Jesus has bought us eternal freedom from having to make excuses for our behaviour.

Salvation can't be lost, but freedom can. We must stand for and defend our faith.

Gal 5:1 - it is possible to return to the yoke of slavery, whether it's the law of Moses or paganism (this is where the Galatians were previously) or any system of 'dos and don'ts'

A good test is to ask ourselves:

'Why do we do the Christian things we do?'

Is it to impress the people around us, is it out of habit, or is it because of the joy of the Lord?!

2 Cor 9:7 gives an example of this principle and should be enacted in our lives and our action and not just our financial giving.

You cannot mix and match Grace and Law.

Gal 5:3 - Once we have justified ourselves, we reduce the value of Christ's sacrifice and we risk being alienated from Christ.

Knowledge of failure -> Fear of punishment -> Grasp of grace -> Cheerfully godly life -> back to Knowledge of Failure (but this time around, because we are saved we no longer fear punishment, but move straight onto the Grasp of Grace.

Cheerfully Godly life =

Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control.

Faith energised love - nothing else can do this!

Gal 5:7 - A few legalists (often people gifted with natural self control) make the rest of us feel guilty

- We feel we ought to do better

- We lose our grip on grace.

Paul says this guilt does not come from Christ. We are called to be free - but we are not to indulge our sinful nature (Tim Keller - "The flesh over desires'). The Holy Spirit initiated our Christian lives, he works to make us more like Jesus, but it is a battle!

In Summary:

For freedom Christ has set us free! - Stand firm!

God loves a cheerful giver.. - don't give in to compulsion and misery.

The only thing that counts.. - is faith expressing itself in love

Keep in step with the Spirit.

1 Kings 19

Listening to God - the still small voice of calm!

Galatians Chapter 8

The next in our series from Galatians

Why do we need the law if we have salvation?

Third in Nick's series on Paul's letter to the Galatians.

Grace is so much more important than the law .....

Galatians Chapter 2

Getting the Gospel right!

God is speaking to me. How can I listen?

I'm totally dependant on God. What can I say?

Who am I trying to please? What shall I pray?

Jesus prepares for the ultimate sacrifice at the garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus prepares for his sacrifice by celebrating the traditional Jewish Passover meal