Throughout history, scholars and theologians have called Galatians the "Magna Carta of Christianity." While that certainly fits, I would contend that a better title might be the "Declaration of Dependence." Jesus has certainly set us free. No question. But He has liberated us to a wonderful reliance on Him.
Independence is the idea of self-rule, self-will and self-determination. In many ways, that's exactly how we ended up in this mess to start with. We fell for the lie that we could "be like God" (Gen 3:4).
The lie of independence is what's behind the so-called Enlightenment. As humans, we must rely on ourselves and pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. So how's that working out for us?
That's actually the same lie peddled in Galatia by the Judaizers. They've sold these new believers the spiritual snake oil of works righteousness. Jesus might get us into His kingdom but it's up to us to stay there by obeying the law.
Let's be clear. That is NOT the Gospel Paul preached. And he's shouting that loud and proud here in this letter. We CAN'T do it on our own. We desperately need Jesus.
This is the Declaration of Dependence.
Here in Galatians 5:1, the apostle cuts to the chase. This verse is the bottom line to the entire letter. Want to know what Galatians is about? Here ya go.
"For freedom Christ has set us free" (v1). Well, duh. On the surface, that certainly seems obvious enough. Why else would He set us free if it wasn't so that we could enjoy freedom? It must NOT be obvious. Why else would Paul have built his entire epistle around this statement?
Let's remember what God sent Messiah to do. "The LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor" (Is 61:1-2).
Jesus makes it clear that He's Messiah and that this is His job description (Lk 4:18-19). He is the Great Liberator. He is the Ultimate Freedom Fighter. He has come to bust you and me out of the joint. He's thrown open the front door of the pen.
Here's why we need to hear that He's set us free for freedom sake. Too often we continue to sit in our cell and never leave the prison. We've become institutionalized.
All we know is the bondage of sin. All we know is prison life. It may be awful but it's familiar. Paul is standing outside the walls of our self-made prison of self-salvation calling to us on his megaphone. "For freedom Christ has set us free!!!"
Jesus didn't live the perfect life and die a bloody death so that we could snuggle back up into our prison bunk of sin and legalism. He gave Himself so that we might know true freedom. We must place our trust in what He's done for us and leave the cellblock.
Once He's set us free, there's no worry of being captured and sent back. "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (Jn 8:36). And once His Holy Spirit comes to live inside us, we're free. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2Cor 3:17). He's set us free "from the law of sin and death" (Rom 8:2).
This is our Declaration of Dependence.
This great prison break has a purpose. Paul makes it clear that we're to "stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (v1). His command has a positive and a negative aspect.
First, we're to "stand firm." This is the Greek verb στηκω/steko. It means to be in a strong and firm standing position. Be steadfast. Stand strong. Get off your butt in your cell. Get outside the prison. Set your feet shoulder width apart. And stand firm in what Jesus has done for you!
It's the same idea the apostle uses when he commands us to brace ourselves against the attack of the enemy (Eph 6:10-14). But don't think we can do this on our own. We need Jesus. It's only through Him that we "can do all things" (Phil 4:13).
This is our Declaration of Dependence.
Paul goes on to give us the negative aspect of standing firm in our freedom. We must "not submit again to a yoke of slavery”
(v1). Don't fall for the Judaizers' counterfeit gospel.
When we think that obedient rule-following can save us, we're slipping the yoke back on again. We're running back into the prison from which Jesus freed us. The apostle describes our return to self-salvation like a beast of burden under the control of a yoke.
But Jesus let it be known that He has something far better for His followers. "For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" (Mt 11:30). He's thrown off my harness, bridle and reigns of sin and legalism. He's given me one which is easy. One which is light.
This is my Declaration of Dependence.
©2012
Jay Jennings
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