FREEDOM!! - Gal. 5:6, 13

"For you have been called to live in freedom--not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another on love." Gal. 5:13

"What is important is faith expressing itself in love." Gal. 5:6

The Judaizers claimed that Paul was basically preaching a "cheap grace." That without the law, there would be chaos, and people would have license to sin (just ask for forgiveness later!). In Gal 4, Paul paints a great picture of what true freedom is. He describes a situation where a minor inheirits his family's wealth, but is no better off than a slave becuase he has to live under the protective custody of his guardians; only after reaching a stated age does he receive his true inheiritance. That guardian for the Jews was the law. Christ came to set them free to REALLY live; however, with the Holy Spirit, this does not mean that we are free live however WE want. We are COMPELLED to work out our faith, which expresses itself in love for each other. Even though we are no longer slaves to the law, as Paul says elsewhere, we are still slaves to Christ--an even higher law. This is true freedom: to live everyday led by the Holy Spirit, KNOWING, that the human imperfections of that walk are covered by the blood of Christ.

Jesus, thank you for the freedom that you purchased for me--help me to use that freedom wisely.

Today's reading: Deut. 25-27; Gal. 5