FindingTheChurch.com

Senior Pastor Paul Van Noy of Candlelight Christian Fellowship

Freedom in Christ

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.

Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. I'll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace.

But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.

You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn't God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.

Dear brothers and sisters,* if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised - as some say I do - why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves.*

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."* But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

Living by the Spirit's Power

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.  (Galatians 5:1-25)

Footnotes:

5:11 Greek Brothers; similarly in 5:13.
5:12 Or castrate themselves, or cut themselves off from you; Greek: cut themselves off.
5:14 Leviticus 19:18.

How You Can Be Reconciled to God

First, you must admit your spiritual need: "No one is righteous - not even one." (Romans 3:10) We can't make excuses or blame others and our circumstances for our actions. "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard." (Romans 3:23)

"Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God." (1 Peter 3:18) Jesus paid the price for your sin. The Apostle Paul said, "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die." (Galatians 2:20-21)

The word "repent" means "to change your direction." The Bible tells us, "Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away." (Acts 3:19) God commands us to repent. You must be willing to turn away from the things that displease God.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) It is essential that you come to Jesus as you are. Don't try to "clean up your life" before you come to God. Instead, surrender your life to Him and allow Him to do the "cleansing."

Your decision to follow Christ means God has forgiven you and that you will spend eternity with Him. Until then, go out and be the Church. Welcome to the family of God!

Blessings In Christ,

John and Judy