“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another”
For you, brethren,
It is clear that Paul directs his arguments toward the Christian – “brethren.” There is a contrast in the Greek between the Galatians and the legalists trying to subvert them into legalism.
have been called to liberty;
God calls Christians to liberty. God has a purpose for us. God calls us to “liberty” or “freedom” (Ga 2:4; 4:21-31; 5:1). God did not call us to put us back under the bondage of the law. Christian liberty is our identity in Christ (Romans 7:25-8:4).
Principle:
Christian liberty is our identity in Christ.
Application:
Liberty is emancipation from slavery to the law as a rule of life. Christian liberty is the assurance of being identified with Christ.
There is no way that we can live up to the standard of God’s character expressed in the law. However, Christ lived up to those standards perfectly (Romans 8:1-4). He put His righteousness to our account when we became Christians. Our identity is the same as Christ’s when we embrace the cross to forgive our sins. The Christian life centers on the person of Christ. It is person-oriented.
“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
Christian freedom originates and revolves around the person of Christ. When we get hold of our identity in Christ, we will live out the Christian life in power.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1).
