As I was thinking about celebrating our national freedom this
week, I was also reminded that we Jesus-followers also have a
much greater freedom. Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that
Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves
be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
In the verses directly following, Paul refers to the slavery of trying
to be saved by obeying the law rather than accepting salvation
from grace. One of the issues in the early churches was that
some Jews thought Gentiles who accepted Christ should become
like Jews when really all they need to do was become like Jesus.
But there are all kinds of slavery. It still rears its ugly head today.
It is most visible in people who are in slavery to sin which
corrupts their nature so they are in slavery to some form of addiction
or idolatry. People who are slaves to sin are often cruel to
others. That is the reason that globally over 27 million people are
enslaved in some form of sexual or labor exploitation.
But God calls us to a different way. Galatians 5:13-15 instructs
us: “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. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this
one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself. If you bite and
devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each
other.”
There is enough biting and devouring of each other…with God’s
help, may we be different.
Walking in Freedom,
Pastor Cindy