Liberty With Love

Gal 5:13-16

Liberty with love. (Gal 13-16)

You are saved by grace thru faith… not by works. (Eph 2:8-9; Rm 4:4-6; 5:1-2)

Judaizers said that grace is not enough; Paul’s reply was that if they added works to grace they had lost grace & were condemned by the law.

We have been given freedom… not license to sin, but thru love to serve one another.

How can we find the balance of liberty with love?

Consider three kinds of Christians: careful; carefree; & careless.

Careful Christian has legalistic leanings but is not a legalist (Ishmael).

Carefree Christian accepted freedom & is serving God, filled with Spirit, & joy, etc.

Careless Christian free to be lazy, not attend church or give, license to indulge self, etc.

There will always be tension & we tend towards the extreme (license vs legalism)

Someone who has come out of legalistic church will often use freedom as license.

Dealing with gray areas (not moral choice like stealing, murder, adultery, praying, abiding with Jesus, etc.)… but do you shop on Sunday afternoon, go to movie, or which movie (Star Wars, Harry Potter), observe Halloween or Easter eggs, etc.

Christian life of grace & liberty is a narrow path (Mt 7:13-14) with danger on both sides. 

We need balance of Word & H Spirit to stay on the narrow path.

Balance we need is to living in liberty with love.

Balance is seeing that: freedom is not license; holiness is not legalism.

In balance, freedom does not allow us to set aside God’s moral law. Ceremonial law is set aside (Special days, food restrictions, sacrifices, religious rituals we do win God’s favor)

God’s moral law went inside… it’s now written on our hearts.

In balance, you are free, but don’t use freedom to indulge the sinful nature… instead, use your freedom to serve & love Christ & others. (serve: bond servant to one another)

Love for your Savior & Lord will lead you to become a “pierced ear” servant. (Ex 21:1-6)

Have you used your freedom to choose to be Christ’s bond servant?

People who have experienced that kind of freedom don’t need external rules. They hunger to know, serve, & please Christ. Indwelling Spirit is transforming them.

In summary, there are three things freedom is not:

It’s not freedom to indulge the flesh. If you do, you are probably not truly free. (Jude 4)

It’s not freedom to injure others. Serve one another in love. Carefree Christians can rebuke those that are bound by rules (careful Christians). Don’t use your freedom to trample on other’s sensitivities, but to serve them. (Rm 14:1-7, 12-21) Don’t hurt them, but help them to grow in grace & faith, & become mature (carefree).

It’s not freedom to ignore the Law. As Christ’s servant, you are bound to the law of love. Love is the fulfillment of the law. (Rm 13:10) If free in the Spirit, you will love, be joyful, be peaceful, be patient, etc.

How can you keep on the narrow path of balanced life of grace & freedom?

Live by the Spirit & you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (v.16)

This balanced life is not natural or automatic. We all need the power & discipline of indwelling H Spirit to stay on narrow path… Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Col 1:27)

Live by the Spirit. (Gal 5:16)

Many who name Jesus as savior have never been transformed by the H Spirit.

Often, only half the Gospel is preached… repentance, & forgiveness of sins.

Asking for gift of H Spirit (Acts 2:38), & appropriation of life by Spirit is not taught.

Only thru H Spirit is it possible for Christians to live the will of God, to please Him, & to remain balanced & on the narrow path to eternal life.

Each day, ask Heavenly Father to fill you with the H Spirit. (Eph 5:18; Lk 11:13)

Your daily seeking & yielding to H Spirit is indispensable for fruitful life of faith.

H Spirit works in you to will & to act IAW God’s will. (Phil 2:13) He will teach you how to be Spirit-controlled, & how to walk by the Spirit.

Examine yourself… are you in the faith? (2Cor 13:5)

Do you try to put people in prison (external controls), or encourage them to be Spirit-filled, & then set them free?

Are you truly set free? How are you using your freedom? 

Are you living on the narrow path… balanced life of liberty with love?

Have you chosen to serve Jesus Christ all the days of your life? (“pierced ear” servant?)

Are you using your freedom to serve yourself?

Do you need to reaffirm your choice to serve Jesus & others?

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