SERVICES: SATURDAY 6PM | SUNDAY 9AM & 10:45AM. 

We Livestream at www.FaithFellowshipWeb.com/livestream, through the FFC App, and YouTube.

Celebrate Freedom

Celebrate Freedom

Words of Faith 6-11-19

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2019

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

To unsubscribe follow the directions at the end of this devotion.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 

Galatians 5:1

        [1] It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

 

        No other verse summarizes so succinctly the message of this entire Galatian letter.  This is the key-- It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

       Here we have a summary of all that comes before and a transition into the next section of the letter.  Because of the truth that has been declared in the Gospel, the true believer is to turn away from anything that smacks of legalism.  Going backward into religious bondage is not an option for those under grace.

        The best manuscripts that we have divided this verse into two parts--a declaration of Christ's purpose in saving us and an appeal to apply that truth.  "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free"-- this is the truth of the Gospel.  "Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery"-- this is the application of the Gospel to this situation.

         The call of Paul is for tenacious perseverance to walk in freedom.  This is not a casual suggestion.  It is an appeal to obstinate freedom in response to those who preach legalism.

       The images used here are particularly powerful since the Jews of Paul's time spoke of "taking the yoke of the law upon oneself.”  Paul was surely thinking of that expression here.  To the Jews, the taking up of the law's yoke was good.  This was the essence of good religion, but to Paul, it was assuming the yoke of slavery.

         Paul may have also been remembering that Jesus spoke of Christians taking His yoke upon them.  This involved a different kind of service, one that is "easy" and "light" as the readers of the letter are to see.  Freedom and grace are the wonderful gifts of Jesus.

        For us, at this transition, it is essential simply to pause and celebrate freedom.  It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  He did not set us free so that we could go back under any sort of bondage, that of the Law or that of any "evangelical legalism" or even a "charismatic requirement.”  We were set free to be free.  We are not under ecclesiastical bondage or disciplinary requirements or hierarchal approval.  We are free, and those whom the Son sets free are free indeed.

         Many will try to rope us into their system or their set of requirements.  This simply is not the way of Christ, and it must be resisted.  We are set free to be free.  We will see in the verses ahead that this freedom is not a reason for "license" or ungodly behavior.  But we are certainly not set free to be roped into some person or preacher's idea of religiosity.  That is yet another yoke of slavery.

          So on this day, dear friend, live free.  Celebrate life.  Celebrate freedom in Christ. Celebrate the freedom from religion but more importantly, celebrate the freedom to be in a relationship-- relationship with Jesus.  It is not a worry, it is a walk.  It is not a burden; it is a bond.  

 

          Father, thank You for the freedom.  Thank You for freedom in Christ Jesus.  Thank You for setting me free to love You and to love others.  Thank You for setting me free to walk with You rather than be burdened by rules.  In Jesus' Name.

 

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

SUBSCRIPTIONS - To receive the Words of Faith devotion five days a week, send an E-mail message addressed to join-words-of-faith@hub.xc.org. To stop receiving Words of Faith, send an E-mail message addressed to unsubscribe-words-of-faith@hub.xc.org.  Or you can call the church office at 321-259-7200 x1.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -     

The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, and our website, and our church app, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.  

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><