Jesus declared that if He set you free you would be free indeed! God's promises are not elusive or far off! Liberty is your's to walk in! Bondage has been banished in Christ!
Bondage Banished In Christ
Galatians 4:1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Jesus Christ came to redeem those who were under the law. Redemption bring freedom from sin by sitting us free from being under the law. Remember the building block scriptures from last week.
Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
As Galatians 3 taught us the law was our school master. When the law’s purpose is complete in our lives it has opened our eyes to our need for Jesus Christ. When faith in Jesus Christ comes we are no longer were under the tutelage of the law. Genuine faith in Jesus Christ brings adoption.
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
This covenant, that Paul was so zealous to uphold and protect, is that which brings us into adoption. Is it any wonder Paul said call them accursed who preach any other message. Faith in Jesus Christ is the exclusive way and there is no other way.
John 8:32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." 33 They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?" 34 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 "And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Jesus laid part of the foundation to the covenant of grace when He announced the truth will set you free. Many love to preach and teach this verse out of context. However generic truth can not set you free. Jesus is the truth that sets a man free from sins and makes him a son. One is made a son that abides forever. Faith in Jesus is where the spirit of adoption comes from.
Galatians 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Genuine salvation is accompanied by the Spirit giving you a freedom in your heart to cry out “Abba Father”. Your status has been changed. You are not a slave; you are a Son of the living God. If you are a son, then you must know you are an heir of God through Jesus Christ.
Galatians 4:8 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?
Paul ’s desire to defend the gospel is once again brought out in these verses. Once you are known by God don’t be turned back. Paul asked the believer how they were turned so easy to the beggarly elements, to which they would once again be in bondage to. Whatever Paul is warning against it must be serious. It is beggarly elements which lead to bondage.
Galatians 4:10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.
What days and months and season and years were bringing them into bondage. They were being talked into observing the days and months and season set out under the law. Paul called it beggarly elements that brought bondage. Many believers ask how does this apply to me? Many such teaching and traditions have crept into the church promising liberty but only bringing bondage. Satan’s lie for Eve to partake from the tree of knowledge of good and evil has not been changed. The devil wants us to partake in that which makes sin exceedingly sinful; it is the enemy of our soul that want us to live under the covenant of the law.
Galatians 4:12 Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all. 13 You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. 14 And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15 What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
Paul tells a bit of his testimony of how and when the church in Galatia was started. Now that I am declaring that freedom comes from faith in Jesus alone and not in the works of the flesh in any way does that make me your enemy? When grace is preached it brings freedom to those hungry for relationship with Jesus; however it has an opposite effect on those who what to serve under the law or the traditions of men.
Galatians 4:17 They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. 18 But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, 20 I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.
There are many who are zealous trying to bring believers under the law and the traditions of men. Zeal needs to be according the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Paul ’s writings often showed a desire for every believer to be formed completely into the image of Christ. It can only be so if we live by faith in Jesus Christ alone and not trust in the performance of the law or the performance of the traditions of men.
Galatians 4:21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.
For those who would doubt the words I write, I beg you to hear the word the Apostle Paul wrote. Paul is challenging those who have a desire to serve under the law. I see a shift in some of modern Christianity who are pulling believers to practice some of the days months and seasons of the law. I see it growing greatly in many Pentecostal ranks. These practices will only lead to bondage; Paul rightly identified them as weak and beggarly elements. Abraham had two sons. One was the son born under bondage and one was the son born of promise and liberty.
Galatians 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar; 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children; 26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Paul writes of the two covenants one brings bondage and one brings liberty. Abraham’s two sons which represent the two covenants. These passages can not be read over any more. We must stop and consider what the Spirit is saying to the church. The churches glorious liberty depend upon it. Mount Sinai, Hargar, the law, and earthly Jerusalem points to bondages abounding in the church. The Jerusalem above is free which is the mother of us all.
Galatians 4:27 For it is written: "Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband." 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
We were born from above; we are children of promise. We are not children of the covenant of the law.
Galatians 4:29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.
Those who desire to bring men under the law or the tradition of men will persecute the children born under the covenant of grace and truth. It has been going on since the revelation of grace was given to the Apostle Paul .
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."
John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
The two covenants the Apostle Paul was preaching, can not be mixed. Much false doctrine has been given birth by some form of mixing the covenant. It is time for the church to rise up and kick out the bondwoman and her son. If the church is going to walk in all the privileges of being sons we must not allow the bondwoman and her son to remain.
Galatians 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free. 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.
Hallelujah I am free from the law and the bondage of sin! Let us arise and stand fast in the liberty Christ has provided by His obedience to the cross. I have been going around singing an old song of the church that I would love to see revived.
In the name of Jesus there is power to set you free. In the name of Jesus there is glorious victory. Over sin disease and sickness there’s power to walk in liberty. Through faith in His wonderful name.
Stand fast in the liberty Jesus has provided; don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
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