07-02-2023 The Opportunity for Freedom (Galatians 5:13-18)

The Opportunity for Freedom Galatians 5:13-18 "God has given us a wonderful exercise for training in truthfulness. That exercise is called prayer. To learn to pray is to have our bodies formed by the truth and love that move the sun and the stars.ul exercise for training in truthfulness." –Stanley Hauerwas, The Character of Virtue: Letters to a Godchild John 8:30-38 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him. 31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 “We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. 37 I know you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. 38 I speak what I have seen in the presence of the Father; so then, you do what you have heard from your father.” There is an important relationship between TRUTH and freedom. Galatians 5:1-7 1 For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Take note! I, Paul, am telling you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. 3 Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to do the entire law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we eagerly await through the Spirit, by faith, the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love. 7 You were running well. Who prevented you from being persuaded regarding the truth? Two Types of Freedom: • Negative Freedom- freedom 'from' • Positive Freedom- freedom 'for' • For Jesus and Paul, freedom is about choosing, choosing the good. "Freedom isn't about autonomy from authority but about liberating loving relationshps from sin." –John Mark Comer Galatians 5:13-14 13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. Paul's use of slavery leads us to a question, "What owns you?" What Jesus and Paul call slavery, we call addiction. Galatians 5:13-18 13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another. 16 I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Galatians 5:7 You were running well. Who prevented you from being persuaded regarding the truth? The Law of Returns  • Every cause has an effect. Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over—will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” Matthew 7:2 For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use. Galatians 6:7 Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap, • The effect is often disproportionate to the cause. Galatians 6:7-10