Galatians 5 may be one of the most liberating passages in all of Scripture! It is for FREEDOM that Christ has set you FREE! We hear Paul pleading with the Galatians to live in the freedoms Christ died to give them rather than trying to wrap their lives around religious acts He never asked them to participate in… in fact, they were the very religious acts He freed them from!

Up to this point, Paul has reminded the Galatians and us about the validity of the gospel. In chapter 5, he transitions from giving the facts to giving the practical ways to live in a way that reflects the work Christ has done on our behalf. It’s a fine line – being disciplined in our faith journey versus being legalistic and ritualistic in our religious practices. We all know this struggle and, if we’re honest, have swung with the pendulum from one extreme to the other at some point in our walk with Christ. So where is the balance? Take another look at the end of verse 6: The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Love is the answer. Love keeps everything in the right place. Love is the bridge that connects the Law with grace. Check out verses 13-14: 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. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Love others? In humility, yes.

Love ourselves? In humility, yes.

Christ displayed this love as He fulfilled the Law. And we can display this love as we live in the Spirit.

Do you see the connections here? When we live under the Law, we are bound to the disciplines that require OUR efforts (flesh). When we put our faith in Christ, we are given new life and filled with the Spirit, which enables us to live and love in freedom! When we live in the Spirit, our lives reflect the goodness and faithfulness of God.

Christian author Warren Wiersbe states, “The flesh is able to manufacture sin, but it can never produce the righteousness of God.”

Conquering the desires of our sinful nature requires daily surrender and a continuous submission of our flesh. It requires denying ourselves and taking up the cross and FREEDOMS of Christ.

If you have an extra five minutes, jump over to John 15 and read about The Vine and the branches. Seeking, abiding, and remaining in Christ is our greatest (and only) real defense against the desires of our flesh.

When we live in the Spirit and the freedom it offers, we:

• Love others like Christ loves us
• Live with true, deep joy
• Seek peace and make peace with those around us
• Are patient with others and sit with them in their struggles
• Show kindness to everyone we encounter
• Exude pure goodness, the kind that makes people want to be around us
• Are gentle in speech and action
• Control our desires and cravings

How can we tell when we are living from our flesh or from the Spirit? Check the fruit. The evidence is always in the fruit!

Reflection:

Do you see evidence that you are living in the freedom of the Spirit? If you are struggling in your own efforts, ask for God's help to abide and remain in Him. He is the source of our freedom!

Family Content

Read: Galatians 5

Challenge: One of the verses in Galatians chapter five has the golden rule in it. Love your neighbor as yourself. This is a big idea. The Bible says that if we can live by this then we will keep everything that God commands us to. One way we can love our neighbors as ourselves is by using our talents. You are probably really good at least at one thing. You might be able to draw really well, or write well, or give the best high fives. However you are talented, you can use it to make other people feel loved. Pick one of your talents and find a way to use your talent to love someone else. You could draw them a picture, you could write them a letter, you could give them the best high five ever, there are so many talents and ways to love people.

Prayer: God, You are the Creator of the heavens and the earth. God, You are a God of love. Thank You for loving me enough to send Jesus to die for me and pay the price for my sins. Help me use the talents You have given me to love people. Amen.