GALATIANS: Christian Freedom and Liberty - Behavior Gauged by Love; "Through love serve one another!"

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)

In the previous lesson, Paul used the example of Abraham's ...two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. (Galatians 4:22)  Sin is our bondage, but through faith in Christ Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we are made free.  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what does the Scripture say?“Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free. (Galatians 4:28-31)

We reiterated that ...as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I [the Lord your God] am holy.” (I Peter 1:15-16)  Just as Ishmael could not stay with Isaac, sin can not stay in the presence of God.  If we are going to have a relationship with God, we have to go through Christ Jesus, standing fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free.  For what the law could not do in that it was weak the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3-4)

So if we are free from the law of sin and death, why would we become entangled again with a yoke of bondage?  That's what Paul was trying to make clear to the church in the region of Galatia.  They were not to listen to the Judaizers, who were trying to convince them “You must be circumcised and keep the law”. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. (Galatians 5:2-6)

You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. (Galatians 5:7-9) The Truth is that faith working through love leads to actions.  Our faith through love should lead to actions, but actions alone don't prove faith. What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:14-17)

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4-10) 

The leaven of lies leavens the whole lump.  Paul was stressing repeatedly to the church in the region Galatia, and to all of us, not to believe anyone that comes teaching "salvation through works"! Salvation is through faith in Christ Jesus, and not by works!  I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! (Galatians 5:10-12)

Paul was alluding to what Jesus said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42) "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!" (Matthew 18:7; Luke 17:1)  God does not play with those who mis-teach others!  Therefore, My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. (James 3:1)

Paul went on to explain that this liberty we who are Christians have comes with responsibility. For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! (Galatians 5:13-15) Just because we are free from the law doesn't mean we're free from obeying God's Word.  

The freedom that we have through faith in Christ Jesus, we no longer walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  And the Holy Spirit of God in us would never approve of us behaving contrary to God's will, just because we know we're saved. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)  The best demonstration of freedom and liberty we now have through Christ is how we treat one another.  Love is always the gauge by which we measure how closely we're living  compared to God's standard.  God gives us specific examples of what being led by the Spirit vs. being led by the flesh looks like...