misses the entire point of the gift.
Grace is received through faith, not earned through works.
2. ABUSE IT
Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11–12
We abuse freedom when we treat God’s grace as permission to continue living in sin.
Grace doesn’t free us to keep sinning. It teaches us to turn away from sin and become more like Christ.
Just as a fish cannot survive outside the water it was created to live in, we weren’t created to thrive outside God’s design for our lives.
Grace isn’t permission to sin. It’s the power to live differently.
3. USE IT
Galatians 5:13–14; John 13
We use our freedom as God intended when we love and serve others.
Jesus demonstrated this when He humbled Himself and washed His disciples’ feet. Although He had all authority, He willingly chose to serve.
Our freedom in Christ should lead us to do the same.
We are not set free to serve ourselves, but to serve others in love.
SUMMARY / APPLICATION
Christ has set us free, and Paul calls us to stand firm in that freedom.
We must not return to the bondage of trying to earn God’s acceptance, and we must not misuse grace as an excuse for sin.
Instead, we are called to live out our faith by loving and serving others.
When it comes to your freedom in Christ, will you:
- REFUSE IT by relying on your own works?
- ABUSE IT by using grace as an excuse for sin?
- USE IT by loving and serving others?
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” — Galatians 5:13
Other Messages In This Teaching Series:
