After defending the doctrine of justification by faith, the Apostle Paul now shows how justification by faith secures freedom in Christ. Freedom in Christ is received by faith in Christ to live as children of God through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. As Paul has already shown in his letter, freedom in Christ is not legalism, which seeks to earn God's favor. But on the flip side, freedom Christ is also not libertinism, which seeks to abuse God's favor. Rather, freedom in Christ seeks to live in God's favor and primarily expresses itself in love for others.