Saturday 18 February, 2017

13 My brothers and sisters, you were chosen to be free. But don’t use your freedom as an excuse to live under the power of sin. Instead, serve one another in love. 14 The whole law is fulfilled by obeying this one command. “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18) 15 If you say or do things that harm one another, watch out! You could end up destroying one another.

Paul reminds us that being in Christ is about being in freedom! All too often religion gets in the way and rules start to break down our freedoms – people ask how far we can go – and so rules to protect are developed, but over time are not understood so no longer protect, they constrain our freedom in Christ.

Yet Paul also warns that our freedom should not lead to licence! We cannot do anything – honouring God leads to lifestyle choices that, while free, are not unconstrained by His purity and power.

He reminds us to serve one another humbly in love. This motive serves as a way forward to fulfil what is now written on our hearts and as such lived in our lives, rather than required from outside by others – our behaviour is now as a result of our beliefs not just to please someone else.

Paul finally warns us that behaviour outside of following Christ will destroy you!

I love that I am free in Christ – and that freedom releases me to fully value others as God has created them not based on colour, creed, sexuality or anything other than they are one of God’s precious creations. That means I honour and value them – and fulfil the law of Christ.

Father help me to always honour others and serve them as You would have me do.

Written by Ps. Richard Botta