Introduction:

+ Abuses of the term.
+ Misunderstandings concerning the Christian liberty.
+ Important to understand this for correct view of scriptures.
+ Important due to unity and harmony in the local congregation.
+ The Church where all are to be one.
+ Galatians 3.28-29

Lesson:

1.ONENESS IN THE CHURCH.
Galatians 3.26-29
Unity is desired.
How is it obtained and maintained?
Unfortunately there are those who want to destroy this harmony and unity. 
Satan is very desirous of cause dis-harmony because this will hinder the effectiveness of the work of the Church. Christians loose focus and Christians loose zeal and finally Christians depart from the faith!

Ephesians 4.1-6

2.WORD LIBERTY & BONDAGE.

WORD LIBERTY:
Define the word: Eleutheria
Comes from the word freedom.
Legitimate.

Used in Galatians:
Galatians 2.4 Spy out our liberty which we have in Christ.
Galatians 5.1 Stand fast in the liberty in Christ.
Galatians 5.13 Ye have been called unto liberty.

Other scriptures:
1.Corinthians 8.9 The liberty of yours became a stumblingblock to them that 
are weak.
1.Corinthians 10.29 Is my liberty judged by another mans conscience?

James 1.25 The perfect law of liberty.
James 2.12 Law of liberty.

1.Peter 2.16 Do not use you liberty as a cloak of maliciousness.

The liberty that every Christians has in Christ Jesus is conditioned upon his or her willingness to hear and obey Christ in what he may say. Thus not a total “liberty” as many may think. 

The early Christians continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine (Acts 2.42).
Means to plant ones feet and NOT move… does that sound like liberty???
Remaining “free” in Christ!

Liberty from what? Or liberty to what?

The idea of freedom does not preclude the presence of lay but rather includes it!
Illustrate:
We are free to drive our car anywhere we wish but at the first stop light we are required to stop to guarantee the same right to others.

The doctrine of Christ is called the “the law of Christ”.
What does this doctrine “permit”?
1)One is free from any attempt to bind the law of Moses on him as a Christian. Acts 15
2) He is free from any commitment to any other gospel. Galatians 1.8-9
3)He is free from his old since he has been baptized for their remission. Acts 2.38
4)He is free from the obligation to direct his own steps. 1.Thess. 3.11

WORD BONDAGE:
All men are subject to God the Father and all men are accountable for their life and their actions and sins.
Define the word:
To enslave.
Literally or figuratively.
Bring into bondage.
Be under. Become a servant.

Concept of bondage is used in various way in the New Testament.
1)In bondage to sin or things of the world. Ephesians 2.1-4
2)In bondage to the “law”. Galations 3.24 The law the schoolmaster!

Used in Galatians:
Galatians 2.4 That they may bring us into bondage.
Galatians 4.3 Bondage - elements of the world.
Galatians 4.9-10 Desire to be in bondage again.
Galatians 4.24-25 Gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Galatians 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has 
made us free and be not entangled again in the yoke of 
bondage.
Used in other Scriptures:
Romans 8.5 Not the spirit of bondage but the spirit of adoption.
Romans 8.21 Delivered you from the bondage of corruption into glorious 
liberty of the children of God.

Hebrews 2.15 Fear of death, a lifetime subject to bondage.
2.Peter 2.19 They promise you liberty but bring you into bondage.

Concept of bondage is used in various way in the New Testament.
3)In bondage to sin or things of the world. Ephesians 2.1-4
We all are sinners.
We all are fleshly.
We all are “captured” by our own lusts and desires.
The world appeals to our flesh, to our lust and desires.
Jews and Gentiles both are subject to this bondage.

4)In bondage to the “law”. Galations 3.24 The law the schoolmaster!
This is a bondage that only the Jews were subject to.
The law bond them and hindered them.
There were very clear cut rules and regulation that separated the Jews from all others.
Rules about what they ate, rules about whom they could worship, rules about specific days and months which affected the entire country and lifestyle of the people.
These rules made the Jews “stand out”!
These rules made them very different, and this was the will of God.
These rules had a purpose!!
There was a clear reason in the mind of God for this law of which the Jewish nation was bound to.

Allergory teaches this:
Galatians 4.22-31
Sarah and Hagar.

The Law of Moses The Law of Christ.
Abraham the Father Abraham the Father
Hagar the Bondwoman Sarah the Freewoman
Ishmael the Son of Hagar Isaac the Son of Sarah
A great but not free. Church of the living God
Mount Sinai in Arabia The Jerusalem from above.

3.CULTURAL, NATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS 
CAN BE A SOURCE OF CONFLICT.
What can we learn from this?
What does this have to do with us today?
My faith or our congregation?

Galatians 2.15 + We who are Jews by nature.
+ Christians by choice!

What we are by nature should not in a religious sense be “put” on others!!
Often the local congregation is made up of people which do NOT have the same background.
Not the same cultural, historical or religious background.
Differences even between families within the same culture!
These differences can result in conflicts with the local congregation and cause disharmony.

This is a topic discussed in other passages of scripture in the New Testament with guidelines for us on how to behave under such circumstances.

Other important scriptures with this topic.

1.Corinthians 10.31-33
“Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God, Give no offence, neither to the Jews, not to the gentiles nor to the Church of God. Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”

Romans 14.1-9 & 19
+ One believeth. V.2
+ One despiseth. V. 3

v.19 “Let us therefore follow after the things which make peace and the things wherewith one may edify another.”

Romans 15.1-2
“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.”

Acts 15.1-3, 28-30
“Certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said: Except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

“For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to lay upone you no greater burden than these necessary things, that you abstain from meats offered to idols and from blood and from things strangled, and from fornication, from which if you keep yourselves, ye shall do well, Fare ye well.”

Conclusion:
We also can have things that “bind” us. We must understand our liberty that we have in Christ and not let our liberty cause problems for others.

Vorige