Living Free

Galatians 5: 13.

” You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

Let’s put this verse into it’s context and read farther.

Galatians 5:13 – 18.

“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. So I say let the Holy Spirit guide your lives, then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

Paul’s letter to the Galatians proclaims that that salvation comes by faith alone and is not based on our performance and now he goes on to address the question, “What happens if we don’t keep the law?” What guides our conduct? Remember Christ didn’t come to abolish the law or do away with the Ten Commandments but rather He came to fulfill it and He did! By being the perfect, spotless, sinless lamb of God, He became our living sacrifice so that we are no longer under obligation to sacrifice an unblemished animal for our sin. You can imagine a world without any kind of rules. With our sinful nature, it would be chaotic and violent with all manner of evil. The commandments serve as guidelines or boundaries over which we dare not cross, or the consequences of sin will catch up with us, however, we are not under it’s law of spiritual condemnation if we fail. Christ’s once and for all sacrifice and shed blood paid for our sin, and places us, as believers under God’s grace and forgiveness. Hallelujah, we are free from the law of Moses!

Righteousness comes from the Spirit indwelling us and we in Him. Christ’s holiness living in us spurs us on to passionate obedience because we simply love Him. We are free in Christ, but that freedom can be a slippery slope to our moral ruin if we don’t use it wisely. Freedom is great isn’t it? It’s wonderful to be free, not have to answer to anyone, make our own rules, live our own lives. Enjoy the day, the moment! Ahhh, but if that freedom is used for selfish desire to get what we want, to indulge in the pleasure of the moment at all cost, it quickly becomes our bondage, our addictions and our destruction. Freedom is not a license to sin, because sin is bondage, ruin, misery and death. A true Christ One with a heart of obedience out of love for our Creator, Redeemer, Saviour, Sustainer and Provider, will live to please Him and strive serve others out of love, as we press on in abundant life, to our eternal, heavenly goal.

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