It’s funny. Sometimes when we are on the MSU campus giving out free water in the summer or the Finals Kits as a part of I Love My City in the Spring, people always seem to be hesitant and sometimes ask, “So, what’s the catch?”. A lot of times, groups/organizations/business give out “free” stuff to students, but there’s always a catch… “Hey, free t-shirt… if you sign up for our credit card” “Free food… if you attend our event” “free ____ if you give us your email so we can market to you”…. there’s always a catch, right?

The glory of the Gospel is, IT’S REALLY FREE! And, there is NO CATCH! If you put your full faith and trust in JESUS as Savior, you are saved, redeemed, set FREE. No catch!! Jesus paid the FULL price, so that you could be FULLY and COMPLETELY reborn… MADE NEW!

If I could sum up the message of the book of Galatians (today’s Bible reading), that would be it. Salvation really IS a FREE gift… bought and paid for by Jesus! 🙂  In passionate, and sometimes strong language, the Apostle Paul exhorts the church in Galatia, to keep the Good News (aka the “Gospel”), GOOD news! It really is GOOD news! God is GOOD too us, and you can’t add to it! You can’t do ANYTHING to earn it or deserve it.. NOTHING. It’s almost TOO GOOD… that’s because it’s GOD! That’s how good He is!

You have been made COMPLETELY right with God, simply by faith in Jesus. And when you came to Jesus, he make you JUST LIKE HIM. Chew on that for a moment.

Galatians 3:27  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

You are FREE! You are not a slave to sin, to fear, to the law or even to God! Nope, you are a SON to Him, and everything He has is YOURS!!

Galatians 4:5 God sent him [Jesus] to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir

Now that you know you’ve been set free, made a Son and have full access to His Kingdom, what do you do? LIVE in it! Take hold of all that He is (His nature), and take hold of His gifts (His Spirit & provision), and live just like Jesus!

Galatians 6:What counts is ..  we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.

You have been created anew in the image of Jesus. You are made NEW. Live in that freedom and live like Jesus!

I can’t think of a better note to begin our season of prayer & fasting, becoming His victorious Church, than in the reality of the GOOD News of Freedom in Christ!

What is God speaking to YOU from Galatians? Drop your thoughts in the comment section!