You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Galatians 5:13
Paul continues his lesson to the Galatians, explaining that just because we are free does not mean we can do whatever we want. There is an obligation for responsible behavior and care for others inherent in the freedom Christ has given us. As with all our gifts, we are called to use it wisely.
As followers of Jesus, our sins have been forgiven by His sacrifice. We are free from the oppression we were under when we lived in darkness. Now as children of the Light, we are expected to live as He did, sharing the Gospel with all the world and calling everyone back to a relationship with God.
Paul warns us all not to fall back into the bad habits we practiced before. A good friend of mine says “once you take out the trash, you don’t go pick it up again!” Paul teaches that our newfound freedom is intended to allow us to serve each other in love, as Jesus showed us. We are to treat everyone as family, as we are all brothers and sisters in Him.
Loving Lord, thank You for redeeming us from sin to be made whole again. Help us to find strength in our faith to resist temptation and love one another. Make us active servants of Your kingdom. Amen.