Redeemer reads Galatians 5
This morning as we read Galatians 5 together, Matt takes us through just what true freedom looks like for us as Christians.
Welcome! Over the next week we will be reading through the book of Galatians together as a church! We’ll be reading a chapter each week day, beginning on Friday the 15th of May, and concluding on Friday the 22nd. We’re following the reading plan in the CBR Journal, which can also be found HERE.
Each day a member of the Redeemer family will be sharing with us some thoughts in video form, which can be seen above, previous days videos can be found on our Youtube channel. We’ll also be publishing blogs with more thoughts on the passages we’ve read, along with some ideas for those who want to study the passage further. We’re really looking forward to seeing God bear fruit in and through us as a church as we read his word, even during this challenging time.
Today Matt will be sharing with us his thoughts on Galatians 5.
In the first section of today’s passage, Paul continues to talk about what freedom looks like for those who are followers of Jesus, and defined by the fact they are children of God. However rather than just talking generally, he focuses specifically on the issue which the Galatians were struggling with. False teachers had arrived in Galatia after Paul had left, and had begun to successfully convince some of the Christians there that to really become “proper Christians”, they must be circumcised! Paul is aiming to change their perspective on these teachings.
The reality is that though the specific issue may have changed for us, we can still fall prey to the same false teachings that the Galatians did. We can choose to believe that it is something which we accomplish which gains us the right to be children of God, that is not only untrue, but it separates us from being able to truly understand, and partly reject the grace and love shown through Jesus’ death on a cross for us! That’s a dangerous place to be!
It is so important, especially in times like this, when we can feel so powerless to achieve anything for ourselves, that we remember 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
The second half of the chapter, from verse 13-25, is a continuation of Paul’s explaining just how to live by that very first verse. Focusing on how slavery can also look like a lack of religion, and falling back into being servants of our own desires.
Doing whatever we want is not true freedom, when whatever we want is to satisfy the desires of our old self. True freedom as a follower of Jesus comes from divine sonship, from submitting to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and serving others above ourselves, out of love.
My prayer for you today is that you choose to live by the very first verse in today’s passage, and that God would pour out his Holy Spirit on you today, that you might not be burdened again by a yoke of slavery, but instead walk in true freedom!
Further Study
T. J. Tims is lead pastor of Immanuel Nashville. He earned a BA from Southeastern Bible College, an MA from King’s College London in 2010, and is a PhD candidate at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
In this podcast, Tims walks us through Galatians 5:5-6 and reminds us why we need to hear the gospel again and again.
Get thinking. #RedeemerRecommends
In the first of our #RedeemerRecommends series, Rich Smith introduces us to a blog he has found thought provoking and inspiring recently, and excites us about a guest preacher visiting Redeemer at the end of November!
In the first of our #RedeemerRecommends blog posts, Rich Smith introduces to a blog he has been inspired by recently. Look out for more recommendations over the coming months as others from Redeemer let you in on what they’ve been reading. Over to Rich…
Get thinking.
At the end of November we have close friend of the church Matt Hosier returning to speak at our Sunday meeting. Matt and his wife Grace first visited Redeemer a year ago to preach about eldership, and to stand with and pray for our church as we started a new chapter of our story.
Matt is a gifted preacher. Just as he served us so well last November, we’re anticipating he’ll bring a combination of theological clarity and heartfelt encouragement this November!
Those who were at the Advance conference earlier in October will know he’s a wise, measured and phenomenally well read theological thinker, and it’s with that in mind that I wanted to point you in the direction of an excellent website to which he often contributes, Think Theology.
“Think” describes itself as a “collaboration of thinkers and writers who are passionate about the Church, and who enjoy spending time wrestling with deep theological questions and helping others to engage with them.” Matt, Jennie Pollock (another speaker from the recent Advance conference in fact), and Andrew Wilson produce the majority of the content for the site and you’ll find roughly a post per day on a broad range of topics.
Looking back at posts over the last two weeks you’ll see posts covering social media, wisdom in engaging politically, sexual identity, reading well, TV show theology, book reviews and Psalms.
Whether you’re starting to explore theology for the first time or looking to expand your regular reading, posts from Matt and others at Think are worth your time. I find they’re perfect for the commute, and regularly engage the mind, the emotions and stir the spirit. Enjoy.