Galatians 5:13-15 says,...

Today's verses are Galatians 5:13-15, which read,

v.13 - For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

What do we do with this freedom that we have in Christ?  What do we do with the knowledge and reality that Christ has done the work of salvation on the cross and through the empty grave?  What do we do with what has been "given to" us?  Paul tells his readers to use their freedom not in a selfish way but an unselfish way, to serve one another.

Are we very selfish with the message of the gospel?  Are we keeping it to ourselves?  Are we not allowing the message of Christ to come out of our lips and through our hands and feet?

v.14 - For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself" is the ruling principle of this Christian freedom because of the grace given to us from God.  This is where our energy should go.  Our love should be going out as God's love is ever coming in.  We do not need to go far to see our Savior, Jesus, doing this over and over again all through the Gospels.  If we are to be like Christ then we will have an active love toward others.

v.15 - But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

This is a word picture to make us think of an animal and its prey.  It is on attack to overpower and dominate for the sake of food.  What happens when a Christian acts this way?  How does it look?  Maybe we don't see it because we are participating in it but for those looking on, they see the hurt that is being applied to another just as they can see the good when we love one another. 

When you have seen that happen between Christians or by a Christian, you usually will make some distance with that person because it could happen to you.  Paul tells his readers not to be that person who devours others (they are feeding on others through sin to falsely build themselves up) but also to not associated closely with those who participate in those actions.

An example would be gossip.  Gossip is a terrible sin in the body of Christ.  It bites and devours people.  It is in no way "loving one another."  We are not to participate in it.  When a Christian gossips about another, you will be invited in to that sin.  You see it for what it is and so do not participate in it.  You may be able to address it.  But don't get consumed or taken in by the sin.  If you are going to get consumed, make sure it is because of acts of love and not acts of sin.

Paul will lead the Galatians into the most famous verses of the book for our study tomorrow and the next.  He will lay out what are some specific actions of the "bite and devour" and later some specific actions of the "love one another."  This will probably be the most practical verses of the book to put into practice immediately into our lives.

"Lord, thank You for the freedom of salvation through grace.  May I take that freedom and use it to love those You bring around me today.  May I see how it looks when I 'bite and devour' and repent and confess my ways.  I will be tempted to 'go along' with someone's path of sin but help me to say 'no' to sin so I keep saying 'yes' to You.  Amen."

Pastor Adam