Lesson 20: Seeking the Right Freedom
Read Galatians 5:1-26 - www.bible.com/bible/59/gal.5
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.
3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.
4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

People of our world seek freedom from tyranny or corruption or from those who demand something of them that they are unwilling to give. Jesus, however, set a different standard of freedom for us when He stated that if the Son of God sets us free we are free indeed – John 8:32. By Jesus’ standard, then, freedom has nothing to do with earthly relationships or locations. True freedom is spiritual and available only through Him.


Such spiritual freedom, then, is a freedom which cares nothing for physical circumstances. Paul and Silas could sing while locked in stocks in a prison (Acts 16:19-40). A young Jewish slave-girl could offer her master healing (2 Kings 5:1-23). Joseph could help others who forgot their promise to help him out of prison (Genesis 40). Martyrs across the centuries have endured torture and death with joy because they were spiritually set free by Jesus Christ.

This freedom as it relates here to our own good works is described in James 1:22-27. Those who concentrate on themselves to accomplish good works quickly lose sight of their goals and deceive themselves with their attempts because their freedom is based on a standard comparing themselves to others. But those whose good works arise from looking at Jesus closely, and simply following His example and leading, are not measuring their own works at all, for they are not thinking of themselves but act out of concern for others.

The key to this freedom requires a radical change in how we think. Romans 12:1-2 calls it a transformed mind. James calls it undefiled and pure religion of standing before God in complete loving submission which results in us loving our neighbors enough to help them. And our verses for today call it an eager waiting for our hope of righteousness which then increases our faith in Jesus Christ as well as our love for those around us.

 *When have you experienced God-given spiritual freedom and joy not dependent on your circumstances, and who benefited from this Godly servant attitude?