Be Free - Live Free (Galatians 4:9)

Not long ago when you were lost, you were bound in your sin.  Your sin nature controlled you just as a bound prisoner is controlled by his captors.  You did not decide to sin, sin decided for you and you did as it pleased.  As you continued in this state, your heart became heavy and burdensome.  You longed for relief from hurt and for something better.  You did not know what it was, but innately you longed for it anyway.  Then God began to bring truth to you.  For moments of time, your blinded eyes were open and you began to see a hope for your state of bondage.  Then on that most memorable day, the truth removed the callousness of your heart and the scales from your eyes to the blinding beautiful light of the gospel and you became free.  For the first time, you could live without succumbing to the dictates of your sin nature.  You began to enjoy life in a way previously unimaginable and it all came about with your liberty in Christ.

The Galatians experienced the same thing, but instead of continually enjoying the liberty that they had in Christ, they allowed themselves to be brought again into bondage.  They again embraced the law as a manner of completing them spiritually.  How did this happen and why were they able to be led away from truth?

One key from scripture that reveals why people allow themselves to be brought again into bondage is fear (Gal. 2:12).  Even Peter himself because of fear gave in and placed himself under the law.  Fear of rejection, fear of failure and fear of being in error can all be motivators.  People who before salvation lived under some of these types of the afore mentioned fears are likely candidates for submitting to bondage.  Another cause for bondage to occur is because a leader attempts to promote himself among those he seeks to lead into bondage or to promote himself among his own peers (Gal. 4:17).  

Have you placed yourself back into bondage?  Ask yourself, "What am I doing to make myself justified before God or man?  What rigid code am I following to make me appear just or justified before my peers?"  You may believe in eternal security and may resist law keeping in order to attain salvation, but by what standard do you measure your spirituality or by what standard do you allow others to measure you?  If it is by anything other than recognizing the fruit of the spirit in your life (Gal. 5:22-23) you are in bondage.  The fruit of the Holy Spirit will reveal God's holiness in your life.  Paul condemns using liberty as an occasion for the flesh, but does promote godly living. 

You can live free from the bondage of sin and God wants to assure that you never again come into bondage either to sin or any other entity.  Decide today to be free and live free.