Paul Champions Christian Liberty

GOLDEN TEXT: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” —Galatians 3:26

GALATIANS 2:1-10, 19-21

THE title assigned to today’s lesson could be misleading, for the lesson itself deals only with the matter of Christians being free from the requirements of the Mosaic Law. Many have misapplied the idea of liberty as championed by Paul on this one point to other phases of the Christian life in which no liberty is allowed by the Word of God. As a matter of fact, on the general subject of liberty for Christians, little is said in the Word of God. It is a subject which has been greatly overstressed by many.

But Paul did insist on being free from the Law and its rites and ceremonies; free, that is, in the sense of disclaiming any need for adherence thereto in order to obtain salvation. To do otherwise would have been to admit that the blood of Christ is not fully efficacious to give life. Paul states it thus, “For if righteousness came by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

The matter of keeping certain features of the Law was quite a controversy in the Early Church, many of whom were Jewish converts. Some accepted Christ, but insisted that in addition to his blood they needed to be circumcised in order to enjoy the full favor of God. Paul had to contend with this in a number of the ecclesias and was always outspoken in defense of the truth.

To the Galatian brethren he wrote, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?” (Gal. 3:1) It was not a case on Paul’s part of taking a stand for liberty as such, but of insisting on freedom from the Law in order to render undivided obedience to the truth as it was in Christ Jesus.

He explained that he was dead to the Law that he “might live unto God.” “I am crucified with Christ,” wrote Paul. One who is crucified does not have much liberty; except, as in Paul’s case and ours, we exercise the choice to thus die with Christ. Having made that choice we become yokefellows with Christ and are at liberty only to walk together with him in the narrow way of sacrifice.

“Nevertheless I live,” Paul continues, “yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God.” As members of the condemned and dying race, we have no life of our own to lay down in sacrifice. But by faith the merit of Christ is imputed to us and we are reckoned as having his life.

We are alive, and can present our bodies “a living sacrifice,” not in our own righteousness, but through the righteousness of Christ, which gives us a reckoned standing of life before God. This is the wonderful provision which the Lord has made that enables us to become joint-sacrificers with Christ; that is, to be “planted together in the likeness of his [sacrificial] death.”—Rom. 6:5

Our standing as sons of God is also on the basis of our faith in Jesus Christ and his meritorious sacrifice on our behalf. This is clearly set forth in our Golden Text. There is a tendency today in nominal Christian circles to apply such texts as this to the whole world of mankind. It is spoken of as the universal fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man. But the fact is overlooked that in order to be children of God it is essential to accept Christ as our Redeemer and devote ourselves wholly to the doing of God’s will.

It is true that the Scriptures speak of Adam as the “son of God.” But when Adam sinned he forfeited this blessed relationship, not only for himself but also for all his offspring. The world of mankind ever since then has been without God. However, this does not mean that God ceased to love his human creation. On the contrary he does love and care, so much indeed that he gave his “only begotten Son” to redeem and restore the lost race to at-one-ment with him.

Only believing, consecrated Christians benefit from this during the present Gospel age. By faith in Christ these are restored to sonship and become joint-heirs with Jesus to live and reign with him in his kingdom. During the thousand years of that reign, an opportunity will be extended to mankind in general to return to sonship and to enjoy the blessings of the earthly paradise and dominion originally given to Adam, and which he forfeited when he sinned.

Those who, in the next age, accept this offer are symbolized by the sheep in The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, and to these the invitation will be extended, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”—Matt. 25:34

QUESTIONS

What aspect of Christian liberty does Paul champion in this lesson?

How did Christ live in Paul?

Upon what basis is Christian sacrifice acceptable to God?

Are all mankind sons of God?

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