In Galatians 5:13-16 (NIV) we read, 13 “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. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
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The apostle Paul in this passage in effect calls us to treasure the freedomfrom the law Jesus purchased for us.
In what sense have we been set free? Those led by the Spirit have no need to be under the Law because the Spirit produces in them everything the law was intended to produce: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
And as we read, especially love, “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”” Galatians 5:14
Implicit in treasuring thatfreedom from the law is to treasure the peaceof simply living everyday trusting God to make us all he wants us to be. And keep in mind that it is his commitment to us that matters and is to be the focus of our devotion, not our commitment to Him.
Then the apostle calls us to, in effect, treasure the adventure of working with Jesus in what he’s doing in the lives of those around us. I put it in those words because to, “serve one another humbly in love” requires listening carefully to Jesus for what he would have us do. Only he knows what others need from us and how to lovingly care for them.
I suggest to you that treasuring our freedom in Christ and our privilege to work with him in blessing others, helps explain what the apostle meant when he goes on to write, "So I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
Here’s a followup principle to reflect on: The more you treasure something the greater will be the self-sacrifices you make to keep it.
