Feeling Stuck? Find Freedom! | Galatians 1:1

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead — Galatians 1:1

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CALL OUT: Shout out today to David Fredrickson from Lake City, MN. Thanks for sending me an email and letting me know you are praying for me regularly. I appreciate this and love you brother.

As we embark on a brand new book of the Bible — Galatians, I want to step back for a moment and give you two insights so that you will see the backdrop and the message of this book.

Insight One | Galatians Was Written To A Collection of Churches

First, you should know that this book was not written for a single church but a grouping of churches in the region we know as first-century Galatia (modern-day Turkey). It was meant to be a shared letter, much like a great book or, even better, a popular magazine addressing the prevalent issues in the church of the time. One church would read it and then pass it on to the next and the next.

Insight Two | Galatians Was Written To Combat False Teaching

Second, the reason Paul wrote this book was to address a growing issue in churches that was circulating in this region. The issue was a form of legalism being taught by Jews who had converted to Christianity. These people have been called "Judaizers." A Judaizer was someone in the early church who believed that Gentile believers needed to adhere to Jewish customs and laws, such as circumcision and dietary regulations, in order to be considered true followers of Christ. They attempted to blend elements of Judaism with Christianity, imposing these additional requirements on Gentile converts. As you will see in this letter, Paul strongly opposed this belief and used this letter to counter this false teaching. He instead points out that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone, apart from adherence to the Jewish Law, and along the way, points out the real purpose of the Law.

Here's The Backdrop & The Message

Here is a way to think about the backdrop for this letter.

Imagine that this new trainer or teacher shows up at your business or school one day. They start throwing around all these "new" ideas presented as a failsafe solution for bringing people and cultures together. They throw out all these strange acrostics and acronyms, presenting what appears to be a reasonable new way to think about assimilation, inclusion, and equity. The problem is that the ideas are not as freeing as they thought. The training is exhausting, and the teaching is burdensome. Rather than giving promised freedom, their measures and metrics steal it. They become a burden.

This is precisely what has happened in the region of Galatia at the time. Some popular Jewish teachers were perpetuating legalistic teaching that blended religious practices of the past with the present revelation of the Gospel. The problem is that this teaching constrained their freedom, which was the whole purpose of the Gospel. And this is the central message of Galatians – Freedom! (Watch a William Wallace clip in Braveheart for inspiration today.) Except the freedom Paul wants these people to know is a different type of freedom. Freedom from the bondage of sin. Freedom from the demands of the law. Freedom to live in the fullness of God's grace. So, to counter all the false teachings, Paul passionately asserts that salvation is not attained through human effort or adherence to legalistic rituals but is solely found by faith in Jesus Christ alone. The sufficiency of Jesus's sacrifice on the Cross secures our justification and redemption apart from the works of the law.

So, if you are in desperate need of freedom today and you are experiencing bondage to sin and slavery to the systems of this world, Paul is going to tell you that you can find freedom. Real spiritual freedom. Not freedom to do whatever you want, but freedom in Christ. And this little book contains the message that will guide you there. So get ready to rediscover salvation and the freedom that only Jesus provides, which will lead you to grace and the joy you truly desire.

#Galatians #GalatiansDevo #FreedomInChrist #FaithAlone #GraceOverLaw #TrueFreedom

ASK THIS:

How can we discern between true freedom in Christ and the bondage of legalism in our daily lives and interactions with others?
In what ways can we actively embrace the sufficiency of Jesus's sacrifice and live out the freedom it offers, especially when faced with pressures to conform to religious rituals or cultural norms?

DO THIS: Find freedom in Jesus.

PRAY THIS: Lord, help me discern and embrace the true freedom found in Christ alone, freeing me from the burdens of legalism and leading me into the fullness of Your grace. Guide me to live confidently in the sufficiency of Jesus's sacrifice, walking in the liberty and joy that only He provides. Amen.

PLAY THIS: Freedom.