Stand fast therefore in the Liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (13) For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (14) for all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (15) But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
The letter to the Galatians was written by the apostle Paul. In our verses today we are told the believer possesses in Christ true liberty – not to walk in sin but to walk and serve in holiness. It is the liberty of our new nature in faith in Christ which gives the Christian power over sin in grace. False teachers followed Paul everywhere to corrupt the gospel. They preached to the Galatians that they had to still keep the law PLUS Jesus. But Christ has made the faithful free from the law – not civil liberty, not liberty to do as we please but because of our redeemer the Christian has freedom from the wrath of God. This is real liberty – that God will forever be merciful to the faithful for Christs’s sake. Because of Christ no law or sin or death may now accuse us and condemn us. Jesus Christ purchased this freedom with His own blood. Our liberty is founded on Christ and is sure as long as we are faithful. So stand fast indeed! Reason prefers the righteousness of the law to the righteousness of faith but the law CANNOT make man righteous before God. This is a matter of everlasting liberty or everlasting slavery.
We have gained liberty through Christ to not turn this liberty into licentiousness; to cater to desires of covetousness, pleasure, pride, envy or carnal living. The faithful have been justified but the flesh is still weak. Paul adds the caveat of mutual love and service. It is not easy to teach faith without works but still to advocate works – if we teach only works we shall lose faith. Our new standing in faith in Christ shall cause good works.
Christ has set the faithful free from the law; free from the dominion of sin; free from good works to gain approval from God; free from condemnation and free from eternal judgment. We are spiritually free in Christ. But Christians are not to use their freedom to indulge their/our sinful nature. Religious freedom is freedom from sin, not freedom to sin. The flesh is the sinful nature that every person, saved or unsaved, possesses. We are not free to sin but by the grace of God, are free not to sin.