For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. 7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! 13 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. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. Keep in Step with the Spirit16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Meditation The two ditches on either side of the road to gospel freedom are legalism and lawlessness. The two things seeking to steal the power of the cross are fleshy battles to perform for our righteousness and/or living by fleshy passions, trusting grace to abound. Either choice will wreck gospel freedom the Spirit offers children of God. Christ has set us free to live in freedom- we are no longer slaves (1). To impose legalistic additions onto God’s grace “severs” us from Christ (4) because we seek to justify ourselves before God, enslaved by moral performance. Faith alone saves. Jesus + nothing = being justified before God. Adding anything, whether circumcision or otherwise, is slavery. Christ died to free us to love, not live in legalism (2-12). Lawlessness is the other ditch that wreck's the power of the cross in our personal lives. The desires and passions of the flesh oppose the Spirit and those who live by the flesh will not inherit the Kingdom of God (16-21). Those saved by faith are sons of God, have the Spirit of God, and are fruitful for God. Having been crucified with Christ, the flesh, with its passion and desires has no power (22-24). Jesus totally fulfilled the law and died to pay the price for our sin. Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit so we can kill the power of sin, living an abundant life. Driving forward in our faith we must focus on the cross to experience freedom for fruitfulness. It is for freedom that Christ has set you free! Richly Dwelling -Which ditch do you drive into when you wreck gospel freedom, legalism or lawlessness? -What do you need to kill so you are no longer a slave to sin? You have been crucified with Christ! The penalty has been paid and the power of sin lost. -Where can you walk in freedom today, dependent on the Spirit and fruitful for King Jesus? Ask Jesus to empower Spirit dependency for freedom and fruitfulness. Key Verses 1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Comments are closed.
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AuthorPastor Mitchell celebrates twenty-five years of marriage with Lisa & together they have four adventurous children. |