Grace in Galatians (Part 135): Not a License to Sin, But A Mandate To Serve!
Today, we continue our series entitled "Living the Grace Life," where we will learn to embrace and walk in God's unmerited, unearned, and often undeserved favor throughout 2025.
As part of this series, I am teaching a verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Galatians.
Key scriptures for this year:
(2 Corinthians 9:8 TPT)
"Yes, God is more than ready to overwhelm you with every form of grace, so that you will have more than enough of everything—every moment and in every way. He will make you overflow with abundance in every good thing you do."
(Galatians 5:4 TPT)
"If you want to be made right with God by fulfilling the obligations of the law, you have cut off more than your flesh—you have cut yourselves off from Christ and have fallen away from the revelation of grace!"
(Romans 6:14 ERV)
"Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God's grace."
(1 Corinthians 15:10 CEV)
"But God treated me with undeserved grace! He made me what I am, and his grace wasn't wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God's grace at work and not me."
Scripture we will study today:
(Galatians 5:13-15 TPT)
"Beloved ones, God has called us to live a life of freedom in the Holy Spirit. But don’t view this wonderful freedom as an opportunity to set up a base of operations in the natural realm. Freedom means that we become so completely free of self-indulgence that we become servants of one another, expressing love in all we do. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' But if you continue to criticize and come against each other over minor issues, you’re acting like wild beasts trying to destroy one another! be careful that you don’t bite and devour each other."
(Galatians 5:13-15 ERV)
"My brothers and sisters, God called you to be free, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful self. Serve each other with love. The whole law is made complete in this one command: 'Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.' If you go on hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful, or you will completely destroy each other."
Supporting scriptures:
(1 Peter 2:16 NLT)
"For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil."
(Romans 13:8 NLT)
"Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law."
(Romans 13:10 NKJV)
"Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
Setting the Stage:
Yesterday, we discussed the offense of the cross and how pure grace often makes religious people angry because it removes their ability to boast in their own performance. We learned that we must stand firm in our liberty and not allow legalists to bring us back under the yoke of bondage. Paul makes this very clear.
However, whenever you preach the message that some people call radical grace, there is always a risk. The risk is that people will misunderstand this freedom and think it gives them a "license to sin." Paul knew this. He anticipated the argument. After spending five chapters fighting for our freedom from the Law, he now pivots to make sure we don't abuse that freedom.
Paul clarifies that while we are free from the Law's supervision, we are not free to live in sin. We were called to freedom, not to the desires of the flesh! We were liberated from the Law so we could be bound to love. Grace doesn't free you to sin; grace frees you from sin so you can serve God and others from a heart of love.
So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. You Were Called to Freedom, But We Must Understand That God’s Freedom Has a Purpose.
Paul says, "God has called us to live a life of freedom... But don’t view this wonderful freedom as an opportunity to set up a base of operations in the natural realm." This is critical! Freedom is your calling, but your freedom is a tool, and tools can be misused and/or abused.?
How this applies to you:
— The purpose of grace is not to give you a "pass" to do whatever your flesh wants to do. That is not liberty; that is rebellion.
— When you use grace as an excuse to sin, you are setting up a "base of operations in the natural realm," and you are giving the enemy space and influence in your life. You are giving the flesh a foothold and you are leaving the door open for satan to destroy areas of your life.
— While it is true that sin cannot unravel your righteousness (if you are truly Born-Again), sin can, most certainly, unravel your life. You may be saved, but you will have to deal with the consequences of your decisions and actions.
— True freedom is not just the absence of rules; it is the presence of power. Grace gives you the power to say "NO" to sin and "YES" to righteousness, not because you have to (under the Law), but because you want to (under Grace).
— If your definition of "grace" leads you closer to the world and further from God, you don't have a revelation of grace; you have a misunderstanding of it..
— God called you to freedom so you could be free to serve Him, free to love others, and free to fulfill your purpose without the weight of guilt and condemnation.
— Don't use your liberty to serve yourself. Use your liberty to serve God and others!
— We are called to live from the inside out. When the Holy Spirit is leading you, He will never lead you to violate the character of God.
2. Love is the Fulfillment of the Law.
This is one of the most powerful statements in the New Testament. Paul says, "For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.'" Wait a minute! Paul just spent chapters telling us we are not under the Law. Now he tells us how to fulfill it? Yes!
How this applies to you:
— We are not under the Law of Moses (the code of 613 commandments), but we are under the Law of Christ, which is the law of Love.
— When you walk in love, you accidentally fulfill the moral requirements of the Law. Think about it: If you love your neighbor, will you steal from him? No. Will you kill him? No. Will you sleep with his wife? No.
— The Law restrained evil from the outside, but Love transforms behavior from the inside. God’s love changes your heart.
— You don't need a rule book to tell you not to hurt someone you love. Relationship supersedes rules.
— When you are led by the Spirit, you walk in love. And when you walk in love, you are living a life that is higher than the standard of the Law.
— Legalism focuses on "What am I allowed to do?" Love focuses on "How can I serve and bless others?"
— Stop worrying about breaking rules and start focusing on walking in love. If you get the love part right, the lifestyle part will follow!
3. Strife is the Evidence of Flesh, Not Grace.
Paul gives a stern warning: "But if you continue to criticize and come against each other over minor issues, you’re acting like wild beasts... be careful that you don’t bite and devour each other." It is no coincidence that Paul brings this up right after discussing legalism.
How this applies to you:
— Legalism breeds judgment, criticism, and strife. When people are focused on performance, they constantly compare themselves to others. "I'm doing better than him," or "She isn't holy enough."
— This type of thinking on the inside eventually manifests in bitterness, arguments, and explosive interactions on the outside. Whereas when you're focused on love and grace, you are quick to overlook or provide more tolerance and compassion for those who are imperfect because you know how imperfect you are.
— I had taught you before about avoiding the comparison trap. The comparison trap leads to "biting and devouring." Churches that are heavy on the Law are often heavy on gossip and conflict.
— Grace produces peace and unity. When you realize you are only righteous because of Jesus, you have no room to look down on anyone else (especially since you realize how flawed you are).
— If your life is characterized by strife, arguing, and tearing people down, you are not walking in the Spirit; you are walking in the flesh.
— We are called to be servants of one another, not judges of one another.
— The world is watching. If we destroy one another over theological arguments and minor preferences, we lose our witness. Unfortunately, YouTube is full of Christian talking heads that dedicate their entire channel to tearing down other Christians. They can try to justify it however they want, but this is not the Law of love.
— Choose to be a person of grace and peace. Use your words to build up, not to tear down. Seek to minister grace to others daily.
4. Freedom is the Power to Serve.
Paul redefines freedom for us. He says, "Freedom means that we become so completely free of self-indulgence that we become servants of one another." The world thinks freedom means "I can do what I want." The Kingdom teaches that freedom means "I am free to serve you."
How this applies to you:
— You are so secure in your relationship with God that you don't have to fight for status. This security frees you to take the low place and serve others. This is a lesson I learned from one of my mentors in the Army. A guy named Les Cornwall. Les went out of his way to build up my reputation once his reputation was established. Every time I saw him do this, he said, "Rick, everybody already knows who I am, and I'm already solid. I'm already settled." Now my job is to make sure that people recognize who you are. That lesson has been serving me for almost 30 years now.
— God has given me a good name in the military, in ministry, and in the marketplace. Since I already know that my name is established and settled, I spend most days trying to build up and support other people. I take the low place and put the spotlight on them because I'm settled in who I am.
— Selfishness is a form of bondage. When you are obsessed with your own needs, your own rights, and your own feelings, you are not free; you are a slave to self.
— Grace breaks the chains of selfishness. It empowers you to look outward instead of inward.
— Jesus is the ultimate example. He had all power and all authority, yet He took a towel and washed His disciples' feet. That is freedom.
— Don't use your liberty to indulge your flesh. Use your liberty to serve your spouse, your children, your church, and your community.
— Service is the highest use of your freedom. When you serve others in love, you are demonstrating that you are truly a son/daughter of God.
— Live free, love hard, and serve well. That’s #TheGraceLife!
That's enough for today.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for calling me to a life of freedom in the Holy Spirit!
I declare that I am free from the bondage of the Law and free from the guilt of sin.
However, I refuse to use my freedom as a license to sin or an excuse for the flesh.
I do not set up a base of operations for the enemy in my life; I yield my members to righteousness!
I choose to walk in the Law of Love. I love my neighbor as myself, and in doing so, I fulfill Your will.
I reject strife, criticism, and judgment. I will not bite and devour my brothers and sisters.
I use my liberty to serve others in love, following the example of Jesus.
I am free from selfishness, free from pride, and free to be a blessing to my generation.
The Holy Spirit leads me from the inside out, empowering me to live holy and acceptable in Your sight.
I am living the Grace Life, walking in love, and GREATER IS COMING FOR ME!
I declare this by faith. In Jesus' name. Amen!
This is Today's Word. Apply it and prosper!
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