Freedom

Galatians 2:4 - This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.

Acts 1:16 - In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus—he was one of our number and shared in this ministry."

Galatians 5:13 - You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

Romans 6:18,22 - You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness…But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

Romans 8:1-2 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Conclusions:

• False brothers were Judaizers who held that Gentile converts should be circumcised and obey the law of Moses
• Free and freedom are key words in Galatians, occurring 11 times
• Both before and after Christ came, numerous psalms were viewed as Messianic
• What happened in the psalmist’s experience was typical of the experiences of the Messiah
• Liberty is not license but freedom to serve God and each other in love
• A Christian has changed masters
• Whereas a Christian was formerly a slave to sin, he becomes a willing servant to righteousness
• Slavery to God produces holiness, and the end of the process is eternal life
• There is no eternal life without holiness
• Anyone who has been justified will surely give evidence of that fact by the presence of holiness in his life
• The law of the Spirit of life is the controlling power of the Holy Spirit, who is life-giving
• Paul uses the word law in several different ways in Romans—to mean a controlling power; God’s law; the Pentateuch; the Old Testament as a whole; a principle
• The law of sin and death is the controlling power of sin, which ultimately produces death
• Unity in Christ transcends ethnic, social and male/female distinctions

Application:

• Do you see the psalms as Messianic?
• Do you see liberty as freedom to serve God and others in love?
• Are you a willing servant to righteousness?
• Is there evidence of the presence of holiness in your life?
• Have you been set free from the controlling power of sin?
• Are you ethnically and socially unified in Christ?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Free Men

1 Peter 2:15-16 - For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.

John 8:32 - Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Galatians 5:13 - You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

Romans 6:22 - But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

Conclusions:

• Closely connected with Jesus, the truth is not philosophical truth but the truth that leads to salvation
• The truth setting you free is freedom from sin, not from ignorance
• Liberty is not license but freedom to serve God and each other in love
• Slavery to God produces holiness, and the end of the process is eternal life
• There is no eternal life without holiness
• Anyone who has been justified will surely give evidence of that fact by the presence of holiness in his life

Application:

• Has the truth that leads to salvation set you free from sin?
• Do you use your freedom to serve others in love?
• Have you become a slave to God?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible

Judged

James 2:1,11-13 - My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism…For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

Exodus 20:13-14 - "You shall not murder. "You shall not commit adultery.

James 1:25 - But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

John 5:24 - "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

1 Corinthians 3:12-13 - If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.

2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Conclusions:

• Adultery is a sin against God as well as against the marriage partner
• The Hebrew for murder usually refers to a premeditated and deliberate act
• The judgment in James 2:12 is not for determining eternal destiny, for James is speaking to believers, whose destiny is already determined
• The judgment is James 2:12 is for giving rewards to believers
• The perfect law is the moral and ethical teaching of Christianity, which is based on the Old Testament moral law, as embodied in the Ten Commandments, but brought to completion by Jesus Christ
• In contrast to the sinner, who is a slave to sin, obeying the moral law gives the Christian the joyous freedom to be what he was created for
• God does not show favoritism—nor should believers
• Whoever believes in Him has eternal life shows faith and life are connected
• Eternal life is a present possession for believers
• The believer has crossed over from death to life, meaning the believer no longer belongs to death
• Gold, silver and costly stones represent precious, durable work that stands the test of divine judgment; symbolic of pure Christian doctrine and living
• Wood, hay or straw is worthless work that will not stand the test; symbolic of weak, unpleasing teaching and life
• Fire is God’s judgment
• The work of some believers will stand the test while that of others will disappear—emphasizing the importance of teaching the pure word of God
• Appearing before the judgment seat of Christ has nothing to do with justification, which is credited to the Christian fully and forever through faith in Christ; instead, it refers to what we have done with our lives as Christians
• Although the body is wasting away, we are responsible for our actions while in it

Application:

• Are you an adulterer?
• Are you a murderer?
• Do you speak and act as if you are going to be judged?
• Do you obey the moral law?
• Do you show favoritism?
• Do you hear God's Word and believe Him?
• What is your foundation built on?
• Will your work stand the test?
• What have you done with your life as a Christian?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived fron NIV Study Bible

Word of truth

James 1:18-25 - He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

1 Peter 1:23 - For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

John 8:32 - Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

James 2:12-13 - Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

John 8:34 - Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

Conclusions:

• The new birth comes about through direct action of the Holy Spirit, but the word of God also plays an important role, for it presents the gospel to the sinner and calls on him to repent and believe in Christ
• The imperishable seed is doubtless the word of God, which is imperishable, living and enduring
• Perfect law is the moral and ethical teaching of Christianity, which is based on the Old Testament moral law, as embodied in the Ten Commandments, but brought to completion by Jesus Christ
• In contrast to the sinner, who is a slave to sin, obeying the moral law gives the Christian the joyous freedom to be what he was created for
• Closely connected with Jesus, the truth is not philosophical truth but the truth that leads to salvation
• The truth will set you free from sin, not ignorance
• The judgment is James 2:12 is not for determining eternal destiny, for James is speaking to believers, whose destiny is already determined
• The judgment in James 2:12 is for giving rewards to believers
• A sinner is a slave to sin because he cannot break free by his own strength

Application:

• Have you been called to repent and believe in Christ?
• Are you being what you have been created for?
• Do you know the truth?
• Do you speak and act based on heavenly rewards?
• Are you a slave to sin?

All Scripture verses from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible