In the sermon titled 'Freedom: Not An Opportunity for the Flesh,' David Green explores the message in Galatians 5:13-15, emphasizing the importance of understanding Christian freedom. The speaker warns against using freedom as an excuse for sinful behavior, urging believers to serve one another in love. The sermon discusses the false teachers in Galatia who sought to enslave believers with legalism, contrasting this with the true freedom in Christ. Green illustrates the concept of freedom with a story about immigrants, highlighting that freedom has limitations and responsibilities. He underscores that Christian freedom is not for indulging the flesh but for serving others, as demonstrated by Jesus' example of washing his disciples' feet. The sermon also emphasizes the continuity between Jesus’ and Paul’s teachings regarding the importance of love and the law, explaining that true love for one's neighbor fulfills the law. Green warns against division within the church, advocating for unity and love among believers. He concludes by urging Christians to actively participate in church life to genuinely serve one another.

You can go ahead and open up your copy of God's Word to Galatians chapter 5 Galatians chapter 5 and We will read for our text tonight verses 13 through 15 Galatians 5 verses 13 through 15 Says here for You were called to freedom brothers Only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another." There's a lot to consider in these verses here this evening. So I've titled this sermon, not an opportunity for the flesh. Freedom not an opportunity for the flesh.

Those false teachers who had come in to the churches of Galatia were trying to keep them in slavery but God had called them to freedom and while they were to stand fast in that freedom they were to stand fast in that freedom that Christ had set us free that's what Galatians 5 one said they were to stand firm there and did not be subject again to the yoke of slavery while all that was true they needed to be cautious about the abuse of freedom. So it is, Not only with the churches of Galatia, but every generation that has come since then including you and I We must take heed we've got to pay attention to this. We do have freedom in Christ. And just like those churches of Galatia, we have been called to freedom. Only let us not turn this freedom into an opportunity for the flesh.

In other words, we're Free but we're not free to sin We are free But we're not free to live Like the world We're free but we're free in Christ. We're not free in the living of the world. There are limitations to freedom and just about everybody understands this. Sometimes, sometimes it takes a little bit of a lesson to learn it. It's kind of like this, two immigrants came to America as soon as they got here they got off the boat and when they got off the boat they the one was so happy to be in America, he said, oh I'm so thrilled to be here in the land of the free.

His buddy said, yeah it's a great place to be. The one looked at the other and just popped him, punched him right in the nose. He said I've been dying to do that. His friend rubbing his nose said why in the world did you do that he said because this is the land of the free this I'm free I'm free to do this and his buddy and his buddy said well maybe you are but your freedom ends where my nose begins you see You're not free to just go around and punch people in the nose. You're not free to do stuff like that.

And so it is in the Christian life. You and I, we have limitations. We have things that we're supposed to do and ways we're supposed to live in ways. We're not supposed to live I've been preaching here in Galatians and While I study hanging over my desk in my study back there here at the house is the Ten Commandments the part of the Mosaic law is that just a relic of a bygone era Am I a hypocrite for Living in this age of grace while having those Ten Commandments on the wall? In other words, in this age of grace, in this freedom that we have, am I, are you free to serve other gods?

Go go with me over there to Exodus chapter 20 sometimes we Forget about the Ten Commandments Well, let's look at them and just go go through them one by one just briefly here. Exodus chapter 20 Verse 3 you shall have no other gods before me in my now free to have other gods before Yahweh, before our God? Am I free to, as verse 2 says, make a graven image to bow down before it? Am I free in verse 7 to take the name of Yahweh our God in vain? Am I free to profane the Sabbath day, to break the fourth commandment there, just because we're on this side of the cross, because we're under the new covenant, because we're in freedom.

Am I free? Am I free? Verse 12 To dishonor my parents are you free to dishonor your parents? How about verse 13, the sixth commandment. Do we have freedom as Christians being free in Christ are we free to murder?

Or the seventh commandment are we free to commit adultery? Is it free reign on whatever kind of sex we want? Pornography fornication Pedophilia bestiality whatever I mean it's all out there are we free to have it? Verse 15 says you shall not steal. Am I free to take your wallet?

Are you free to take my wallet? How about the ninth commandment? Says you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Am I free to bear false witness? Should Christians be known for telling the truth?

Or are we free to tell whatever we want? And then the tenth commandment coveting Your neighbor's house neighbor's wife His male slave his female slave, his ox or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Am I free to covet? No. Absolutely not.

Yeah, I'm not free to do those things and neither are you we are not to use our liberty our freedom for the flesh to fulfill our sinful appetites Peter put it this way in first Peter chapter 2 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 16, he says, He says, act as free people and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as slaves of God. Don't use your freedom as a covering for evil. You know what one of the problems is with our country is that in America people don't understand that there's limitations to freedom because they've drifted away from the Word of God they've gone away from God's law and God's rules And that's why there's all sorts of a mess going on in our country. I don't have freedom to kill an unborn baby and neither do you. Even if that little baby is inside of your womb.

I don't have freedom to redefine marriage from what God has given it as a man and a woman, And neither does anybody else, not even the Supreme Court. They can't redefine that. And so we have to beware of the antinomian spirit. That spirit that says the law does not matter anymore. That I can do whatever I want because I'm a grown adult and I'm free in Christ and who cares what the Bible says who cares what Christianity says who cares what our forefathers said I'm going to do this and I'm going to do that and I'm going to do and on and on they go Jesus himself when He came on the scene said this in Matthew chapter 5.

Matthew chapter 5 and verses 17 through 20. Matthew chapter 5 verses 17 through 20 he said, Do not think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you until heaven and earth pass away, Not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the law until all is accomplished Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same He's talking by the way about teaching either in a classroom setting I believe or by your actions if you by your actions teach the next generation that the law of God that God's Word does not matter then what's he saying here Whosoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches them he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven for I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." He says, yes God's law matters.

I've not come to abolish it, I've not come to destroy it. Some people try to pit Jesus against Paul and Paul against Jesus, but they both are the same in their teaching. Jesus was going against the Pharisees and their rigid rules and regulations and they're made up additions to the Word of God. Paul was doing very much the same thing. Taking the Law of God and making it something that it was never intended to be.

The law of God was never meant to be something for salvation. It was never meant to be something for justification. It was never meant to be something for sanctification. But it is a standard. We have to understand that.

To understand that. When Jesus said unless your righteousness surpassed that of the scribes and Pharisees you will not enter in the kingdom of heaven." The people there would have said, how in the world can anybody enter into the kingdom of heaven? Because outwardly the scribes and Pharisees had it all going for them. But that was just it. It was on the outside.

The only way to surpass the scribes and Pharisees is when you are in Christ. Paul's going to get to some of that here in a while in his letter. You who've read ahead you know what I'm talking about but let's go back to our text there in Galatians chapter 5 and verse 13 He says for you were called to freedom brothers no question of it you were called to freedom who did that calling not Paul we're called there by Christ and when are we called we're called it there when we're saved only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh but through love serve one another. Christian freedom is not for selfish fulfillment. We're not to Take our freedom to satisfy the lusts of the flesh, but rather through love serve one another.

This is Christianity 101. The world don't revolve around me and it don't revolve around you either in fact look at how Jesus taught the disciples there in John chapter 13 John chapter Chapter 13 John chapter 13 I was going to start reading at verse 3, but I want us to start reading at verse 1 so we can get the full context here. John 13, beginning at verse 1, it says, Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour had come, that he would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. Isn't that precious? Oh, hang your hat there and pillow yourself to sleep on that tonight.

But look here, and during supper the devil, having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, laid aside his garments, taking a towel, he tied it around himself. Then he poured water into the wash basin and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel which he had tied around himself. So he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus answered and said to him, What I am doing you do not realize now, but you will understand afterwards. Peter said to him, You will never wash my feet ever Jesus answered him if I do not wash you you have no part with me Simon Peter Said to him Lord not my feet only but also my hands in my head Jesus said to him he who has bathed Needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean and you are clean but not all of you.

For he knew the one who was betraying him for this reason he said not all of you are clean. So when he had washed their feet and taken his garments and reclined at the table again he said to them do you know what I have done to you? You call me teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then the Lord and the teacher washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

Truly, truly I say to you a slave is not greater than his master nor is one who was sent greater than the one who sent him. Jesus in this great example washed the disciples feet, but I want you to notice something among those who were there those who he washed. It's one thing to think about the fact that Jesus the very creator of the world, God of the universe, was willing to stoop down and wash the feet of mere man. It's quite another thing to think about the fact that among these men was Judas Iscariot. And even though the other disciples were totally ignorant of what was going on, Jesus knew that this Judas was an impostor.

How could they know he preached like the other Apostles. He went to church, assembled with the others. He amen like the others. He sang like the others. In fact they trusted him so much that he was their treasurer.

Their treasurer. Peter, James, John, and the others, they had no clue, but Jesus knew. And yet, he washed even Judas' feet. You were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Through love serve one another. Pretty filthy thing to wash someone else's feet, but serving one another. That's the idea that's given here. In love. In love.

The best way that we as Christians can serve one another is by being an active member of the Lord's Church. In 1st Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 26 1st Corinthians chapter 12 starting in verse 22 actually, He says on the contrary how much more is it that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary those members of the body which we think are as less honorable On those we bestow more abundant honor and are less presentable members become much more presentable whereas our more presentable members have no such need but God has so composed the body giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked so that there be no division in the body but that the members may have the same care for one another and if one member suffers all the members suffer with it if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ's body and individually members of it. And so while it may be true that there are other Christians outside of the church, the fact is that the best way for a Christian to serve another Christian is by being an active member in one of the Lord's churches and this is laid out here in 1st Corinthians.

We're compared to being a body. The body works together. This is God's design. God has never intended for a Christian to be a loner for a Christian to Be off by himself or herself Going through life That's just not the design indeed Christian Who is not a member of one of the Lord's churches ought to be a member, ought to join a member, ought to join a church, one of the Lord's churches, and not only should they join, but they need to be active in it and participate meaning they need to be in the assembly when the church assembles church service on Sunday morning you ought to be there Church service on Wednesday night you ought to be there unless somehow providentially hindered Whether it's distance or sickness or something like that But understand beloved that It ought not to be your habit to miss. And you ought to support the church.

And you're not giving your tithe if you're giving it somewhere else. Don't send it to John MacArthur. Don't send it to another church that you're not a member of. Don't give it to G3. Don't send it to a missionary.

Give it the way God has designed it. Be an active member of the church. So that through love you can serve one another. Christian freedom is not for selfish fulfillment. And that's what Paul is bringing out here in Galatians.

So if we go back to our text, Galatians chapter 5, He says, for the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this you shall love your neighbor as yourself. As Paul penned these words, he had of course the law in his mind. That's been what this whole epistle has been about. The legalists who had come into the churches, they had externals in mind. They said, oh in order to be saved you've got to circumcise, you've got to do this this and this and he says hold up a minute.

The whole of the law is fulfilled in one word, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. He's quoting from Leviticus chapter 19. You know, Leviticus, we read through our Bibles and we, you know, usually people get, do pretty good. Genesis, Exodus, and then they get to Leviticus and then they kind of fizzle out But I'm telling you We can glean things even from Leviticus and so Leviticus chapter 19 and verse 18 this is what Paul is quoting from he says here you shall not take vengeance you shall not keep your anger against the sons of your people you shall love your neighbor as yourself I am Yahweh This is what he's quoting from. He may have even had the teachings of our Lord in mind.

Remember in Matthew chapter 22 Remember in Matthew chapter 22, Matthew chapter 22 verses 36 through 40, the scholar of the law from the Pharisees said, Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment in the second is like it you shall love your neighbor as yourself on these two commandments saying the whole law and the prophets So Jesus is saying every one of the commandments can be summed up either on these two. And truly if you think of the Ten Commandments, you've got the first five and you've got the second five. The first five have to do with loving the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind.

And then the last part of the Ten Commandments is about loving your neighbor as yourself. Paul wrote similarly as what he did to the churches of Galatia, he wrote to the church at Rome in Romans chapter 13 verses 9 and 10. Romans 13 verses 9 and 10. Well, let's start with verse 8. O, nothing to anyone except to love one another.

For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet. If there is any other commandment it is summed up in this word, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does not work evil against a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And so what we find here is that again the teachings of Jesus, the teachings of Paul, do not contradict one another.

Do not contradict one another To obey this command One must have perfect love for his neighbor and such love cannot exist a love for your neighbor. This what he's saying here, to love your neighbor as yourself, such love cannot exist in a heart that is not filled with supreme love to God. Indeed, all other commands are so subordinated to the law of love that he who has fulfilled it must be considered to have fulfilled the whole law. You can't separate these two. Show me a person who genuinely loves God, and I'll show you a person who loves others, especially God's people." John said it when he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 1 John chapter 4.

1 John chapter 4. Verses 20 and 21. Verses 20 and 21. If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother. He is a liar.

For the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This commandment we have from him that the one who loves God should love his brother also. Someone can say all day long, I love God, I love Jesus, But if they hate the brethren, if they hate their brothers and sisters in Christ, if they have no desire to be around them, if they despise their company, John says they're a Company John says they're a liar when they say they love gone You see I mean you could go into into the the the the epistle that that John wrote and read it from cover to cover and see how much John brings this up. In fact, in verse 14 of chapter 3 he says we know we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. The one who does not love abides in death.

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. You know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we have known love that he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, How does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but indeed in truth." And so the bottom line is this, that Christianity is not a self-centered lone wolf life.

Not hatred and division and all of those things, but rather It is freedom, and it is love. And we see that being brought out here. And so, as Paul wrote to the Churches of Galatians, Galatians chapter 5. Our text there, verse 13, Our text there verse 13 for you were called to freedom brothers only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another for the whole law is fulfilled in one word in this you shall love your neighbor as yourself But if you bite and devour one another, beware, you are not consumed by one another." So in this final verse, verse 15, what it seems like is going on, Paul had heard of some things going on in the churches of Galatia that involved some dissension, some division, some trouble amongst the brethren and maybe between churches. He warns that such attitudes and behavior would consume them.

You think about it, and we read this letter we often think about Paul's approach to them, but let us remember there had been false teachers that had come in, these legalists. There was great debate that was coming up over what role the law had and whether the Galatian Christians needed to be circumcised and all of that. No doubt there was some serious discord being sowed over the role of the Mosaic Law in the life of the believer. The heresy that was being brought in threatened the life and the unity of the churches. And sometimes this gets spilled over into the public square in our day these sorts of things do through social media we've got to be careful What Paul told the churches of Galatia is true today.

If you bite and devour one another, beware that you're not consumed by one another. It's good to be other. It's good to be passionate over the truth, but watch out. In Jude verse 3, Jude verse 3 says, Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you, exhorting that you Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the Saints We're told to contend for the faith and let's make sure that we do that. Contending for the faith is biblical, but being contentious for tradition is not.

For tradition is not. This ought to give us all pause to think about what we are, what we're passionate about. The things that we want to jump in and fight over. The ground that we're willing or not willing to give up on. A lot of times, many times, perhaps most times, those are things that are issues of tradition, maybe secondary issues, but not issues of the faith.

Paul was contending for the faith. This was issues of salvation. The very gospel was at stake. But he tells them, He tells them in Galatians chapter 5 in verse 15, But if you bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another. This verse is connected, I believe, to verse 13, where he told them, don't use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, through love serve one another.

I believe it's connected to that verse, but also it looks forward to the listing of the works of the flesh. We're not going to get into that tonight, but go ahead and read it, read ahead verses 19 through 21. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident you can see them they're visible sexual immorality impurity sensuality idolatry sorcery enmity strife jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. These words of the flesh is telling that factions, outbursts of anger, dissensions, selfish ambition, those are things that are ranked right up there with sexual immorality, idolatry, sexual immorality, idolatry, sorcery, drunkenness, and such. He tells them, He tells them, If you bite and devour one another, beware that you're not consumed by one another.

As one commentator put it, their conduct was more fitting to wild beasts than brothers in Christ. They were acting like animals. And if there was no resolution soon, nobody, none of these churches, would survive the carnage and for what or what conflict will come disagreements will happen between two individuals that's a fact even two brothers who love the Lord and who love God's Word and love the Lord's Church but our attitudes and our behaviors must reflect our new life in Christ given by the Holy Spirit within us. And you'll only, you'll either rather be driven by the flesh or by the spirit? Which will it be?

Which will it be? Each of us needs to get into this word and look at it not like a microscope or pair of binoculars at our neighbors. We need to look at it as a mirror and consider our own lives, our own hearts. Much more could be said but we'll stop there. Lord willing next week we'll continue on with this in chapter 5 as we continue on in Paul's epistle to the Galatians.

Thank you for your attention.