The Prophet Speaks
“Standing Fast in the Liberty of Christ”
By: Pastor Milton Coats
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Galatians 5:1 says “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
The Apostle Paul is the writer of this letter. Paul had visited Galatia on his first missionary journey. There he preached the gospel of Christ and a church was established. Romans 1:16 declares “the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth”. The gospel is good news and it speaks to the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Paul preached to the Galatians the gospel of faith and grace, which they received and were saved.
In the process of time, false teachers rose up among them, teaching it was also necessary to keep the law in order to be saved. Paul wrote this letter to refute this false teaching. Paul reminds the Galatians that they begin by faith, and their growth in Christ must continue by faith. Thus, we have the admonition to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free.
This country is celebrating its 244th year of freedom. But what is freedom? The dictionary defines freedom as the state of being free. It further state that freedom is liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another. But, what is freedom? President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 abolishing slavery. But over 150 years later, many human beings are still in slavery; slavery to sin!
True liberty is found in Jesus Christ. II Corinthians 3:17 says “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Liberty doesn’t mean doing whatever I want to do. Liberty means freedom to be all that I can be in Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:13 says “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
Child of God, it’s not the works of the law that makes us free, it’s Jesus. John 8:36 declares “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” We started in the spirit; we must finish in the spirit! So, stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free!