We are back in our series through the New Testament letter of Galatians. This is a letter that the apostle Paul wrote to a group of churches in an area known as Galatia, which is in modern-day Turkey. These were churches that were started during Paul’s first missionary journey.

These churches had started off well until a group of false teachers came through teaching that the Galatians needed something more than just trusting in Jesus Christ to be right with God.

Today, I want to look at a passage of Scripture that is found in Galatians 5:1-15.

‌Diversity

‌Diversity seems to be a hot topic in our culture today. People like to talk about diversity in a number of situations where it is good. One of the most popular areas where diversity is talked about today pertains to the issue of race. It doesn’t take long to see that the human race carries a great deal of diversity. This is part of God’s plan. God displays His artistic ability through the diversity of ethnicities in our world. No one is greater than any other. We can even see that God welcomes the diversity of ethnicities into His presence in Revelation 7:9-10

⁹ After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!

Revelation 7:9–10 (CSB)

‌

Another area of our lives where diversity is celebrated concerns investments. People are told that the best plan of action with investments is to have a diverse portfolio. This means that you spread out your investments across different areas to reduce risk and bring about a higher return.

Sadly, one area in which too many try to practice diversity is the area of faith. We are told that we should use the same practices with our faith that we do with our finances, and we should spread it out among different things to help ensure we don’t miss out. While that may work well for finances, it does not work well for our faith. In fact, Jesus told us this is an impossible task.

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

‌​Matthew 6:24 (CSB)

The false teachers that had come into Galatia had tried to get the Galatians to diversify their faith portfolio. Paul writes to show them this action will only lead to failure and spiritual bankruptcy.

¹ For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery. ² Take note! I, Paul, am telling you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. ³ Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to do the entire law. ⁴ You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace. ⁵ For we eagerly await through the Spirit, by faith, the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love. ⁷ You were running well. Who prevented you from being persuaded regarding the truth? ⁸ This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. ⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough. ¹⁰ I myself am persuaded in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty. ¹¹ Now brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. ¹² I wish those who are disturbing you might also let themselves be mutilated! ¹³ For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

Galatians 5:1–15 (CSB)

‌Christ has set us free‌

At the beginning of verse 1 here, Paul shows that Jesus Christ has come to set us free. His finished work upon the cross has released any person who puts their faith in Him from sin’s grip and the destruction it brings.

Paul states that Jesus has set us free to experience the freedom God intended when He first created us. God doesn’t want us to live in the bonds of slavery to our sin. He wants us to be free to live for His glory and enjoy Him forever.

Stand firm and don’t go back

‌In the second part of verse 1, Paul issues a command to his readers:

¹ For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:1 (CSB)

The phrase “stand firm” carries the meaning of standing one’s ground continuously. It isn’t just for a moment or when certain people are watching. It talks about a new way of life.

When Paul says “don’t submit,” he uses this term which means “to be under the control of something else.” Submission is seen as a weak or evil thing in our world today. What determines whether or not the submission is wrong is what we are submitting to.

Sadly, there are many who have tasted the freedom that only Jesus can bring to their lives and chose to return to a life of bondage to the very sin Jesus delivered them from. This is why Paul commands the Galatians not to return to the old ways that did nothing for them, but instead, live in the freedom that only Jesus brought to them.

In verses 2-3, Paul writes about circumcision. This was the main sign of the old covenant found in the Old Testament. It started with Abraham and carried through for generations. This was a sign that one was going to follow the laws of God given through Moses. For a person to be circumcised stated that they were seeking justification with God by another means than through the finished work of Jesus. This is why Paul states in verse 2 that if a person was circumcised (trying to keep the commands to earn God’s favor), then Jesus Christ is of no benefit whatsoever to them.

‌Fallen from grace

‌In verse 4, Paul uses a phrase that has caused some confusion through the ages. He states that if a person chooses to try and earn God’s favor by what they can do, then they have fallen from grace.

Some have wrongly taken this to mean that a person can lose their salvation. Paul is not saying that. In many other places like John 10:28-29, Ephesians 1:13-14, and Hebrews 6:13-20 to name a few the Bible states that a person who is truly saved can never lose their salvation.

What is Paul talking about in verse 4 then? He is stating that a person who chooses to live according to a doctrine that they have to do enough to earn God’s favor is not living by the doctrine of faith which the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that a Christian is one who sees their inability to pay for their sins and trusts in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross for their salvation.

⁸ For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— ⁹ not from works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (CSB)

‌Distractions along the way

‌In verses 7-9, Paul warns about a reality that each of us faces in different ways at different times. Paul warns about distractions that come along and tries to get us off-track.

The distraction for the first-century Galatians was mainly these false teachers and what they were selling. While what they said seemed to be a help to them, it was truly a distraction to move them away from the truth of the gospel.

We must be alert to the distractions that seek to get us off-track in our walk with Jesus.

¹ Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, ² keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

​Hebrews 12:1–2 (CSB)

It doesn’t take much to get us distracted. Too often, many of us are like the dog in the Disney movie, “Up!” We go along seeming to be fine, and all of a sudden… “Squirrel!” Before we know it, we are chasing something that we have no business chasing.

⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough.

Galatians 5:9 (CSB)

Paul shares that it doesn’t take much to get us off-track of where we should be. If you have done any cooking with leaven, you know that it doesn’t take much to affect the whole batch.

There are times when we may be tempted to think, “I’ve got this… this is no big deal…” When, in fact, the distractions or sin that so easily ensnares us is a big deal. One of Satan’s greatest weapons against Christians today is the idea that our “distractions” are not a big deal.

Our liberty is not a license

‌One final word that Paul points out in this passage is for believers not to use the freedom they have in Jesus Christ as a license to sin.

We love liberty. Our country just celebrated the liberties that we enjoy so much this past week. Liberty is a beautiful thing as long as it is kept in its proper place.

In verses 13-15, Paul warns the Galatians (and us) not to abuse the liberty we have in Jesus, but to fully understand it.

While we do not have to earn a right standing before God on our own, we are not free to live as we please.

¹ What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? ² Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Romans 6:1–2 (CSB)

¹⁵ What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Absolutely not! ¹⁶ Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey—either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, ¹⁸ and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.

​Romans 6:15–18 (CSB)

As much as we love freedom and independence, the truth is that we are dependent creatures. God created us to be dependent upon Him. There is a part of us that seeks a master to guide us. There is only One who is worthy of fulfilling that role, and His name is Jesus Christ. He alone has our best interest at heart. He alone knows what we need and can provide it for us.

When we choose to submit and follow anything other than Jesus in any area of our lives, it will always lead to destruction. Paul warned the Galatians in verse 15 that the biting and devouring of one another would lead to their being consumed by their sin.

When we allow anything other than Jesus to lead our lives, it leads us to trust in ourselves which leads to us seeing everyone and everything as an enemy. The church of Jesus Christ cannot afford to see one another as the enemy. We have one enemy — Satan. The people that we come in contact with are not our enemies. Where in-fighting is present, you can be sure that defeat is not far behind. Paul warns the church about this truth.

Conclusion

‌In our day when diversity is sought by so many, we should understand where it is really needed. In our financial investments? Sure. In our neighborhoods and communities? Yes. In the church? Of course — we see it around God’s throne, why shouldn’t we see it in our churches?

But when it comes to the place of faith, there is no room for diversity. There is only room for one on the throne of our hearts. Who we allow to take that place will determine the entire direction of our lives — both here and for eternity.

Jesus Christ has come to give us freedom. No one else can do that. Will you allow Him to have the sole place of our faith, or will you try to diversify it and miss out on everything?