So I was going to write on Romans 8:1, again, but then my mum had me listen to a John Piper sermon on it and now I feel largely inadequate. Joke. Of course I don’t, by that very scripture ! I’m going to stop making awful jokes now.
Check it out. Seriously, put aside the time. This is a verse we all need to grapple with.
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/no-condemnation-in-christ-jesus-part-1
God bless and keep you always x
“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)
The Lord “called” us “to be free”. Jesus frees us from the burden of sin, from obligation to follow the law, from emotional ties and so much more. In sacrificing His life he broke the weight that death had over us, no longer is our future death. No longer does our sin and our mistakes send us on a one-way ticket downstairs. He took our lives and destinies and turned them on their heads. “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
Jesus is The Way and the Truth, but when we come to Christ it’s easy to echo this, later in our walks we can forget this truth. You might watch porn. A loooot. You go to church, but you’re in this habit and tell yourself that you can’t break it. That’s addiction and addiction ain’t pretty, where’s your freedom now that you’re constrained in a place where you struggle not to watch this vice? Perhaps you have an ex boyfriend who at the mention of his name causes you to recoil in anger and resentment. This isn’t the paths we’re meant to be on. And if we’re completely honest, 99% of us have those unhealthy ties.
The epistle of Galatians was written to address division in the church, in this case over whether male Christians were required to be circumcised. Paul of course refutes it and says if you obligate yourself to one law, you must follow them all and being that the history of the Jews is a failing of following the Law your odds aren’t looking too good. We live under grace not law, our purpose is not to try balance on this tightrope of the law, but to live in love, emanating from the love that saved us all.
This verse is one that could easily be missed in reading the chapter, but contains some big themes. It’s interesting that Paul says to not use our “freedom to indulge the flesh”. Now on the surface we may think of flesh as lust. But that word also connotes the sinful state of human beings. Paul isn’t specifically saying don’t use your freedom to lust, rather than don’t use your freedom to return to a state of sin. So often we think hard times are about spiritual warfare. Damn you Lucifer, I feel sad right now. Ain’t him. I’m addicted to comfort eating. I rebuke Satan in the name of Jesus. Weren’t Him. My bath water scorched my poor skin, Satan be gone…you get the point. Not everything is demonic. Some things are products of our own sinful being. Before you knew Christ you did stuff that you’d never dream of doing now, your heart knows that but sometimes your body regresses back to those former wants and desires. Paul is saying in God we have freedom, use your freedom wisely. Choose to love and serve the body of Christ instead of choosing to re-shackle yourself.
Think about it this way:
If I am enslaved to the law, I am more interested in keeping the commandments to establish my own merit, than I am in loving others. Even if I serve others out of obligation to observe the law, I do it for myself rather than for them. If I am enslaved to my own sinful nature, I am absorbed in my selfish interests rather than the needs of others. Even if I serve others, I do it to fulfill my own desires.
Neither of those speak of the life we were called to. Recognise those emotional and fleshly deadweights and choose to move forward in a spirit of love untainted.
God bless and keep you always x
Working Towards Calvary 