“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”
(Galatians 5:1)
In a world full of opportunities, it’s easy to be captivated by the allure of what many call “freedom”—financial freedom, time freedom, personal independence, the freedom to choose one’s own path. These promises glisten on the surface but are deceptive in their substance for they offer a kind of freedom that cannot reach the soul, which means they leave untouched the deepest bondage of all.
After the Fall, every person is born into slavery. We are born under the curse of sin and destined for death. Without the regenerating work of the Spirit, we are not merely disadvantaged—we are condemned (John 3:18), and the world cannot rescue us. Neither wealth, nor choice, nor leisure can free us from the yoke of sin’s dominion or the sentence of eternal death.
Only Christ can set us free. Only He can break the chains forged by sin. Only He could bear the burden, satisfy the justice of God, and redeem those given to Him before the foundation of the world. But this freedom did not come cheaply—it was purchased by the precious blood of the spotless Lamb of God.
Real freedom cost the life of God’s only begotten Son. Yet in love, God offers that freedom as a gift to those He has called. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed,” (John 8:36). There is no other path to liberty. Only through Christ’s work can we stand firm and resist the bondage of sin and self.
This freedom includes deliverance from guilt, the curse of the law, the wrath of God, and the dominion of Satan. It includes the right to come boldly before the throne of grace and to obey God in the power of the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant abolished the bondage of former ordinances, and in Christ the believer is adopted as a son and given the Spirit. “…that all true believers are the Sons of God, seeing they can call upon God as their loving Father, and are governed by his Spirit, not of trembling but of adoption.”[1]
And yet, this liberty must not be abused. We are not freed to do what is right in our own eyes but to walk in willing obedience to God’s Word. We must not allow our conscience to fall under the authority of anything other than Christ, nor should we use our liberty in ways that cause others to stumble. True freedom is not the casting off of all restraint but joyful submission to the Lordship of Christ, empowered by the Spirit of grace.
Let every Christian stand firm in this freedom, never again yielding to a yoke of slavery for Christ has made us free. So let us live as those who have been purchased by His blood.
Contemplations:
- Misleading Freedoms. I have often chased the idea of being “free” through wealth, time, or autonomy. But none of these have ever broken the power of sin in my life. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). I need to examine what kind of freedom I truly value—earthly independence or spiritual liberty in Christ?
- A Blood-Bought Liberty. When I reflect on what my freedom cost—the blood of Christ—I am humbled. This liberty was not given so I could serve myself, but so I could serve God in holiness. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free” (Galatians 5:1). I must not treat such grace as light or trivial.
- No Longer a Slave. The bondage of sin once ruled over me, but now I have the Spirit of adoption. I am no longer a servant under fear, but a son who cries out, “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15). I want to live daily in the light of this truth and not as one still in chains.
- Standing Firm in Grace. Freedom in Christ requires vigilance. I am tempted at times to yield again to things Christ freed me from. Whether it’s guilt, performance, or the old ways of self-rule—I must stand firm. “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith” (1 Corinthians 16:13). I want to live alert, grounded, and faithful in the liberty Christ secured for me.
Prayer
[Supplication to Christ]
O Lord my God, You have set me free through Christ. You have broken the chains that once held me in the grip of sin, and You have delivered me from death and condemnation. “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). And so I come before You now, asking for grace to walk in this freedom with boldness, reverence, and joy.
Father, I confess how quickly I’m drawn to trust in freedoms that are no freedoms at all. I chase time, money, and comfort as if they could satisfy the deep need of my soul. But apart from You, they are empty. Remind me, Lord, that no earthly pursuit can free me from sin. No power but Yours can rescue me from the curse of death. Give me a heart that sees these things rightly—gifts to be stewarded, never gods to be served.
Lord Jesus, You paid a terrible price for my liberty. Your body was broken, Your blood poured out, that I might be free. Free from guilt, free from wrath, free from the dominion of sin and Satan. Help me never treat such grace lightly. Keep me from falling back into a yoke of bondage—trying to earn what You have freely given or using my liberty as a cover for sin.
Holy Spirit, help me stand firm. Strengthen my will to submit to the Word and not to the pressures of this world. Keep my conscience clear, bound only to Christ. Let me walk wisely in the liberty You’ve granted, never abusing it, and never becoming a stumbling block to another. Let every use of freedom in my life reflect the righteousness, peace, and joy of the kingdom of God.
Lord, grant me a deeper love for Your law—not as a burden but as a delight. Give me zeal to obey, not from fear but out of gratitude. Let me not return to former ways of thinking or living. I am no longer a servant under bondage but a son with full access to the throne of grace. Let me live like one who has been adopted, redeemed, and set apart.
Father, in every moment of weakness be my strength. In every season of testing be my shield. Let my freedom be real in both doctrine and practice. And when I stumble, remind me again of Christ, my Deliverer. Let me rise and stand firm once more, until that day when all bondage is forever gone and I stand in the presence of perfect liberty.
In the name of Jesus Christ, my Redeemer and King, I ask these things. Amen.
Further References for Galatians 5:1
1 Corinthians 16:13; Galatians 2:4; John 8:32; Acts 15:10; Romans 8:2; Philippians 1:27
[1] Thomas Wilson, A Commentary Upon the Most Divine Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans (London: W. Iaggard, dwelling in Barbican, 1614), 551.
