In Galatians 5:1 the Apostle Paul exhorts, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” He is reminding his readers that through the gospel they have freedom from the bondage that comes with their sin and rebellion. His challenge is for them to not return to living lives controlled and dominated by sin.
It is interesting to note that he places the responsibility for living such a life on the shoulders of believers. He says that they are submitting themselves to the yoke of slavery. This phrase points his readers back to the Old Testament and the story of Israel being delivered from slavery in Egypt. On multiple occasions the people rebelled against Moses and wanted to return to Egypt. One example of this rebellion is in Numbers 14. Here the people are about to enter the promise land, but after hearing the report of the spies they grumble and rebel. They say, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt … let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt (vv. 2, 4).” When faced with what seemed to them to be an impossible task, they wanted to return to Egypt and the slavery they endured there. When we as Christians return to our sinful ways, we act just like the people of God wanting to return to slavery in Egypt. God has set us free through his son, and we do not live in light of that freedom. we would rather wallow in our sin, than live lives of freedom in Christ. So, when the temptation to sin presents itself in your life, remember the freedom you have in Christ, and refuse to submit again to that yoke of slavery.