You Have Been Set Free

Posted by Melissa

Don’t you just love stories about underdogs who fight their way to freedom and end up inspiring others at the same time? It doesn’t matter if it’s real or made up. Such stories never fail to make us smile. And for a little while, life just feels good.

Could it be because it reminds us of our own stories of freedom in Christ? Even though we’re not the heroes of our stories, we win because sin has lost its power over us. We no longer worry about having to be good enough for God.

Read Galatians 4:8-11. Go back and read verse 9 again.

Think about yourself before you knew God. What were you like?

How does knowing God give you freedom?

What could make someone who has been set free go back to his old way of life?

In what areas of your life do you feel the pull to return to old ways of living? Why?

Why was Paul upset about the Galatian Christians observing special times? How could this be a problem?

As a Christian, what are some rules you think you should follow? Why?

Are these rules Scriptural?

The Christian life isn’t supposed to be like writing a paper with a strict rubric to follow. You don’t have to live up to a prescribed set of rules in order to please the Father. Through His grace and in faith, you are given the freedom to grow and be like His Son, Jesus. Paul was writing to people who had accepted Christ, yet had gone back to keeping all the rules and observances of their old religious practice. They had experienced the freedom of Christ through grace and faith and were now making their relationship with Him all about living up to rules. God doesn’t want that from us! Now isn’t that a big relief? Get rid of those rules you cling to and start following Him! He’s set you free. So go and be free!

Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge, Galatians 4, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2011 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission.