Week 4, Day 25 - Freedom is for Freedom

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do no let yourselves be burdened by a yoke of slavery."  Galatians 5:1

REFLECT

A "Tautology", is a proposition or statement that in itself is logically true or is a redundant repetition of a meaning in a sentence. That is to say it says the same thing twice; like, "I quit my job so I wouldn't have to work there anymore." Galatians 5:1 appears to be a tautology: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." But before we glance over it as if it is stating the obvious, we should stop and wonder why the apostle Paul said it. When someone is set free, aren't they free? Not necessarily.

A convict can be set free, but still think like a convict, talk like a convict, and behave like a convict. It is like a scene from one of my favorite movies "Shawshank Redemption", where an aging convict "Brooks" is released and cannot make it on the outside because he has been so institutionalized.

People who live for a long time in a controlling, abusive, suppressive environments, when released, can still live in fear even through the oppression is gone.

Galatians 5 speaks of bondage to the way of the law. It is the belief that we achieve a truce with God our creator if we follow all the rules just right. If we make visible displays of righteousness, and track all our spiritual accomplishments. That is the way of Pharisees - and Paul had enough of it. He was really good at it before he met Jesus the Redeemer. But now, after his encounter with the true Lord Jesus he sees that perspective as spiritual death.

According to Paul the law is "good and just, and holy", but in and of itself the law cannot save us. Only Jesus can do that. He is the Jubilee and liberates us from every form of bondage. The context of Galatians speaks of man adding his own twist on the salvation process. In that context salvation was not only by Grace alone but also by following certain practices such as circumcision. Paul reminds us that cannot be. It is through God's mercy and grace we can repent and turn to Jesus for a whole new life. He frees us from Pharisaical perspectives and requirements so we can freely live in obedience to Christ. It is a loving response to a precious gift.

We are free, but we must remember we are free. (Tautology). We must rehearse it. Any person can become a Pharisee on any given day. We can turn faith into performance based spirituality. That is the fastest way to lose the peace that passes understanding.

MAKE IT REAL

Write out this phrase from Galatians 5:1 on a piece of paper: IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE, and tape it to a mirror you use. Every time you look in the mirror today, reflect on that truth.

Day 26