Freedom and Unity: Galatians 5:13-15
Freedom exercised in following God should unite those who are also in God. When God calls us to serve, those around us who are also in God should celebrate that service.
We are called to be free. Take these words with a grain of salt, though. Paul warns us about freedom. We aren’t supposed to use our freedom however we want. Jesus didn’t free us from our sin only to have us voluntarily pursue our sinful desires once more. When Paul says we are free, he doesn’t grant us permission to do whatever we want. He means we are free from bondage. We are free from our sinfulness and free from the judgment we deserve.
Even now, our nature is corrupt. Although we desire to follow Christ, our sinfulness is never far off. It lurks within, waiting for us to let down our guard and lose our way. Our sinfulness desires to rear its ugly head and pull us into the pursuit of our selfish goals. There is a battle within between God’s Spirit, who calls us to follow His Son, and our sinfulness, which wants the freedom to pursue our own selfish thoughts.
This is why Paul warns us about freedom. Our freedom is not an opportunity to pursue the flesh. Our freedom is an opportunity to voluntary become God’s subject. Our freedom leads us into service for our God.
From a certain perspective, human beings are never truly free. We are either slaves to our own nature, pursuing our own agenda, or we are in service to God, becoming the person He created us to be. Either our sinfulness within has hold of the reins or God has hold of the reins.
Our freedom comes as an ability to choose. We are free to choose to follow our sinful desires or choose to follow God. This is the freedom to which Paul refers even while warning us that God did not free us so we could fall back under the flesh. God did not free us so we could give our selfishness room to grow. He gave us freedom so we could choose His ways and follow Him.
Where do we follow Him? Jesus came to serve us, so our freedom leads us into service to one another. As God meets our needs, we become free to meet the needs of others around us. As we grow closer to God, we become free to help others grow closer to God as well.
We are free. We are free to be the hands and feet of God. We are free to follow God and bear witness to God’s love.
Examine the difference between the results of Paul’s teaching and the false teachers. Paul’s teaching leads us to serve one another, which should help create harmony within the community. The false teachers’ teaching causes divisions among the Galatians and creates conflict. Freedom exercised in following God should unite those who are also in God.
