Christ set us free in order that we experience freedom…
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
What was going on here in the churches of Galatia is they were taken captive by legalism which in this case is represented as circumcision. Now, I can tell you this seems hard to think possible – that people would actually desire to be circumcised. Yet, if we go back in time and take a moment to see the culture a bit I think you’d find that it was very enticing. Receiving circumcision meant no longer being considered a foreigner, you could participate of the passover (Exo 12),
But if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. Exodus 12:48
you could even (traditionally) participate in things of the Levites. This meant you were part of the ‘in’ crowd. You had successfully entered into the ‘circle of trust’. You were now a member of the ‘select’, a member of the descendants. Obviously this meant that you were committed to now being of the circumcision and upholding the traditions of men. One ritual, a whole way of life. Remember Peter in chapter 2?
For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. Galatians 2:12
He was fellowshipping with the Gentiles, that is until the circumcision came in and he felt obliged to be with them instead. It was a thing of stature and identity.
Paul says for whatever person (believer or unbeliever) to receive circumcision they are now indebted (obligation) to that way of life. Not only that, but the demands of legalism are so that all the law must be kept. These believers had been tricked into receiving circumcision without understanding that it was a compromise to the Gospel. Notice verse 2, “Christ will be of no benefit to you”. The work that Jesus Christ did in keeping with the whole Law in their favour was in vain and they were actually saying they would step out and take on the Law, nullifying the perfect work of Christ as the sole means to obtaining freedom.
We become guilty of compromising the freedom available to us (believers) in Christ when we depend on other things. Many things become very attractive when we get our focus off of Christ, we turn to traditions and things of men to find freedom and we end up enslaved to a system of religion – man centred devotion to God. This person is not spiritually minded but carnal. The flesh is being fed when we look to receiving benefits by other means apart from Christ. When this happens we need to realize,
You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. Galatians 5:4
and come back to the realization that only ‘through the Spirit by faith‘ can we experience true freedom.
For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. Galatians 5:5
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