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GLORIOUS LIBERTY
Liberty is a great thing! Those who are deprived of it groan in misery.
There is
liberty for those who have
been born again by the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote an exhortation to the
congregations scattered throughout the Roman province of Galatia, saying:
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be
not entangled again with the yoke of bondage,” (Galatians 5:1). Several
important things should be noted that are taught in this verse.
First of all it is clear that there is a liberty for “us” - those who are
in the same condition as Paul and the saints to whom he wrote. To whom did he
write? He wrote to those who were alive spiritually: those who had been born
again. Such a liberty exists! Second, it is also evident that this liberty is
not something that man attains to, earns or somehow meets certain qualifications
in order to enjoy. It was provided for God's children by none other than the
Lord Jesus Christ, for He “hath made us free.” There is no “if'” about it! It is
an accomplished fact!
However it is also clear from this verse that there is a danger to God's
children. It is a danger of voluntarily giving up this wonderful blood-bought
freedom provided by Christ. Because of this danger Paul exhorts his readers both
positively and negatively. Positively, he wrote “stand fast.” Do not give up
this freedom! Negatively, he instructs his readers not to be “entangled again
with the yoke of bondage.” So then there is a very real danger – the danger of
the yoke of slavery. Who would give up their liberty in exchange for slavery?
Sad to say, but multitudes of professing Christians have done that very
thing!
What is this “yoke of bondage”? What is this danger to God's children?
The context of this verse shows that this yoke is the Old Testament Law of God.
A few verses prior to this one in Galatians 4:21 Paul clearly states he is
writing to people that “that desire to be under the law.”
In Acts 15:9,
Peter addressed those gathered in Jerusalem in conference about the matter of
the law, saying, “why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the
disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”
No one ever
kept the law!
The Old Testament legal system, according to Jesus Christ, came to an end
with the ministry of John the Baptist for He said,
“The law and the prophets
were until John...” (Luke 16:16). And Paul wrote in Romans 10:4 regarding
personal righteousness saying, “For Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to every one that believeth.” God said:
“if there had been
a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been
by the law,” (Galatians 3:21). But no law gives life! So, child of God,
“stand fast”
and “be not entangled again”
in law keeping!
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