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| INSIGHTS FROM SCRIPTURE: In Christ we receive freedom. Christ sets us free from the law, from the curse of the law, from the fear of death, and from sin. However, liberty and freedom in Christ cannot become a free-for-all. It cannot become a pass to do whatever you want or indulge in sin because you are free. According to the Harper Study Bible, “ Liberty brings believers by voluntary choice into total submission to Jesus Christ and his will for us.” So, being a slave to Christ really brings the truest, greatest freedom that can be found. The Judaizers said that men must be circumcised and obey the law in order to be saved, but this is obviously not the teaching of Jesus Christ. Paul says that is not true because in believing this they are taking the power away from Christ and placing it in their own hands, and ultimately missing the point of Jesus Christ completely. Paul knows that circumcision has no bearing on the kingdom of God or those who will enter the gates of heaven. “In Christ the law no longer exercises dominion over us” ( Harper Study Bible). We have to also remember that we were not given freedom to use it to gratify our sinful desires but rather to serve others in love. The Spirit and sinful desires are opposite and run in opposite directions. We cannot serve two masters. We cannot pursue the bad things of this world and say we follow Christ and live by the Spirit because they are not co-workers. There is no law against the fruits of the Spirit because for Christians those fruits become the desire of the heart and we want to do these things out of reverence for our Lord and Savior. The true desires of one’s heart show in the actions that are lived out. Jesus calls us to serve others in love and humility. Finally, as Christians, we lose our rights. Our rights become privileges. It is a privilege to serve Christ and we are given the fruits of the Spirit as an inheritance for accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior. |
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