Day 21 - Rebellious Act by Pastor Philip Olubakin: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

Stand Fast in the Liberty Christ Has Given You

Galatians 5:1

Christ made us free. He set us free in our health — stand firm in it. He made provision for our finances — stand firm in it. He put the responsibility on us. Paul says: stand fast in the liberty Christ has given you, and do not be entangled again in the bondage of religion or tradition.

When Rebellion Makes a Neutral Act Sinful

Peter was eating with the Gentiles freely — and that is not wrong. But when certain Jews came, he withdrew and pretended he wasn't doing it. The act of eating was not the sin. The hypocrisy was the sin.

Here is the principle: if you join a community that has certain rules — whether earrings, drums, or dress codes — and you know those rules and choose to stay, then violating them while pretending otherwise makes you a hypocrite. What you are doing may not be sinful by itself. But living a life and pretending you are not living that life, when everyone knows — that is what makes it wrong.

We all know what is right and what is wrong. Pretending otherwise does not make the act disappear — it just adds dishonesty on top of it.

Liberty Is Not License

Galatians 5:13

Brethren, you have been called to liberty — only do not use your liberty as an occasion for the flesh. In Christ you have liberty to do many things. But if you use that freedom simply to indulge yourself, to do whatever you feel whenever you feel it, that is using your liberty as an occasion for the flesh.

The point of liberty is to serve one another in love. Use your freedom to give. Use your freedom to go. Use your freedom to sacrifice. That is the kingdom expression of liberty.

The Works of the Flesh vs. the Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:19-23

The works of the flesh have to be worked at. Fornication does not just happen — you have to set up environments, ignore warnings, create opportunities. Holding malice requires constant effort: you have to keep reminding yourself of the offence, refuse to greet, refuse to let go.

But the fruit of the spirit comes by nature. The moment you begin to truly live in God's spirit, the fruit starts growing naturally. Love does not have to be forced. Joy does not have to be manufactured. It grows.

The flesh takes constant maintenance. The spirit takes constant watering — with the word and with prayer.