Freedom: A Study in GalatiansНамуна

What does it say?

The Galatians were like slaves to the law before God adopted them into His family.

What does it mean?

Paul used metaphors to explain two different types of relationships – father and child versus master and slave. Before following Christ, the Galatians lived like slaves to the Mosaic Law and its many detailed requirements. As slaves, they had no freedom, and their lives were measured by their adherence to the law. After they put their faith in Jesus, God adopted them into His own family and treated them like sons. A good father loves his children for who they are in relation to him and does not treat them like slaves. Oddly, the Galatians seemed to want to return to their slavery and lack of freedom.

How should I respond?

We tend to misunderstand the true meaning of spiritual freedom. Freedom in the Lord is not permission to act and live any way you choose. Instead, it is living by faith in Christ. Outside of Christ, you didn’t have any way to consistently combat sinful desires, but once you became a child of God, you gained the freedom to choose what is right through the power of the Holy Spirit. Why, then, would you ever choose to subject yourself to sin’s restraints on your life? God the Father has set you free from sin’s power. How will your life reflect your relationship with Him as your heavenly Father today?