For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Galatians 5:13-15

The idea of true freedom was touched on briefly yesterday, but how is freedom expressed? Is it by our celebrating our independence and freedom to do what we want?

Paul warned against abusing our freedom as an opportunity to act selfishly and he included an interesting word picture to describe the tendency we have to destroy each other with our bickering and conflict producing an outcome where we are consumed by one another. Have you ever been consumed with destroying another person or group?

Instead he clearly describes freedom as an opportunity to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Paul is echoing the words of Christ here and he uses the phrase – “through love serve one another.”

In the next chapter Paul adds a little more detail –

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:1-2

Paul gives us two distinct ideas in the verses above. One is full of conflict while the other is the Gospel expressed by Love.