Free to Be ...

Free to Be...

Love One Another

Free to Be Truly Loving

After leading a study of Roman's, the idea that we are "free" from the law is less than new to me. But this morning, I heard this freedom in a new light. We are freed from the ties of obligations and can open ourselves instead to be truly loving, not just as someone 'enslaved' or 'on the job'.

¹ It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

² Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. ³ Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. ⁴ You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. ⁵ For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

⁷ You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? ⁸That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. ⁹ “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” ¹⁰ I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. ¹¹ Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. ¹² As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Life by the Spirit

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. (Galatians 5:1-15)

Many religions are based on good works. Certain sacrifices, ceremonies and good deeds are necessary in order for you to be 'right with God'. This would lead to us doing good things, but without the love in our hearts. Since we are free from the law and lists of obligations, we are free to 'serve one another humbly'... most importantly 'in love'. Love must come from the heart, not from a list of shoulds, but from the desire to express our sincere faith through love.

Praise God that we are no longer confined by the law, but we are free to love the lord our God with heart and soul and mind... and love our neighbor as ourself!

Free to be Weak

We are also free to lean not on our own good works and our own goodness (because then we might boast), but we are free to lean on the Holy Spirit who guides us through our struggles, trials, and difficulties. We are free to be weak, and lean on the strength we have in Christ.

It hardly seems like a blessed... free to be weak? But freedom to be weak, imperfect children of the living God, is a freedom to be real and genuine instead of putting a fake 'front', we call out to God for guidance and counsel and help. And then we see how strong God truly is!

The new song by Matthew West called "Strong Enough" speaks to this point.

Well, forgive me
Forgive me if I'm wrong
But this looks like more than I can do
On my own

I know I'm not strong enough to be
everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not stong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
For the both of us

Well, maybe
Maybe that's the point
To reach the point of giving up

I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength
And I don't have to be
Strong enough
Strong enough

The story on his webpage talks about a young girl named Haleigh who had just started school at Columbia and was in a terrible accident during a break. She has now gone through 13 surgeries, 3 years later. She lost her health insurance and was unable to continue with school. Her response to her mother inspired this song. (http://www.matthewwest.com/2011/03/30/strong-enough/)

Matthew West describes that in his concerts, his audience always reaches their hands out to God during the end of the song when he sings "I can do all things, through Christ who gives me strength." He believes people can relate to the song in the own personal struggles they are facing.

And it is comforting to know that we don't have to be strong enough... and to remember that Christ is strong enough. As Paul attested, our faith in Christ Jesus enables us to boast in our weakness and praise God for His strength!

Free to Be New

In fact, as I sit here listening to K-Love this morning, I'm reminded that our whole faith is about being free. We are free from our past mistakes... free to be given a new name and be defined by Christ.

In another of my favorite songs by Jason Gray called "I am New".

It is this kind of freedom that opens us up to love completely... and to love unconditionally, not only certain people in certain circumstances when they do certain things or belong to certain groups or look/act a certain way. No... we are called to love all our brothers and sisters... just as Christ loved us.