Galatians 5:13-26
The concept of freedom in the Bible seems very counterintuitive - or at least counter to what our culture says freedom is.
The Bible's often thought of as a bunch of rules you need to follow to make life less fun, but what I've experienced is that by following its guidance for life, it actually is much more freeing.
I think that's why, when I saw the following shirt in Disneyland last week, it really struck a chord in me. It implies doing what's right is boring, and to have fun you need to break the rules.
When I initially saw a guy wearing it in California Adventure, I couldn't quite put my finger on why it bothered me so much, but today when I opened up Galatians, I immediately thought of the shirt again, finally realizing why it rubbed me the wrong way.
As Galatians 5:16-26 says:
But then I pulled up an IVP commentary about this section, and apparently Paul actually wrote it because Galatian believers were trying to "attain spiritual perfection" by devoting themselves to the law, which was tearing their churches apart.
So here you have two extremes: do what you want because it's fun, and do what you want because it's "right" and the law. But neither are growing spiritual fruit.
Paul explains what to do instead in verse 14:
This is right in line with what Jesus said about the greatest commandment:
So true freedom comes from loving each other. Not by thinking of yourself to have the maximum amount of fun, and not by following a prescribed set of rules.
It sounds easy, but loving each other is a pretty tall order. We talk about kindness a lot these days at our house. With a kindergartener who finds her 3-year-old brother annoying, there are daily reminders to be kind and remember he's not old enough to understand yet.
I'm just as guilty of forgetting to show this grace and mercy to my kids too though, especially when I'm tired or stressed out. It's a good reminder: am I loving them? I justify saying "No" to them because it's good for them to not get everything they want, but am I denying them because I don't want to deal with whatever they're asking for, or because it really is what I think is best?
I know there isn't always a clear right and wrong way to do things, and as someone that doesn't like being told what to do I often appreciate that, but reading Galatians today was a good reminder to continue walking by the Spirit, focusing on loving my neighbor rather than just what I feel like in the moment.
The Bible's often thought of as a bunch of rules you need to follow to make life less fun, but what I've experienced is that by following its guidance for life, it actually is much more freeing.
I think that's why, when I saw the following shirt in Disneyland last week, it really struck a chord in me. It implies doing what's right is boring, and to have fun you need to break the rules.
When I initially saw a guy wearing it in California Adventure, I couldn't quite put my finger on why it bothered me so much, but today when I opened up Galatians, I immediately thought of the shirt again, finally realizing why it rubbed me the wrong way.
As Galatians 5:16-26 says:
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.What's interesting is, when I originally read this section today, I thought of that guy with the shirt and saw this as an example of how being led by the Spirit leads to love, joy, peace and so on, whereas doing what's wrong because it's fun leads to jealousy, anger, envy, etc.
But then I pulled up an IVP commentary about this section, and apparently Paul actually wrote it because Galatian believers were trying to "attain spiritual perfection" by devoting themselves to the law, which was tearing their churches apart.
So here you have two extremes: do what you want because it's fun, and do what you want because it's "right" and the law. But neither are growing spiritual fruit.
Paul explains what to do instead in verse 14:
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
This is right in line with what Jesus said about the greatest commandment:
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
- Matthew 22:36-40
So true freedom comes from loving each other. Not by thinking of yourself to have the maximum amount of fun, and not by following a prescribed set of rules.
It sounds easy, but loving each other is a pretty tall order. We talk about kindness a lot these days at our house. With a kindergartener who finds her 3-year-old brother annoying, there are daily reminders to be kind and remember he's not old enough to understand yet.
I'm just as guilty of forgetting to show this grace and mercy to my kids too though, especially when I'm tired or stressed out. It's a good reminder: am I loving them? I justify saying "No" to them because it's good for them to not get everything they want, but am I denying them because I don't want to deal with whatever they're asking for, or because it really is what I think is best?
I know there isn't always a clear right and wrong way to do things, and as someone that doesn't like being told what to do I often appreciate that, but reading Galatians today was a good reminder to continue walking by the Spirit, focusing on loving my neighbor rather than just what I feel like in the moment.
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
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