For the past 14 weeks, we have been diving deeply into the book of Galatians. This study has really been a journey of freedom. The Apostle Paul could be called a Freedom Fighter, and he is leaving no stone unturned as he battles any falsehood that could get in the way of a believer’s freedom in Christ. Paul is fighting so that no believer finds themselves in another type of bondage – being free but yet stuck in a new slavery all over again.
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We are freed from the law, and freed for faith.
Now, by the time we get to chapter 5, Paul’s argument shifts. Now the journey of freedom leads us to a battle between the flesh and the Spirit.
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Not only are we freed from the law and for faith…
Not only are we freed from the flesh and for the Spirit…
But we are freed from , and for .
“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.” – Galatians 5:13
- Love
- “Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.” – Galatians 6:1
- “If your brother sins against you, go tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he won’t listen, take one or two others with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. If he doesn’t pay attention to them, tell the church. If he doesn’t pay attention even to the church, let him be like a Gentile and a tax collector to you. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.” – Matthew 18:15-20
When we restore, we are to follow this process laid out by Jesus:
- Speak to the person privately
- Speak to the person in a group
- Speak about the person to church leadership
2. Love
- “Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2
- “Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.” – Romans 13:8-10
- “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35
- “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” – Psalm 55:22
- “Blessed be the Lord! Day after day he bears our burdens; God is our salvation.” – Psalm 68:19
- “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. 1 Peter 2:24
- “casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
3. Love
- ” For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else. For each person will have to carry his own load.” – Galatians 6:3-5
4. Love
- ” Let the one who is taught the word share all his good things with the teacher. Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.” – Galatians 6:6-9
- “In my experience, those who plow injustice and those who sow trouble reap the same.” – Job 4:8
- “Indeed, they sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.” – Hosea 8:7a
- “Sow righteousness for yourselves and reap faithful love; break up your unplowed ground. It is time to seek the Lord until he comes and sends righteousness on you like the rain.” – Hosea 10:12
5. Love
- ” Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.” – Galatians 6:10