Stand in the Liberty of Christ

Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." 

Notice the phrase "yoke of bondage". The yoke which Paul refers to here is the Law of Moses as a means to Salvation. The yoke was a harness-like farming tool used to join two beasts of burden together for labor in the field. The historical background for the Book of Galatians is that a religious, legalistic group called "the Judaizers" were teaching new Christian converts that they must be circumcised and commit to keeping the Law of Moses. Paul is saying here that once they submit to this notion by being circumcised, thus obligating themselves to keep the ENTIRE Law, they have implicated themselves as guilty before GOD and forfeiting the benefits of Christ's Grace.

 A story goes like this: A female slave was up for auction on the auction block. A good, wealthy man bid until he purchased her. Upon being delivered to her new master she asked him what her duties were. He told her that she was a free woman. "I can do anything I please?", she asked. "You are a free woman now. You can do anything you please", the man said. To this, the woman replied, "I will follow you." This man's generosity and Grace generated a love, gratitude and desire to please. Grace and Mercy always has this effect. A Greek term for this was "bondslave", literally translated "loveslave". This is one who had served their time under a master to pay off a debt, but out of love and gratitude for their kind master they chose from their own free will to serve him for life.  This is a picture of our relationship with Christ. Because we are free from the Law, we are free to love and serve Christ, not out of debt, but from gratutide for HIS Grace. Paul's admonition still stands, "Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage, rather stand fast and firm in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free!"