Seed for Sept 19

Gal 5:1
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
(KJV)

This is Paul’s strong admonition to the Church, who after starting out in faith, were now going to be made perfect by keeping “the Law”. Let’s examine this in terms perhaps we can better understand. As great as the “Law of God” was, it could not save man! (No man shall be “declared not guilty” by the keeping of the Law.) The Lord promised a day when it would no longer be an “outside” law that would govern, but the law of God written on our hearts. In other words, the day would come when it would not be a law “without” that governs, but a “law within” our minds that would govern us. The law in my heart sets me free from the bondage of the “law without”. But I can’t have it both ways, Paul said. It is either faith, and the law of God in my heart, or falling from grace with legalism and a law without which attempts to govern. For some reason we have no confidence in the Spirit’s ability to lead us from within our hearts. And that is exactly what God wants, is a people that are free and governed by His Spirit within.

When I add this or that as a “standard” of what holiness looks like, I put God’s people under the bondage of “law without” that cannot save, but it causes them to fall from the liberty and grace of God. They fall into the trap of trying to be made perfect, by keeping man’s religious laws. Now they have fallen from grace, and no longer enjoy the liberty of Spirit-life.

Presenting your body a living sacrifice and keeping your conscience clean of all offense, is enjoying the liberty and freedom of the Spirit. Stand there, Paul said.

Be Blessed,
Billy and Jan Wells