"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Galatians 5:13

Paul has spent most of this letter to the Galatians calling them to live in the freedom that comes with faith in Christ. With His own blood, Christ has purchased for those who trust Him a freedom from slavery to our sinfulness under the law. We are forgiven. But the Christians in Galatia did not understand the freedom they had in Christ, preferring to revert to the old legalistic way.

In many ways, we as current day Christians struggle with this same issue and do not understand that this gift from the Father comes with no strings attached. We are required to do nothing to receive it except to simply accept it. But I think that for many of us, this is where a struggle of a different sort begins…

Being under grace, we have been given freedom but with that freedom comes responsibility and Paul warns us of the potential dangers of freedom without responsibility. He is cautioning us not to use this freedom as a license to sin. Simply because we know that we will sin today, tomorrow and the next day does not give us

permission to pre-emptively sin because it is inevitable.

This can have a profound impact on our lives as individuals and as the corporate body of Christ if we adopt this approach to our faith walk.

As we further contemplate the application of this passage as it relates to relational peace, we see that Paul is reminding the Galatian church (and us) that the freedom that releases from the bonds of sin is the very same freedom that is for serving one another and NOT the selfish desires of the flesh…This freedom is to be our gift of

love to one another…

This passage has been a challenge for me…it has caused me to ask myself some challenging questions about my heart and my motives…Perhaps you too have some of these question as well?

If I am a new creation, am I truly seeking to serve, honor and love my brothers and sisters as Paul has called us to do in this passage and as Jesus demonstrated in His life here on earth?

Are the words that I am speaking encouraging, supportive and constructive in the building of community at Oak Hill?

Am I feeding my flesh and giving myself license to sin when I speak words of dissent, discouragement and judgement?

Ultimately, we must all examine our hearts and ask ourselves difficult questions as we walk this path that we have chosen. Failure to do so often results in stagnation, cynicism and spiritual paralysis.

And let us always remember that as we serve one another in love, we become more Christ-like and are furthering the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Written by Bob L'Heureux