Today’s reading: Galatians 5, 6, Ephesians 1, Proverbs 2

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

It is one thing to gain freedom. It is another thing to maintain it. The truth is the same way we gained our freedom in Christ is the way we maintain it. Just because we have been born again and transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light does not mean all the freedom Jesus died to provide us is automatic. The Bible says in Col. 2:6 – “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.”

We received Him and all the freedom salvation provides us by grace through faith. And that is how we must maintain our freedom – by grace through faith. Grace is God’s enabling power to live Jesus’ life. Faith is our response to God’s grace that He unconditionally gave us to set us free from all the power of the enemy.

In over twenty-five years of pastoral experience, I have discovered many Christians choose to live under the law instead of grace. The reason for this is there is less responsibility required to walk under the law than under grace. To maintain our freedom, we must continue to walk in grace. This requires our seeking the Lord and drawing on His grace in us on a daily basis. Walking under the law only requires memorizing a list of do’s and don’ts and then watching our p’s and q’s.

I am concerned for the body of Christ today. Each of us has been set free by the blood of Jesus and His sacrifice for us apart from any merit or action on our part. Yet so many in the church are focused on trying to be right by doing right. This is legalism clear and simple. It is an attempt to add our works and performance to what Jesus did to make us more right with God. God hates this because it is treading under foot the blood of the Son of God.

Anyone who attempts to add religious works to the sacrifice of Jesus in order to be more right with God has fallen from grace. It is only by grace we can stand fast in our freedom. Freedom belongs to each of us, but it cannot be earned by dotting every i and crossing every t. It only comes by trusting in what Jesus accomplished on our behalf. How it comes to us is how it is maintained.

Stand fast in your freedom in Christ. Do not allow modern-day Pharisees or Judaizers to convince you that you can become more free by worshiping on a certain day or in a certain way that only they have the keys of understanding to. It is not keeping rules and regulations or living a perfect lifestyle in line with the ten commandments that brings you freedom.

Christ has set you free. All that is necessary to receive it is to believe on Him and what He did for you. You cannot add anything to what He has done to bring liberty to you. Remember this and stand fast in your freedom!