You Are Free
“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” - Galatians 5:1
Galatians 5 helps to free us from the need to be perfect. At the time of this text, those new to the faith were being challenged by Jewish Christians who felt that in order to be saved, a true Christian had to observe all 613 commandments, customs, and ritual laws in the Old Testament.
These sanctimonious saints went around monitoring people. They were like the morality police. They tried to determine if people’s moral lives were perfect. And new converts really tried to do it all. They tried to follow every command, every custom, and every prescription. They wanted to be good Christians...in fact, they wanted to be perfect Christians.
But it was an unrealistic standard that placed an impossible burden on people’s shoulders. So Paul says to them in Galatians 5:1, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”
Paul wanted them to know that their freedom in God, their liberty in Christ, was because of the love of God and not from their meticulous obedience to the law. Their salvation had nothing to do with them or some idea of moral perfection, but it had everything to do with what Jesus did on Calvary’s cross.
What Paul was telling them is the same thing he would tell you now: YOU ARE FREE. You are free from trying to be perfect because that isn’t what God has required. It is not about what you do, but what Jesus did on the Cross! He has set you free, and he who the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36)!
Galatians 5 helps to free us from the need to be perfect. At the time of this text, those new to the faith were being challenged by Jewish Christians who felt that in order to be saved, a true Christian had to observe all 613 commandments, customs, and ritual laws in the Old Testament.
These sanctimonious saints went around monitoring people. They were like the morality police. They tried to determine if people’s moral lives were perfect. And new converts really tried to do it all. They tried to follow every command, every custom, and every prescription. They wanted to be good Christians...in fact, they wanted to be perfect Christians.
But it was an unrealistic standard that placed an impossible burden on people’s shoulders. So Paul says to them in Galatians 5:1, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”
Paul wanted them to know that their freedom in God, their liberty in Christ, was because of the love of God and not from their meticulous obedience to the law. Their salvation had nothing to do with them or some idea of moral perfection, but it had everything to do with what Jesus did on Calvary’s cross.
What Paul was telling them is the same thing he would tell you now: YOU ARE FREE. You are free from trying to be perfect because that isn’t what God has required. It is not about what you do, but what Jesus did on the Cross! He has set you free, and he who the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36)!
Subscribe Now for Free Daily Devotions
Recent
Archive
2025
January
Plenty of RoomThankful for Your SeatWho God Invites to the TableThat’s the PointWe Do Not Have a Monopoly on GodStop Talking So LoudLet God Handle the Guest ListA Long-Awaited ReunionSeeing Jesus for YourselfIn Possession of a Personal PromiseGet in the Right PositionReady to ReceiveAligning Your Life for God's PromiseWaiting with ExpectancyGrounded in PrayerStrength in PrayerPatience Through PrayerStay Focused Through PrayerGod's Conditional PromisesGod’s PriorityGrounded in FaithTrusting God's TimingThe Assurance of God's PromisesIs It Well With Your Soul?Health vs. HealingStewarding Your BodyA Holistic View of SpiritualityGod Cares About Your BodyWhat You Put in MattersNourishing Your SoulThe Power of Prevention
February
The Power of a ComebackHealing from the PastStop Blaming and Start TrustingBury the Past to Claim the FutureFacing Trauma with TruthCelebrate That You SurvivedRepair What is BrokenNothing God Can’t FixDon’t Swing at Bad PitchesStick to God’s PlanDon’t Let Desperation Drive YouShift Your WeightWho Knows Best?A Good Idea Isn’t Always a God IdeaPeace in God’s PlanFinding Purpose in God’s PlanProsperity in God’s PlanTrusting God’s Plan, Pace, and ProcessKnowing When to PivotGod Hasn’t Given Up on YouNext-Level Faith Requires PerseveranceA New Revelation of GodIt’s Not All About YouNext-Level ConnectionsNext-Level CommitmentA Prayer That Moves GodPrayers That Carry a BurdenPray With Boldness
March
A Solid FoundationPositioned for BlessingMarked by LoveTrust God's JudgmentRest in God's DeliveranceLet Go of ControlWhat You Want MostWhy Church Still MattersFaith in the Midst of DisappointmentJoy for the JourneyA Place of SafetyStrength in CommunityPeace in the ChaosThe Purpose of the ValleySeasons ChangeUnshaken in the StormHold OnThe Power of ResilienceNever AloneGod Is Closer Than You ThinkLet Go of WorryLet Go of WorryBelieve Before You SeeResilient FaithHow to Be a Success God's WayTrue Success Starts with the SoulSuccess Through SurrenderCharacter That Speaks for ItselfThe Power of Being RealKeep GrowingSuccess in the Face of Opposition
No Comments