GALATIANS: CHOOSE FREEDOM, WEEK 1
“THE TRUE GOSPEL”
Deep Dive 8/3/2025
THE GOSPEL SAVES US THROUGH GRACE ALONE
John 1:16
16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
God gave us the law, standards upon which to live our lives. But in His infinite wisdom, He knew that humanity would fail in fulfilling the law. So, God sent Jesus to bring us grace. Jesus fulfilled the letter of the law that humanity could never achieve. The grace that Jesus brings to us, grace upon grace, is the key to living in freedom. From His fullness – grace overflows from Jesus and spills over onto us, His followers.
Romans 6:6-11
6 We know that our old self[a] was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free[b] from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:14
14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
In Romans 6 Paul is telling us about God’s plan to rescue His children from enslavement to sin. Jesus defeated sin and the grave and brought us grace so that we can “consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” This sin that held us in bondage before we believed in Christ no longer has dominion over our lives. We now have the Holy Spirit inside of us, interceding for us as we learned two weeks ago, so we can walk boldly in the freedom that Jesus died to provide for us.
Psalm 103:1-5
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
Grace: forgives, heals, redeems, crowns and satisfies. Even before Jesus - David knew this amazing grace, and the freedom that full surrender to God brings. God’s grace removes our sins “as far as the east is from the west.” It is as if they never were – because of grace.
ARE YOU WALKING IN GOD’S GRACE TODAY, OR ARE YOU STILL ENSLAVED TO THE LAW, CARRYING HEAVY BURDENS THAT JESUS IS CALLING YOU TO LAY DOWN? AS YOU MOVE FORWARD TO THE ACTION STEPS, LAY THOSE BURDENS DOWN AND LET THE GRACE THAT JESUS DIED FOR PENETRATE YOUR HEART AND MIND.
Romans 5:18-21
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. 20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God’s gift of abundant grace is ready for you to claim. Grace means Jesus did, it is finished. Do not leave this amazing gift at the cross, pick it up, step into the fullness of freedom that is yours and tell everyone about how Jesus saves.
PUTTING THIS INTO PRACTICE
Are you enslaved to sin or to righteousness?
Read all of Romans 6. Now re-read it in a different translation.
Sit quietly. Think about any habitual sins in your life. Write a prayer to Jesus to ask for guidance and His strength to help you walk set a boundary that will help lead to victory over any habitual sin in your life.
What is one step you can take today to move forward in righteousness, leaving the sin of the past behind? Be accountable and share that one step with a trusted Christian friend.
Do you know that through accepting the sacrifice Jesus made, eternal life is yours?
Read John 3:16-21. Many of us know John 3:16 by heart, but what about what comes after? Which verse from 17-21 really resonated with you today? Write it down and think on it through the week.
What is one area of your life where you are still struggling to walk in freedom?
Find another passage in Scripture that speaks about God’s grace and write it out as a reminder.
We are saved by grace, through faith – and are not enslaved to the law, but Paul tells us in Romans 3 that the law still has a place in our lives.
Read Romans 3:19-31.
In one to two sentences, summarize what Paul is saying in this passage.
How can you see the law still being applicable in your life today as you walk in freedom through God’s abounding grace?
