It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke a slavery. – Galatians 5:1
Most of us don’t have much of a frame of reference when it comes to yokes – at least not in the practical sense. But if you can picture oxen yokes together – one must move in order for the other to move – if one isn’t moving, the other is held back – or they are dragging the other behind. That is what Paul is talking about here – the yoke of the law. Christ came to set us free from the burden of the law – yet the people of Galatians were allowing themselves to be taught and believe that they still must live under it.
I think if Paul wrote that today, he could have used an analogy from the movie Cold Mountain when one of the main characters – Inman, is changed to two other men when he is captured by the army. The short version of this scene is that the other two men end up dead – and yet Inman has escaped his captors, but is still changed to them. He has freedom, yet he is changed to dead men that he must drag along. This makes is freedom both precarious and burdensome.
And so it is when we live under the law. My study bible stays that the burden of the rigorous demands of the law as the means for gaining God’s favor are an intolerable burden for sinful humanity – a heavy weight to drag around.
We are set free in Christ, but often there is still something in our flesh that thinks or desires to make ourselves acceptable to God. Does that sound familiar? It does for me because I walked for years with the yoke of a performance-based, legalistic faith. Sure, I knew that I could in no way earn my own salvation, but I thought that if I was good enough, served enough, prayed enough, that I could somehow earn God’s favor and God’s blessings. It was like I was set free, and yet I was dragging my old, dead flesh around behind me.
In the book “Grace Walk” by Steve McVey, he says that “When a person builds his lifestyle around a long list of things he thinks he ought to do, he will eventually fell exhausted spiritually, emotionally, and even physically. Yet many keep pushing forward on a religious treadmill because it is what they believe God expects. They behave like prisoners of the law. They are bound to what they think they ought to do, mistakenly calling this “the Christian life”.
I had a conversation with a friend of mine the other night. In the conversation he expressed frustration about the way he accepted God’s grace in his life. He fully understood that grace is not earned, but yet he practices a performance-based faith. If he has had a good week – one in which he walked the way he knew God wanted him to, then he felt like he could go before God and ask for anything – for himself and his friends – and that God would hear him. But if he had a week where he fell short in his own performance evaluation, then he felt like he had no right pray at all – and he said it exhausted him. I’ve been there – and it exhausted me also. How about you? What are you dragging around?
As I prayed for the friend I mentioned above this morning, God reminded me of Hebrews 4:15-16 that reminds us that we are not expected to carry the burden of the law on our own. Here we are told that Jesus is able to sympathize with our needs and tells us – opposite of what my friend believed – that we can approach the throne of grace with confidence and receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. But we must admit the need, admit that we are not able to carry the burden ourselves, and let Christ – by his grace - remove the yoke.
It is for FREEDOM that Christ has set us free. I have never in my life felt so free as I did when God finally got me to the point of grasping this. I remember when I finally hit my breaking point that led me to this freedom – I doubt I’ll ever forget that feeling. After a fit of deep, soul wrenching sobs I finally cried to God, “I don’t know what else you want for me to do, because I have nothing left to give you.” It was on of those moments where I clearly heard God – almost in an audible voice – say to me, “Now, Carol, I have something to work with.” And at that moment is was as if an incredible light and peace absolutely flooded me as I realize that God did not want or expect anything from me – he just wanted me to accepts a full measure of his grace. I remember pacing around my house processing this – it was such an amazing truth and freedom and peace I was given that I didn’t know quite what to do with it. And I promise you this – I don’t ever want to be yoked again! Freedom is….well…absolutely freeing!
Today's blog was posted by Carol Bartels
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The Lord's yoke is light, and He will never give us more than we can handle...**I agree so much about the freeing aspect of following Christ, and fully realize that "religiosity" won't get me into Heaven. I like to learn things that are both appealing and unappealing relevant to other forms of Christianity. Take for example the Omish-->They taught the world so much about adhering to the whole "vingeance is mine..." and "I will repay..." verses in the Bible when they did not pledge to get even with those psychotic people involved with the pointless murders of their children several years ago. Not only Dr. Young, but a handful of pastors around the country mentioned this patient, tolerant, Godly, forgiving, non-judgemental aspect of these puritan Omish people during their sermons. They were made example to many about "turning the other cheek." Conversely, through the ages, most Puritans were very miserable, and were under the yoke of legalism, to the point of misery. Many of them believed that misery in this life would lead to everlasting life(next life). The point of my previous mention(s) is to say that balance seems to be the key. Meaning that yes faith in Jesus is freeing, with a light yoke. His grace and mercy are unbelievable, incredibly beautiful. I can rejoice, sing, disciple, witness, etc. That being said, I do have to go back to James and not forget about accountability. Also Paul said that forgiveness demands a change in behavior. Only the Lord knows if I am giving 100% at truly repenting, and truly being as sinless as possible. Legalism is a form of bondage, but with some of us(those like me who are a bit wild) we need to be "grounded" and constantly made aware of just how horrible sin is. Years ago, Dr. Young said in one of his sermons(about 1980 or so) that God requires a "perfect product". Well, none of us measure up, but for the grace of our savior Jesus Christ. However, I need to be careful. Lastly, Dr. Deloach often says that many of the people who talk about Heaven aint going to Heaven. Well, I am saved, but I don't want to rub the Lord's nose in it!!! Just a thought!! Be a blessing!
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