So according to my previous video/article, God subjects us to vanity, sin, disobedience, and death in order to SET US FREE from those things THROUGH AND ONLY THROUGH Christ’s death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection.
This is why Paul says in Galatians 5:1 that “For freedom Christ free us!” Does that mean we can do whatever we want and still be saved? I’ll ask and answer that question at the end of this article.
First, lets look at the immediate context of Galatians 5:1. Does Paul say that Christ frees us so that we can no longer sin? No, that is not the context. Paul explains what we are free from in verses 2 through 6. In short, we are free from law…the do’s and don’t do’s of life. Paul says that if the Galatians go back to law, they are EXEMPTED from Christ.
You see, Christ completes justification for us through completing the law perfectly, dying on the cross for our sins, being entombed, and resurrected by God. In spirit, we are awaiting the expectation of rightousness by faith. Any attempt on our part to complete the law to be justified or maintain the law to be justified IS spitting in the face of Christ’s accomplishment. He did what we could not do and He justifies us. In spirit, we have these promises. Doing anything of ourselves (flesh) in order to earn or maintian salvation is OUTSIDE the spirit that saves us.
We fall out of grace, not by sinning, but by attempting to follow the rules that religion claims will earn or maintain your salvation. These acts of flesh trust in ‘self’ and not in the grace of God through Christ. It is not possible to fall out of grace by sinning because were sin increases, grace superexceeds (Romans 5:20).
2 Lo! I, Paul, am saying to you that if you should be circumcising, Christ will benefit you nothing. 3 Now I am attesting again to every man who is circumcising, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Exempted from Christ were you who are being justified in law. You fall out of grace. 5 For we, in spirit, are awaiting the expectation of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision is availing anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith, operating through love. – Galatians 5: 2-6
It is vitally important to understand what ‘In spirit’ means in order to truly understand our freedom. Maybe more specifically, to understand what the ‘Spirit’ enable us to do.
12 Now we obtained, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we may be perceiving that which is being graciously given to us by God… -1 Corinthians 2:12
You see, the spirit isn’t about doing, its about knowing. The Spirit of God causes us to perceive (know) what has been done for us by Christ. That is precisely why we can be sinning and behaving poorly and still have all that is Christ’s. Our treasures are dependent on Christ’s accomplishment for humanity and not our ability to sin or not sin.
Religion attempts to make salvation dependent upon ‘our behavior’ or ‘our faith’ and fails to trust in Christ’s accomplishment. Religion substitutes fleshly acts of self-rightousness and holds this above the ‘in spirit’ that relies on Christ’s accomplishment. Worse yet, the religious make a human act of flesh (free-will) the prerequisite to enter into Christ. They always bring it back to law…do this and be saved, don’t do this and be damned. This puts flesh above spirit.
We know that what Christ did, He did for the whole human race. That is why the apostle Paul compares Jesus to Adam. Death and condemnation was put on every human because of Adam. The human didn’t make a ‘free-will’ choice or ‘sin’ in order to get death from Adam. No, humanity inherited death from Adam.
In the exact same way, not by any ‘free-will’ choice nor human act of righteousness, we inherit justification and life from Christ. Humanity inherits justification and life from Christ, by no act of their own.
Christ gives justification and life to the exact same all that Adam gave condemnation and death…and in the exact same way: separate from any and all human behavior. That is why Christ is greater than Adam, because He saves all that Adam lost. The following verses make this clear:
18 Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life’s justifying. 19 For even as, through the disobedience of the one man, the many were constituted sinners, thus also, through the obedience of the One, the many shall be constituted just. -Romans 5: 18-19
21 For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead. 22 For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. -1 Corinthians 15: 21-22
Simple. One either believes scripture or they don’t. You either believe that Christ accomplishes salvation and justification (spirit) or you believe in fleshly human achievement (religion).
Everything we have is because of Christ’s behavior. Therfore, we are FREE from our behavior ever putting us out of the favor of God. God is at peace with us because of CHRIST (2 Corinthians 5: 18-19), not our human behavior in some how achieving Christ.
Grace is underserved favor from God. What we do not deserve is ours in Christ, in spirit. Any attempt to earn something that we wouldn’t have if we acted a certain way or made a certain decision…IS NOT GRACE and therefore, IS NOT IN SPIRIT. Christianity has made a living on telling you what YOU MUST DO in order to earn spirit. Spirit is not earned…it is accomplished by CHRIST.
This is why Paul can say in Romans 8:1 that there is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus and that all is allowed us in 1 Corinthians 6:12. If you are condemned in doing something or prohibited from salvation because of something you did, then obviously not all is allowed you. Paul says that there is no condemnation and that all is allowed us because in Christ we have perfect behavior no matter what we do in the flesh. If you think prohibitions of ‘you can’t do’ or compliance of ‘you better do’ effect the perfect behavior you have in Christ, then you simple are not trusting in Christ nor His cross.
Okay, Scott, so what about faith? Surly we have to believe this in order for this grace to apply to us. Surly we must accept and act right in order to receive these gifts that are ‘in spirit.’ No sir, no mam!
Remember, being in spirit means knowing what has been done for us by Christ. Therefore, if a faith decision, rejection, or any act on our part blocks our salvation, then obviously it wasn’t done for us. As a result, the faith decision, rejection or act is NOT IN SPIRIT. Again, religion makes its living on making what has been done by Christ contingent upon what you do. This is FALSE.
Again, so what about faith? Faith is simply the realization of Christ’s completed work. Faith gives us knowledge of what is true, but does not make something true. The Christian will say that Christ saved you by His death, but then say Christ didn’t save you if you don’t respond properly. So, which it? Did Christ save us or didn’t He?
Sinner: Did Christ die for sin?
Mr. Christian: Yes, He did.
Sinner: Sweet! So I am saved. See you later.
Mr. Christian: Wait, you have to accept that Jesus died for your sin and start living better.
Sinner: What if I don’t?
Mr. Christian: Well then, you are not saved.
Sinner: Huh? I thought you said Jesus died for my sin?
Mr. Christian: No, He only died for you if you believe He died for you.
Sinner: So Christ’s death actually accomplished nothing for me unless I make it true by my own belief?
In the conversation above, Mr. Christian has taken away Christ’s accomplishment and challenges the sinner’s flesh to respond ‘out of spirit’ in order to gain Christ. Mr. Christian fails the test of the spirit. Being ‘in spirit’ is knowing what Christ has done for us, but according to Mr. Christian, Christ has done nothing for you without YOUR contribution and that is how you know it is not ‘in spirit.’
The bottom line and I’ll say this again, faith does not make something true or false. I’m sitting here drinking a cup of coffee, whether you believe that or not does not change the fact. Faith is belief in something that is true regardless of whether you believe it or not.
Faith is a realization of the complete work of Christ. It benefits us to know what Christ has accomplished for us because we can revel in it now and we have a special, early salvation. Unbelievers will simply come to this realization later through judgement.
10 (for for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers. -1 Timothy 4:10
Faith and judgement are part of the salvation process and it is God that gives both. The ability to believe or not believe is not a human fleshly act of free-will. Instead, one can only believe if God has given that person faith to believe that Christ saved them. If God does not grant belief, then that person will not believe and will come to know Christ’s completed work through judgement.
3 For I am saying, through the grace which is given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to be overweening, beyond what your disposition must be, but to be of a sane disposition, as God parts to each the measure of faith. – Romans 12:3
So there you have it. We are free from all condemnaton, all things are allowed us, all things are clean to us. That is why we truly have freedom that Christ freed us for. Our salvation does not come from anything we do or don’t do, but is completely wrapped up in Christ’s death for Sin, His entombment, and His resurrection. Christ completed salvation for all and we contributed nothing.
Now, back to the question I asked at the beginning of this article. Does this mean we can do whatever we want? Yes, it does. Because if Christ accomplished it…it is accomplished…for you…for me…for all. However, once one truly comes to this realization…a realization that only comes from God given faith, that person only wants to live a life of thanksgiving to God and Christ.
Why would you want to act in a way that disrespects the one that gave you this freedom. It’s like someone freeing you from a desparate situation and you immediately attacking that person. See, God doesn’t desire our good works under probation or threat of losing Christ. God does not dangle the prize of salvation in our face waiting for us to earn His favor. God desires our thanksgiving and outflow of love that is unhindered by the compulsion of law.
The Christian or religious person only attempts to act right or do good deeds under threat of punishment. This is not an outflow of love and thanksgiving, but instead it is a loveless act of fear and duty.
Paul, our apostle to the nations, says that grace drives our behavior. If grace drives our behavior, then we must have this grace regardless of our behavior. Otherwise, the motivation would be reward or punishment and not grace. Paul realizes and teaches that we are saved apart from any and all behavior. This realization causes us to behave because if we don’t, we still have the grace.
12 For our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, yet more superabundantly toward you. -2 Corinthians 1: 12
So again, are we free to act however we want? Yes, because we are saved by Christ’s act and not ours. However, I contend that anyone that even asks this question has not understood the grace of God through Christ Jesus. Why? Because anyone that has experienced this grace would only want to show thanksgiving and appreciation for what Christ has done.
Thank you Christ Jesus, You truly are the successful Savior of the world!
Grace and peace to you all.
Saved ignoble 
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