August
2008
Freedom from Legalism
5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. 5:2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! 5:3 And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 5:4 You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! 5:5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight - the only thing that matters is faith working through love.
Galatians 5:1-6 NET
Key Point: God frees us from human religious legalism to help express our faith through love
Circumcision - modern equivalent?
Grace = UNMERITED favor
Why do we try!
Legalism = additive to grace
Difficult to forgive others if we won’t accept God’s diagnosis & gift of gracious mercy
Watch out for legalists!
Only God can completely forgive sins and restore relationship
Past forgotten; new future options
Barrier for good people
Where do we need to be set free?
Forgiveness \= tolerance
Motivation for living under new management
Christian = “Christ in us, doing His thing through us, without any help or assistance from us”
= “…faith expressing itself through love”
Living graciously = living in gratitude
“Experience the freedom of total control”
LIVE FREE! Graciously!
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rochcov
