Galatians 5:7-15

Galatians 5:7-15The Message (MSG)

You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience? This detour doesn’t come from the One who called you into the race in the first place. And please don’t toss this off as insignificant. It only takes a minute amount of yeast, you know, to permeate an entire loaf of bread. Deep down, the Master has given me confidence that you will not defect. But the one who is upsetting you, whoever he is, will bear the divine judgment.

As for the rumor that I continue to preach the ways of circumcision (as I did in those pre-Damascus Road days), that is absurd. Why would I still be persecuted, then? If I were preaching that old message, no one would be offended if I mentioned the Cross now and then—it would be so watered-down it wouldn’t matter one way or the other. Why don’t these agitators, obsessive as they are about circumcision, go all the way and castrate themselves!

It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?

Here we get to the whole crux of the difference between Christian freedom and worldly freedom.

You hear a lot about worldly freedom.  American freedom even. Freedom for the individual. Freedom to do what you want, go where you will, own whatever property - or weapon! - the law says you can.  

But Paul reminds us that Christian freedom isn't anything of that kind at all.

Rather than being about each of us as individuals, Christian freedom is about the community.  It is about our neighbor.

It is about loving others as we love ourself.

I love that last line.  Love is the true freedom because without it, we'd annihilate each other (which sometimes in the news it seems to me we are doing).  And where will our precious freedom be then?

It seems paradoxical perhaps. That love - service to our neighbor - is true freedom. That's because we are used to hearing of freedom being about ourselves.

But Paul lives contently in the paradox, just as Jesus did.  

As Luther said, we are free from all, and a slave to all. Both. And.

At the same time.

That's what true freedom is.  

The freedom to need each other and love each other.

Lord, help me serve my neighbor and love as I would be loved. Amen.