For Freedom | Qualities of Women Who Trust Jesus
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” —Galatians 5:1
You and I might not personally be able to relate to it, but God’s people knew first-hand what slavery was like. Oppressed by their Egyptian masters, the Israelites cried out to God for help. In the book of Exodus, we see that, mercifully, God chose a leader to bring His people out of slavery.
Despite Moses’ hesitation, God gave him specific instructions to lead the Israelites away from Egypt and out of the bondage of slavery they had endured for centuries.
Once the Israelites left Egypt and were on their own in the desert, God told Moses to climb Mt. Sinai. There, He appeared to Moses, revealing His glory and recording on stone tablets a list of ten rules that He wanted the Israelites to live by.
These Ten Commandments became the foundation of community life for the Israelites, and beyond that, they have been a major influencer of law and order for many cultures and governments throughout history.
Here’s the plot twist, though. Eventually, the Israelites became enslaved to the very laws that were meant to save them. But this was intentional. God masterfully crafted the Ten Commandments so they would not only show humans how to live a God-honoring life, but they would also show humans that living a God-honoring life is utterly impossible.
Over a thousand years after the Ten Commandments were given, Jesus walked the earth and claimed that He had come to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17)— in saying this, He meant that no one else besides Himself was capable of following it completely. Where the Ten Commandments painted a dull picture of a God-honoring life, Jesus lived it in vivid form.
This is why the Apostle Paul responded passionately when he learned of Christians in Galatia who were trying to earn God’s favor by enforcing old, Israelite laws, like circumcision. He was fired up to remind them that this is exactly why Jesus came and sacrificed Himself for us — so that we would no longer be enslaved by the law. It was as though the Christians were placing the heavy burden of slavery back on their own shoulders for no reason.
In Galatians 5, Paul emphasizes that it is for freedom Christ has set us free. Paul is not talking about freedom from sin here but freedom from the law… freedom from the pressure to earn God’s favor by doing everything exactly right… freedom from trying to be perfect.
He speaks very plainly about it: Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law (Galatians 5:2-3).
At the time, false teachers were convincing Christians that they needed to keep Jewish traditions in order to be saved. This is why Paul was so direct in his letter to the Galatian church. He needed them to understand that Christians are no longer obligated to obey the old laws, like circumcision, in order to be right with God. Only faith in Christ could do that.
Earlier in his letter, he calls the law a guardian who played its role until Christ came(Galatians 3:24). Now, the law has no power to dictate our standing with God or our personal worth. Through Christ alone, we are justified— made right with God— by faith, not by vain efforts to live a perfect life.
Sister, are you striving to earn God’s favor by your good behavior?
Are you trying to be the perfect mom, wife, student, employee or leader?
The gospel sets us free from all of it! Our obedience does not stem from fear or obligation, but from gratitude. Our effort to live a God-honoring life is a worshipful response to his unconditional acceptance of us as daughters.
For our freedom, Jesus paid a high price. Let’s not treat His sacrifice with contempt by slipping the law’s handcuffs back on our wrists and relating to God based on our personal performance. Instead, let’s walk in the freedom that belongs to us and offer hearts of worship to the One who set us free.
For Your Journal
Find It:
In this portion of your journal, write out a Bible verse. You can find a verse that fits a current life situation or use the one we used in today’s devotion.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” —Galatians 5:1
Fix It:
In this portion of your journal, pull out a few key words from the verse you chose above, or summarize the verse in your own words. Write it in pretty lettering or sketch something that will help you visualize the meaning of the verse and fix it in your mind. Repeat these words to yourself throughout the week to remind you of the truth contained in the scripture. Here are some options:
For Freedom
Christ has set me free.
Feel It:
In this portion of your journal, write out a prayer. The goal is to absorb the meaning of the Bible passage and let it take root in your heart. Ask the Lord to let his word change you by the power of his Spirit so that you begin to feel like the new person you’re becoming in Christ. Surrender any areas of your life that you are trying to control.
Jesus, your ability to live a perfectly God-honoring life is unmatchable. No one else could do what you did. And yet I constantly find myself slipping back into a performance mindset, thinking that my standing with the Father depends on my ability to follow the rules. Remind me today that my worth was determined the day you defeated death. I’m no longer held to an impossible standard in order to have relationship with you. You fulfilled that obligation for me and freed me from the law once and for all. Spirit, help me to live a God-honoring life out of gratitude and worship, not out of desire to prove my worthiness. Amen.