Jesus Has Set Us Free
Galatians 1:1-5
The Freedom Found in Grace
There’s a message of hope that resonates through the ages – a message of freedom, grace, and peace. At the heart of this message lies a simple truth: Jesus has set us free. As believers, we can often turn this simple truth into something much more. This is precisely what had happened to the believers in the Galatia region. A group of believers had come in and corrupted the message of the Gospel by adding to it and warping it severely. This still happens today, and we end up with a list of rules to follow, regulations to keep, and rituals to practice.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Not all rules, regulations, and rituals are bad. Many of us have rituals that we participate in each week, such as daily devotions, prayer, attending Church service, and communion. But we must begin with an understanding of the nature of grace.
In the original Greek, the word for grace is “charis,” which means loveliness, joy, and sweetness. Grace is not just a theological concept but a living, breathing reality that transforms our relationship with God. It is God’s unmerited, unearned, and undeserved favor upon us. It’s a gift that we can never repay but one that changes everything.
This grace leads us to peace, or ” Eirene” in Greek. Peace is more than the absence of conflict; it’s a state of wholeness and harmony with God. When we truly grasp God’s grace, we find ourselves at peace, no longer at war with our Creator or ourselves.
But why do we need this grace and peace? The answer lies in the sobering reality of our world. We live in a culture that, at its core, opposes God’s values. It can easily entangle us if we’re not careful.
The good news is that through Christ, we have been delivered from this present evil age. Just as the Israelites were physically removed from their slavery in Egypt, we, too, have been spiritually removed from the bondage of sin and the values of this world.
Our deliverance isn’t just about being taken out of something but also brought into something new. We’ve been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. It’s a complete change of citizenship, allegiance, and identity.
Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, is at the center of this transformation. The Gospel isn’t primarily about rules, regulations, and rituals but about a Person who paid the ultimate price to set us free. It’s about God in human flesh shedding His own blood as a means of forgiveness for all who put their faith in Him.
This truth challenges us to examine how we view our relationship with God. Are we living in the freedom of grace, or have we slipped back into a legalistic mindset? Legalism is the belief that we can earn God’s favor through our own efforts. It’s an easy trap to fall into, even for those who have known God’s grace.
Here in Paul’s letter, he warns against this legalistic tendency. The believers in Galatia had begun well, embracing the freedom of Christ, but they had allowed false teachers to come in, insisting that they needed to follow specific rules to truly be right with God. In doing so, they were in danger of falling from grace—not losing their salvation but losing sight of the true nature of their relationship with God.
This struggle isn’t just ancient history. Many of us today find ourselves caught between grace and legalism. We might intellectually understand that we’re saved by grace but practically live as if our relationship with the Lord depends on our performance. We too, need to be reminded that our standing with God is based on Christ’s work alone, not our own.
Meditating on these truths, we’re called to examine our hearts. Are we living in the freedom Christ purchased for us, or have we allowed ourselves to be entangled again in a yoke of slavery? Are we relating to God as His beloved children or fearful servants trying to earn His approval?
The invitation is clear: return to grace. Remember the work of God in your life through the blood of Jesus Christ. Take your eyes off your circumstances, your past, or the things holding you back, and fix them firmly on Jesus. In this simple act of returning to grace, we find our joy restored, our peace renewed, and our eyes opened once again to the boundless love of God.
In a world that constantly demands more from us, Galatians reminds us that in Christ, we already have everything we need. We are loved, accepted, and free. This is the Gospel—not a set of rules to follow but a Person to embrace. As we lean into this truth, we find ourselves transformed, not by our own efforts but by the power of God’s grace working in us.
So today, wherever you find yourself, respond to this invitation: come back to grace. Let go of the need to earn God’s favor. Rest in the finished work of Christ. Allow yourself to be held by a love that will never let you go. In this place of grace, you’ll find the strength to face whatever challenges lie ahead, knowing that you are eternally secure in the arms of your heavenly Father.
