Paul wrote, “It is for freedom that Christ set us free.” (Galatians 5:1) What amazed Paul was that the Galatians, after having accepted the freedom Christ offered, wanted to live their lives by giving up that freedom.  He wrote in chapter 3, “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?!”  What a perplexing problem!

I wonder if we are tempted by the same.  Are we tempted, even after we have received Christ’s salvation, to turn back to works or superstitions, or some type of folk religion for our purpose, meaning, or our everyday faith?  Do we find it so much safer for us to have a God who can be predictable or controlled that we refuse to live lives of faith?  Is the law that much of a comfort to us?

I sometimes wonder the same about our country.  Yes, we talk a good talk about freedom.  Yet, sometimes we forget that freedom invites a wee bit of chaos into our lives.  When that chaos happens, do we seek law based solutions rather than freedom based ones?  Is it really so hard for us to find and embrace political solutions that enhance our freedoms rather than curtail them? 

I suspect (and I almost always do suspect this) that what we see in the spiritual world is reflected in the physical.  Both Christians and non-Christians struggle with fully embracing the freedom of Jesus Christ.  Non-christiasn struggle with even understanding His message.  Christians struggle with living out that message fully.  Is it any wonder that in a nation full of both Christians and non-Christians that we would also struggle with vigilantly protecting freedom?

I guess that is my point today.  We should be people who vigilantly protect freedom.  We should value it.  We should think twice before giving any of it up.  We should pull back if we discover that we have given too much up.  And we should stand for freedom with our whole heart.  Paul’s word to the Galatians was, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”  Notice the second part of the statement – we should keep standing firm.  So, will we?

Something to think about,

Pastor John