by Bob Jennerich
I walk my dog, Casey, almost every day. You should know something about Casey. She loves people! When the doorbell rings, she’s a seventy-five-pound missile charging to the door to greet her visitors! We always put her in the crate until our guests get settled. Then we clutch her by her collar as we introduce her to our friends. It’s chaos, but somewhat controlled.
On our walk this morning, we came to a wide-open field. I scanned the horizon left and right. With no potential new friends in sight, I unclipped her from the leash. She sprinted like a greyhound chasing a mechanical rabbit. I don’t know if dogs can smile, but she sure looked happy to me. What gave her that joy? Freedom. God created Casey to run, and that’s what she wants to do. She’s happiest when she’s free to be who God created her to be.
God created us to be free too. Paul wrote, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1).
The Judaizers preached a false gospel.
Paul established churches in several cities in the region of Galatia, in modern day Turkey. The people there were mostly non-Jewish. Paul spent several months explaining the gospel in each church. The gospel of grace teaches how Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead. The Galatians believed! But after Paul left them to spread the gospel elsewhere, some Jewish teachers -whom Paul called “Judaizers” -arrived in Galatia. The Judaizers were Jewish Christians who insisted the Galatians had to believe in Jesus and become Jewish to be saved.
The Judaizers instructed them to receive circumcision, submit to dietary laws, and observe the Sabbath, and then God would accept them. Imagine the confusion of these new Galatian believers. Paul appointed elders in the churches before leaving, but these elders were also new in their faith. The Judaizers presented themselves as spiritual authorities citing ancient books. The Galatians began to follow Jewish law.
Paul reasserted his superior authority.
When Paul heard they had turned from the gospel of grace to a “different gospel,” he wrote them a scathing letter. No doubt, the Judaizers ridiculed Paul’s teaching and belittled his credentials, so he reminded the Galatians of his authority (see Gal. 1-2).
Jesus Christ called Paul personally and trained him for ministry individually. None of the Judaizers could claim better credentials. Later, when Paul traveled to Jerusalem, James, John, and Peter accepted Paul as a genuine apostle. Paul even dared to rebuke Peter publicly when Peter yielded to Judaizer pressure and stopped eating with Gentile believers. Only an apostle with equal status to the esteemed apostle Peter would do that.
Paul reaffirmed the gospel.
Having re-established his authority, Paul reminded the Galatians of the gospel: “A person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 2:16). While Paul was with them, he had explained grace to them. Grace means when sinners believe in Jesus for salvation, God declares them righteous in His sight because of their faith, not their works.
Paul argued that God had not saved the Galatians through keeping rules, but because they believed the gospel (see Gal. 3). The Galatians’ confusion about adding works to grace is alive and well today. All other religions of the world teach that God’s acceptance of us requires faith and good deeds. That’s legalism—the slavish performance of rules and rituals. Grace is the opposite. It frees us from trying to earn salvation. He gives it to us as a gift when we believe.
God created us for freedom.
Paul wanted the Galatians to understand that God’s grace frees us from a mountain of rules. He wrote, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free” (Gal. 5:1). God doesn’t want to burden us with rules we can’t keep. He offers us a new relationship with Him, marked by grace. His Holy Spirit helps us live for Him, not for rule keeping. We are free!
Look at my dog’s face. Do you crave that kind of joy? Every human heart yearns for freedom. You can have it simply by trusting Jesus. Stop trying to earn salvation by rule keeping. Jesus has already done the work for you. He freed you to be who God made you to be.
Here are some questions to help you reflect on your understanding of grace:
1. Do you strive to “earn” God’s approval rather than resting in His grace? How can you shift your mindset to embrace the freedom Jesus offers?
2. Paul warns against returning to a “yoke of slavery” in Galatians 5:1. Are there any legalistic beliefs or habits in your life that keep you from fully experiencing the joy of your faith?
3. Casey found joy in doing what God created her to do. What do you believe God created you to do, and how can you live in that freedom more fully?
Bob Jennerich practiced law for many years before moving to Texas to attend seminary. He now serves as pastor of Grace Redeemer Community Church in Garland, Texas. Bob is passionate about helping believers connect biblical truth to everyday life. When he’s not preaching, he enjoys spending time with his wife and their two adult children, traveling, and exercise.