“For freedom Christ has set you free” (Galatians 5:1). Paul wrote these words to individuals who had returned to their old thinking of deliverance from sin by practicing the law. Certainly, the infant believers had been deceived by false teachers, but it didn’t require much for them to be convinced that they were incomplete. As a result their identity in Christ had been compromised, their view of truth had been skewed and the Spirit quenched. Essentially, the teaching the Galatians had heard from the false teachers taught that Christ is not enough. Enough for what? Enough to save you, enough to discern truth by, enough to set you free, enough to produce joy. Many Christians today have been ‘bewitched,’ by the, “Christ is not enough,” teaching. There are two primary sources of this teaching; the culture and the Church.
Our culture is constantly attempting to convince us that who we are in Christ is incomplete. We have a multitude of labels, most not very nice; bigot, homophobe, hatemonger, narrow, etc., just to name a few. With those labels comes uncertainty. Uncertainty in what we should be, think, say and do. All of the criticism, which absolutely no one wants, causes one to blend into the mix, becoming nearly unidentifiable. Before long, we are no longer testing truth by Christ but by culture, we are no longer living by the Spirit but by the flesh, thus the culture is no longer surprised that we do not join them in their “flood of debauchery” (1 Peter 4:3-4) but surprised that we do. This is not only the wrong message for a Christian to deliver to a culture hostile to God; it is not freedom in Christ, but slavery to culture.
The Church has a culture of its own. Just look at the way we dress, speak, think and behave. These are elements of our church culture. Certainly our church culture is influenced by scripture and it is right to have a culture in the church that reflects the commands of God. However, we also tend to make these elements of our church culture mandatory to fellowship and community. Before you throw a shoe, know that I am not suggesting that a body of believers should be accepting of inappropriate (revealing) attire, foul language, worldly thinking or immoral behavior among its members. I am suggesting that we evaluate whether we are upholding scripture in our assessments of other believers or showing partiality. Are we demonstrating that Christ is enough? Or are we demonstrating that if you don’t look like us or share our views, from politics to the Cowboys, you can be here, but you can’t be a part of our community? James calls this view sinful (2:9). It is not freedom in Christ, but slavery to culture; a church culture.
Interestingly, both James and Paul agree on the outflow of freedom in Christ, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” which in Christ is the fulfillment of the law (Galatians 5:14; James 2:8). Paul instructs us further in saying that the Spirit, rather than the law, empowers our freedom, defines truth and makes our identity certain. In other words, freedom in Christ is slavery to Him and nothing else.
Live free in Christ! Live by the Spirit! Love one another!
