Sermon Notes 7/5 – Freedom of Approval

Galatians 1:6-10
Galatians has been called the “Declaration of Independence of Christian liberty.”
He teaches us instead to have
  • Freedom as sons and daughters of Jesus ( that he has been adopted into a new family )
  • Freedom to walk in the Spirit
  1. Freedom begins when we make Jesus our audience 
Galatians 1:10
“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.”
Paul’s first obligation was to please God and not to please men
A servant cannot have two masters.
Either…
I live for God…or Live for People
 

A. The Fear of Man Is a Prison

Proverbs 29:25

“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”
A snare is a trap.
People-pleasing always promises peace…
But delivers anxiety.
Eventually, your decisions aren’t based on truth.
They’re based on approval.
1 Samuel 15:24
“I feared the people.”
If your identity comes from people’s approval…
Their criticism will destroy you.
If your identity comes from Christ…
Their criticism cannot define you.
When Jesus becomes the One whose approval we seek, we are finally free from the slavery of people’s opinions.

2. Freedom Requires the Courage to Stand for Truth

Galatians 2:11-14

“…fearing those who were of the circumcision.”
One man’s fear caused public compromise.
Verse 14 says,
“But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel…”
Paul’s concern…..The Gospel
Preserving the truth is more important than preserving our image.
People-pleasing often disguises itself as kindness.
But biblical love never compromises biblical truth.

3. Freedom Is Found by Walking in the Spirit, Not Performing for People

Galatians 5:1

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free…

Freedom is not permission to do whatever we want.
Freedom is the power to become what God created us to be.

Galatians 5:13

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.
We are free…
Not to serve ourselves…
To serve one another through love.

2 Timothy 4:1–5

Application

When your identity comes from Christ…
  • Criticism hurts less.
  • Praise controls you less.
  • Your confidence becomes stable.
As the fear of God grows…
The fear of man shrinks.
As your identity in Christ deepens…
Your need for human approval weakens.
As you walk in the Spirit…
You finally experience the freedom Christ purchased for you.