Galatians 5:1 Stand Firm in Christ, For You Have Been Set Free

Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Christ set you free from the condemnation and demands of the Law so that you would be fee to live for him, not so that you would return again to the bondage of the Law. You are a child of the free woman (4:31) so that you can live as one who is free. While this is freedom from the Law, it also includes freedom from sin; since “when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness” (Romans 6:16). Paul will cover this in more depth later, so it will suffice for now just to mention it. However, this does show that the only way of freedom is to walk by faith in Christ seeking to put to death the deeds of the flesh—for if you submit yourself once again to either sin or the Law, you become enslaved. (More on this later, as Paul gets to it).

What must you do to remain free? Paul makes it clear: one, keep standing firm; and two, do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Standing firm means being “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). God is going to reward you; so standing firm means you hope and trust in the eternal reward in Christ, not being “tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14), and by legalists and those who seek to enslave you to false hopes (either in promises of freedom under sin—such as those who say that homosexuality is freeing to the one who practices it, or to those who claim freedom comes when you release your mind—such as in Easter religions and mystical experiences). You must stand firm in the whole counsel of the Word of God (cf. 2 Timothy 2:15).

Stand firm encouraging one another in the same spirit (Philippians 1:27). Seek to edify one another by “speaking the truth in love…[so that you may] grow up in all aspects into… Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). This means you must rebuke, reprove, exhort, and encourage one another, seeking the purity of doctrine and lifestyle. You must also stand firm in the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) against the schemes of the enemy and against sin. You must both flee temptation and resist sinning when you are tempted. Finally, to stand firm, recognize that it is God “who establishes [or makes you stand firm]… you in Christ and anointed us… who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22). Trust in God to keep you and pray that He might grant you to stand firm in the faith and to endure to the end.

You must also reject turning again to the yoke of slavery. The yoke of Christ is light and is not burdensome, for His Spirit, through patient-effort on our parts, gives us the necessary strength and desire to do the will of Christ (Matthew 11:28-30). This being filled with the Spirit takes time, as sin still dwells in our flesh; so do not be discouraged that Christ’s commands may seem burdensome for a while, for as you continue to practice them they will become an extension of who you are and will become natural. The yoke of slavery to the Law, on the other hand, is extremely burdensome, both to your conscience, as it condemns you, and to keep, as outward keeping of the Law does not affect the inward man, and so is not and will not become natural.

Resisting the yoke of slavery will piggyback standing firm in the hope you have in Christ and in the teaching of the Word that you received. These two must be held onto together to keep you in the faith that you will endure to the end. If you do not stand firm in the faith but turn again to slavery to the Law, Christ will not profit you, and you will stand before God in your own merits (Galatians 5:2).