THE KEY VERSE OF GALATIANS:  Galatians 5:1

Theme:  Stand Fast in Your Liberty

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   In my “How-to-Study the Bible” class, I tell the class that if they will do a background study of every book of the Bible first, they will increase their Bible knowledge exponentially.

 

B.   The second recommendation I make is to do a detailed study of the theme of every book of the Bible.

1.    The theme is the “golden strand” that runs through every book tying all of its words, sentences, verses, paragraphs, and chapters together.

2.    Knowing the theme helps the student keep the book in its proper perspective.

 

C.   As we study the theme of the book, a Key Verse will usually manifest itself to us.  This key verse summarizes the thoughts of the book in a few words.

 

D.   The theme of the book of Galatians is:  “Stand Fast in Your Liberty.”

1.    The word “liberty” is found three times in the book (Gal. 2:4; 5:1, 13).

2.    The word “free” is mentioned two times (Gal. 4:26; 5:1).

3.    A contrasting word, “bondage,” is noted six times (Gal. 2:4; 4:3, 9, 24, 29; 5:1).

 

E.   The key verse of Galatians is Galatians 5:1.  It mentions all of the words that surround the theme.

 

Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage.

 

F.    As I thought about the key verse of Galatians, I saw that a sermon could be made just on this one verse alone. 

 

I.             THE PRECEPT:  Stand fast…

 

A.   This command from Paul was the primary action the Galatians needed to obey.

 

B.   Stand fast

1.    Strong (4734):  to be stationary, persevere

2.    Thayer:  to stand firm, to persist, keep one’s standing

3.    Vine:  stand fast

 

C.   Illustrations:

1.    An old oak tree standing firm in a storm

 

 

2.    A linebacker on a football team who fills the gap even when being blocked

 

 

3.    An army in a valley that will not allow the enemy to pass

 

 

II.           THE PLACE:  …in the liberty…

 

A.   Paul wanted the Galatians Christians to stand fast in their Christian liberty.

 

B.   It was Paul who had taken the gospel to the Galatians.

1.    The truth he preached was designed to set these individuals free (John 8:32).

 

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

2.    This freedom encompassed many things.

a.    They were free from the bondage of Satan.

b.    They were free from the bondage of sin.

c.    They were free from the bondage of self.

d.    They were free from the bondage of servitude to the law of Moses.

 

C.   In the book of Galatians, we find that this freedom was under attack. 

1.    Sadly, the Galatians were leaving their freedom for bondage. 

2.    This is why he exhorted them to stand fast in their Christian liberty.

 

III.         THE PERSON:  …wherewith Christ hath made us free…

 

A.   Paul reminded the Galatians that Jesus Christ enabled them to be free. 

 

B.   During His early ministry, Jesus taught about the freedom He came to bring (John 8:36).

 

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

 

C.   Numerous passages teach about our being freed, saved, and delivered.

1.    “For he that is dead is freed from sin” (Rom. 6:7).

2.    “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held…” (Rom. 7:6).

3.    “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world…” (Gal. 1:4).

4.    “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness…” (Col. 1:13).

5.    “Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling…” (2 Tim. 1:9).

 

D.   The freedom that is found in Christ was not cheaply obtained.  It cost God the Father His Son.  It cost the Son His life (Gal. 3:13-14).

 

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us:  for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:  that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

 

IV.         THE PROBLEM:  …and be not entangled again…

 

A.   Paul also notes the problem that had developed in the churches of Galatia.  Instead of being free, they were being entangled.

 

B.   Entangled:

1.    Strong (1758): to hold in, ensnare

2.    Thayer:  to be held, ensnare

3.    Vine:  to hold in

 

C.   They were being ensnared by false teachers who had entered into their midst.

1.    “…but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” (Gal. 1:7).

2.    Paul was greatly upset that these false teachers who were having such an impact on these Christians

a.    Galatians 1:6

 

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.

 

b.    Galatians 4:17

 

They zealously affect you, but not well…

 

D.   He longed for these false teachers to be cut off from them (Gal. 5:12).

 

I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

 

V.           THE PRISON:  …in the yoke of bondage.

 

A.   The prison into which the false teachers were trying to take the Galatians was the prison of the Old Law.  Paul refers to it as “the yoke of bondage.”

 

B.   Paul had done battle with these men in the past in the city of Jerusalem.

1.    They sought to bind the law on the Gentiles (Acts 15:5).  One of the main aspects of the law they tried to bind was circumcision (Acts 15:1).

2.    Paul did not give them place by subjection then, and he was not about to do it now (See Gal. 2:5).

 

C.   Over and over in the book, Paul reveals that the Law of Moses is no longer authoritative (Gal. 3:23-25).

 

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by the faith.  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

 

1.    There was a time when the Law of Moses was operative.  It was “before faith came,” that is, is was before the New Testament of Jesus Christ was ratified.

2.    The purpose of the law was to act as a “schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ” and His new covenant.

3.    Once that covenant was ratified by the blood of Jesus on Calvary, we were “no longer under a schoolmaster.”

 

D.   Paul warned them that returning to the law would cause them to lose their salvation (Gal. 5:4).

 

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

 

E.   No wonder Paul exhorted them to stand fast in their Christian liberty.  This was a matter of life and death.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We have only touched the hem of the garment with regard to them theme of the book of Galatians.

 

B.   However, we can see how the key verse reminds us of that theme and sums up the theme in a few short words.

 

C.   We, like Paul, want all men to be free in Christ.

1.    False Christ’s will not save.

2.    Man-made religious will not save.

3.    Man cannot save himself by his humanly contrived works.

 

D.   Freedom, that is, salvation, can only be found through Christ (Acts 4:12).

 

Neither is there salvation in any other:  for there is none other name under heaven given among men, where by we must be saved.