Galatians 5:1 ¶ Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Last week we completed chapter 4 of Galatians and it ended with,
Galatians 4:30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.
It is with all that in mind that the Holy Spirit declares stand fast in vs1 of chapter 5. It has the same tone as Hebrews 4 which says strive to enter into His rest!
It advises us to not be entangled again! The use of the word again implies that freedom was their experience at the beginning but now they are yielding to a yoke different than the yoke of Christ.
Matthew 11:29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
The law never brought rest and never will. It cannot set free because it cannot save, and it cannot save because it cannot make alive.
We were dead in our trespasses and sins. Those who have not received Christ are still in that condition and although the law can convince them of their sin, it can never deliver them from their death and sin. Why would I want to go back under something that had no power to deliver me when I have the promise now?
Listen to how verse 1 reads in the NLT 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.
This is powerful and very important because it involves that which threatens to replace Christ after He had been received by faith at the beginning.
Galatians 5:2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
Some would like to say that Galatians is only dealing with the act of circumcision. It is true that the false teachers desired these Galatians to be circumcised, but the issue at hand is much broader than that, as is clearly made evident here. The whole law comes into play.
Every man who becomes circumcised is a debtor to keep the whole law!
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
