Freedom in Christ
“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance” Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, said that very soon after his country gained independence. For him, as for the rest of his country, independence was gained at a high price, many lives were lost, and much destruction was seen around the thirteen colonies. Nevertheless, the threat that England may want to take back the country was a clear and ever present threat (they tried to take over again in 1812). With this background, Jefferson calls his fellow Americans to be watchful, that as hard as freedom was won, it could be easily lost.
Paul warned the Galatians along similar lines, although the freedom gained at the Cross did not mainly dealt with mundane realities, but eternal ones. Nevertheless, believers enjoy freedom during their life times, and that freedom that Christ paid with his life is worth fighting for. We can’t just lie back and enjoy our freedom, as nothing will ever pose a threat to it. In Jude 3 we are called to “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints”. We are all called to defend the freedom won by Christ.
Today we will see how this freedom can be attacked by two fronts, from those from within, and those from without. Paul deals with such issues during this ministry in Galatia, and everywhere else, and we continue facing those challenges today.
Those who oppose freedom from within
It is very easy to be deceived by others who are calling us to show more spirituality, or invite us to have a better way of achieving a victorious Christian life. Sometimes they may be very good friends of us, and may be sincere in their search for a more solid Christian life. But the problem is that they are adding to Christianity something that may at the end delude it. Putting more water to milk, may make it seem that there’s more of it, but in actual fact, it’s taking from it its pureness. The same happens when we try to add something else to the Gospel of Christ.
The “false brothers”, cf. II Cor. 11:13-15, want to make the Gentiles to practice the ritual of circumcision, in order to make them fully followers of Christ. From their point of view, they needed to fully identify with the Jewish nation in order to be in a proper relationship with God, and with the Jewish believers. Paul sees in such an act an imposition that far from helping the Gentile believers makes them conform to the version of Christianity held by the false brothers.
Anything, or anyone who says that we must do something else in order to fully live the Christian life, is just deluding the Gospel. Pauls calls us not to be slaves of men, I Cor. 7:23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.”
Let’s stand firm in our freedom against those who lack better judgement, and think they can offer something better than Christ. But the problem does not stop there. There are also dangers from those outside who threaten our freedom in Christ.
Those who oppose freedom from without.
Paul’s battle for the freedom of believers did not only take place in Galatia, but in many places as well. And the battle was not only against those from the inside, but those from the outside as well. He gives this warning to believers in Romans “12:2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
This is a challenge that we face as a church as much today as they did in Paul’s time. What is world telling us to do that we know Scripture does not allow us to do?? This weekend, the campaign for equality for marriage was held in Australia. All are called to accept marriage as a union of two persons who love each other. Churches are called to take up this mission, since churches are said to be places where love is preached, therefore, should be at the forefront of denouncing inequality and injustice. The argument is subtle, as in the case of the false brothers, who want to add to the gospel, but in this case, the world wants to take away from the gospel, our obedience to the Scriptures.
What should we do? We should not give into them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain in us, cf. Gal. 2:5. And this is what sets us apart from everybody else. We are not fighting for our truth, the truth of our church, or the truth of our denomination. Some denominations have fallen and changed “their truth” for something else. We are fighting to stand firm in the truth of the Gospel, which is that Jesus is Lord and that he was resurrected from the dead, cf. Romans 10:9-10, and that because of that, we are justified by faith in him, and are called to follow him, I Cor. 15:1-3. The Gospel does not change although circumstances and times change. Evangelical fads come and go, and the world always wants to influence the people of God, but we should not give into them for a moment.
Conclusion
Do you enjoy your freedom in Christ? Freedom from sin, freedom from fear of death, freedom from eternal judgment. Don’t let false brothers take away from you, won at Calvary, and ratified 3 days later in the resurrection. There’s nothing you or me can do to reassure our selves of our salvation in Christ Jesus. All it’s left is just, as the hymn says, Trust and Obey.
Luis Alberto Jovel
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