“I’m free to do what I want, any old time…”
Care to rock out with me? Mick’s not wrong. We are free to do whatever we want. The big question is, how do we steward this awesome gift?
Paul gives us a great roadmap for this in Galatians 5:13-14.
1. “For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters…” A calling is a strong urge toward a particular way of life or vocation. We should live in freedom like it’s our job- that’s awesome!
2. “...only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh…” Some translations take this out even further to say, don’t use this as an opportunity for selfishness. In other words, NO POWER TRIPS!
3. “...but serve on another through love.” We are asked to live like the one who gave us this freedom in the first place, Jesus!
4. “For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.” The ultimate mic drop moment: Jesus loved us enough to die on a cross to secure our freedom. It’s not a complicated book of laws, it’s a singular act.
“If you want to know how you ought to love your neighbor, ask yourself how much you love yourself. If you were to get into trouble or danger, you would be glad to have the love and help of all men. You do not need any book of instructions to teach you how to love your neighbor. All you have to do is to look into your own heart, and it will tell you how you ought to love your neighbor as yourself.”
—Luther