Freedom
This morning I read Galatians, skated through the whole book, but my eye was drawn to Gal 5:13 “You were called to be free, but do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” The flow of the letter is that the Galatians have been set free, and are at risk of returning to the ‘slavery’ of another ‘gospel’ – one of works.
As I have been reflecting on this passage since, three thoughts have hit me. First, its not free from but free to. We normally think in terms of free from. Free from tyrannical dictators, free from debt, free from the influence of authority, free from jail etc. Even the whole freewill predestination debate is not so much about freedom to chose as it freedom from God’s sovereignty or determinism. Freedom as a biblical theme is about freedom to …. Adam and Eve were created free to obey. In Christ we are freed from sin (John 8:31-41) to serve. Personally I need to keep reminding myself that freedom is freedom to.
Second, sin remains the enemy of freedom. Paul goes on to outline the desires of the sinful nature (sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, jealousy etc.). Heb 12 describes sin as something which easily entangles, restricts freedom. Theologically and existentially I know this is true. If I have been set free why would I return to that which enslaves me? Such is the struggle this side of glory (Gal 5:17).
Third, I am freed to love and to serve. I am not freed to do what I feel like doing, or to only love and serve when I feel like it. I am called to freedom, which entails love and service. But somehow I am not feeling liberated? Why do they feel like obligations rather than life giving freedoms?
Yet at other times it is liberating to love and serve isn’t it? I do sense I am doing what I was made to do, following Jesus’ example and being an image bearer of God. One of my 2009 resolutions is to use my freedom to love and serve.
Dave Rietveld