It is For Freedom

Galatians 5:1,13-18 Freedom is a very illusive thing. Almost from the beginning of time, slavery has been a fact of human existence. Not because God designed or instituted it; but because of man’s sin driven desire to own or control other human beings. There were many slave owners that acted out ignorance and economics. Many were undoubtedly kind to their slaves; but the fact was they were still slaves. Far too many brutalized their slaves because they defined them as less than human, and because they could! — they treated their animals better. Lincoln in cancelling the concept of ownership, gave freedom from slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. carried the ball far down the field by making the freedom to be free much more a reality. Hopefully there has been more progress since then; but as long as sin is a reality, slavery of one form or another will always be a reality. Jesus said in John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Jesus sets us free from the bondage of sin, our spirits are free. People can control our bodies; but our spirits, only if we allow it. Paul tells us in our scripture for today. Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” He expands further, verse 13, “. . . don’t use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature.” To the extent that we do, it becomes our master and we the slaves. Addictive substances and behaviors can become terrible taskmasters making people do things that they would otherwise never even think of. A little later in Galatians 5 you can read of the natural results of a slavery to the sinful nature. Paul tells us that the sinful nature is always at war with the spirit, forcing us to continually make choices. You see freedom is illusive. If we exercise our freedom to sin, we place ourselves in bondage; but if we choose to live by the spirit, only then are we truly free.