June 6th 2021
Freedom Is Free, As Is Salvation, And Only Jesus Can Supply True Freedom.
Galatians 5:13-14 (NIV)
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
We live in a cursed world where love is talked about a lot, but it is often confused with lust as the proof of love. In God’s plan lust is the result of love and is only experienced as the created method of procreation of mankind. Paul is warning the early church about seeking freedom to allow the recipient to “indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Our outlook on personal relationships is centered on first having sexual relations with another person, expecting to find out if you love them but participating in sexual relations. In the past there was usually a courtship time, which was meant to allow getting to know the other person attempting to discern if you loved them, before having sexual relations thus love came first before sex.
This commentary was not meant to be about personal relationships, but more centered on loving your neighbor after you are able to love yourself. Memorial Day ushers in the summer season each year and thus, allows more contact with other people as the weather allows more outside activities and more mingling with our neighbors. On Memorial Day we are directed to honor our neighbors who gave their life by bearing arms and going to war against those whom we believe would enslave us and/or take away our freedom. In the selected verse Paul is warning us about how we should use our freedom. Then he writes about how we should, “serve one another in love.” Then Paul wrote for us to observe God’s law, “The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
In the KJV Paul’s words are translated as “liberty” instead of “freedom” and it made me wonder about the difference in meaning. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (Galatians 5:13-14, KJV). From an Internet dictionary the following definitions were given. Freedom the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Liberty the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. This modern definition seems to indicate that freedom is allowing individual thinking, and liberty is more pointed toward freedom within societal confines. The one word in the KJV version is love. Jesus believed we should love all of mankind, even those who have chosen to be our enemies!
True freedom or liberty is only possible in this lifetime through belief in Jesus Christ, as this lifetime is not the end, it is just the beginning of eternity! Salvation offers the only true freedom, as it, and only it, offers an end to hatred, which stems from the curse imposed on all of mankind, because of sin. Jesus told us how few people will find salvation, as the attractions of this world overshadow the truth of the Bible, even to those people who read it. Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14). Just before saying this, Jesus quoted the Golden Rule. So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12)
Jesus also told us that we need the Holy Spirit to grasp the truth available to us in this lifetime. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13). All who believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God can ask God the Father for the Holy Spirit, and they will have Him indwell their being. Some people will tell you that Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah, but that is not true. One such time was when Jesus spoke to the woman at the well. The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he." (John 4:25-26). In the NIV Bible version Jesus claims to be the Christ on 8 different occasions, as He responds with the statement, “I am he!” That includes the one above where the “I and am he” is separated.
John wrote about how followers of Jesus become children of God. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1John 3:2). John also wrote about children of the devil. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. (1John 3:10). In this world it is sometimes difficult to know the difference between those who may be children of God, and those who may be children of the devil. It seems sometimes we may flipflop. Our sinful nature causes us to be attracted to those worldly pleasures that seem so right.
Paul wrote about keeping our sinful nature in check by constantly thinking good thoughts. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1Thessalonians 5:15-18). If you are praying continually it becomes difficult to still be able to treat other people harshly. Even if people are mean or rude to you, Paul tells us to still “always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.” Next Paul says we should, “give thanks in all circumstances.” When things are going your way, so to speak, this is easy, but when times are tough for you, then you are still to be happy, because this is apparently God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” The trick here is to be happy always because your situation is God’s will, and we should be thankful for whatever God has given us!
Do you know someone who is proud of committing sin? Pride should only be felt through your relationship with Jesus. Being a sinner is inborn in all of the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve, as C. S. Lewis called human beings, and rightfully so, as we are all related through having Adam and Eve starting our family tree. Also remember what Jesus taught in the Golden Rule, Do to others as you would like them to do to you. (Luke 6:31, NLT)
Freedom is free, as is salvation, and only Jesus can supply true freedom.
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Galatians 5:13-14 (NIV)
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
We live in a cursed world where love is talked about a lot, but it is often confused with lust as the proof of love. In God’s plan lust is the result of love and is only experienced as the created method of procreation of mankind. Paul is warning the early church about seeking freedom to allow the recipient to “indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Our outlook on personal relationships is centered on first having sexual relations with another person, expecting to find out if you love them but participating in sexual relations. In the past there was usually a courtship time, which was meant to allow getting to know the other person attempting to discern if you loved them, before having sexual relations thus love came first before sex.
This commentary was not meant to be about personal relationships, but more centered on loving your neighbor after you are able to love yourself. Memorial Day ushers in the summer season each year and thus, allows more contact with other people as the weather allows more outside activities and more mingling with our neighbors. On Memorial Day we are directed to honor our neighbors who gave their life by bearing arms and going to war against those whom we believe would enslave us and/or take away our freedom. In the selected verse Paul is warning us about how we should use our freedom. Then he writes about how we should, “serve one another in love.” Then Paul wrote for us to observe God’s law, “The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
In the KJV Paul’s words are translated as “liberty” instead of “freedom” and it made me wonder about the difference in meaning. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (Galatians 5:13-14, KJV). From an Internet dictionary the following definitions were given. Freedom the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Liberty the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. This modern definition seems to indicate that freedom is allowing individual thinking, and liberty is more pointed toward freedom within societal confines. The one word in the KJV version is love. Jesus believed we should love all of mankind, even those who have chosen to be our enemies!
True freedom or liberty is only possible in this lifetime through belief in Jesus Christ, as this lifetime is not the end, it is just the beginning of eternity! Salvation offers the only true freedom, as it, and only it, offers an end to hatred, which stems from the curse imposed on all of mankind, because of sin. Jesus told us how few people will find salvation, as the attractions of this world overshadow the truth of the Bible, even to those people who read it. Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14). Just before saying this, Jesus quoted the Golden Rule. So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12)
Jesus also told us that we need the Holy Spirit to grasp the truth available to us in this lifetime. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13). All who believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God can ask God the Father for the Holy Spirit, and they will have Him indwell their being. Some people will tell you that Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah, but that is not true. One such time was when Jesus spoke to the woman at the well. The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he." (John 4:25-26). In the NIV Bible version Jesus claims to be the Christ on 8 different occasions, as He responds with the statement, “I am he!” That includes the one above where the “I and am he” is separated.
John wrote about how followers of Jesus become children of God. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1John 3:2). John also wrote about children of the devil. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. (1John 3:10). In this world it is sometimes difficult to know the difference between those who may be children of God, and those who may be children of the devil. It seems sometimes we may flipflop. Our sinful nature causes us to be attracted to those worldly pleasures that seem so right.
Paul wrote about keeping our sinful nature in check by constantly thinking good thoughts. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1Thessalonians 5:15-18). If you are praying continually it becomes difficult to still be able to treat other people harshly. Even if people are mean or rude to you, Paul tells us to still “always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.” Next Paul says we should, “give thanks in all circumstances.” When things are going your way, so to speak, this is easy, but when times are tough for you, then you are still to be happy, because this is apparently God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” The trick here is to be happy always because your situation is God’s will, and we should be thankful for whatever God has given us!
Do you know someone who is proud of committing sin? Pride should only be felt through your relationship with Jesus. Being a sinner is inborn in all of the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve, as C. S. Lewis called human beings, and rightfully so, as we are all related through having Adam and Eve starting our family tree. Also remember what Jesus taught in the Golden Rule, Do to others as you would like them to do to you. (Luke 6:31, NLT)
Freedom is free, as is salvation, and only Jesus can supply true freedom.
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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