Galatians 5:1

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery ~ Galatians 5:1


Freedom in Christ: to have a mind and a conscience not locked in fear. Many live in fear of punishment, or fear of death, or fear that they are not really saved, or fear of motive. In Christ, we are set free through His death and resurrection, and in that we must believe and stand firm. If we waver as to whether we are really saved, He died in vain. If we have come to Christ and truly repented and asked Him into our heart, we are saved, forever! It cannot be taken away. We may backslide and walk away from Him, and for that we will stand before Him and answer to Him one day, but He will never walk away from us. Spiritual freedom is obedience to a law the Holy Spirit writes on my heart. I may obey myself, but what if myself is not right? I may have liberty, yes, but it will end up as bondage because my heart is in the wrong place with the wrong attitudes. Freedom happens when my inner thoughts match my outer behaviour, and both are good and right. Freedom in Christ is mine because I have been transformed by the Holy Spirit, and I now know how to choose between what is right and what is evil. I still may choose the evil, for I am still human, but God’s Spirit will guide me and lead me back to repentance. Overall, though, I make choices that I know Jesus would make, I will live my life as Jesus would live His life. My life belongs to the Lord, and in that knowledge, my heart will not willingly choose what is against Him. This is what it is to have freedom in Christ. He paid the ultimate price for my redemption…why would I choose to again live a life of slavery to those things which bind me in sin?

Pastor Julia

image: Basil James


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