Freedom and Service

If there is something that Americans love, a word that captures the American spirit more than any other, it has to be “freedom”. One of the questions I was asked frequently when I moved here from Canada was “how does it feel to be free?” I’m certain that some of the people who asked me this meant it half in jest, but there were definitely a few where I was not quite certain. Regardless, my response to this question was always the same, “great!”

I love the American way of getting fired up for freedom. I love how a rousing speech, the Star-Spangled Banner, or even just a pro-America movie can evoke feelings of pride in your hearts that you indeed are a nation built upon the principles of “freedom”. I think it is fair to say that we all feel this to at least some extent. Who doesn’t get a little bit emotional when hearing God Bless the USA? Whose national pride doesn’t swell a bit when the Blue Angels do a flyover? Who doesn’t get angry at images of the American flag being burnt? All of this results from the very American phenomenon and pride in the idea of “freedom”.

This is most definitely a good thing. Freedom is something that is almost universally accepted as good. The opposite of freedom—according to the all-powerful Google—is enslavement. Nobody wants that! Freedom is something to be thankful for, it is something to be enjoyed, it is something to not take for granted, but like all good things it can also be greatly abused. 

Freedom opens up the possibilities for all sorts of things that we can do. Yet just because we can do something, does not mean we should. Take free speech as an example. We are free—theoretically—to talk however we want. I can say whatever I like to whomever I like. But it’s also true that with this freedom comes the possibility that I could say horrible things. Things that belittle, demean, and hurt people. It is true that with free speech I can say whatever I like, but that does not mean I should.

In this week’s post on the “one another” passages of Scripture we come to a text that deals with the issue of freedom and its abuses. Let us turn now to Galatians 5:13 to see how we are called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ in the light of our Christian freedom:

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.” (Galatians 5:13)

1) We were called to freedom

What does Paul mean when he writes, “for you were called to freedom, brothers”? Is this an example of the rousing speech mentioned above? Are we meant to respond to this with a loud cheer of “hoorah” and then charge into battle? As much as we might like this to be Paul’s meaning here, it is not. 

So what does Paul mean? In order to understand that we need to look more closely at the book of Galatians as a whole. In the book of Galatians Paul is dealing with a problem that has arisen within this particular church. According to 1:6 the Galatians were “turning to a different gospel.” As we continue throughout the book it becomes clear that this “different gospel” consists of the Galatians turning back to “works of the law” for their salvation (3:10). 

 In particular, it seems that certain people have been arguing that the practice of circumcision is necessary to salvation. Paul is so angered by this that he wishes that “those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves” (5:12)! Therefore, Paul’s mentions of “freedom” needs to be read within this context. Paul is arguing that through the gospel the Christian is “justified . . . through faith in Jesus Christ” (2:15) and that this frees them from the works of the law. We are free then in Jesus Christ from the works of the law which were a “yoke of slavery” (5:1). The Christian no longer needs to keep the ritual law which prevented the Jew from participating in certain practices, foods, etc. The Christian is now free to love God and do what they want.

2) We should not abuse our freedom

One of the things I love about the Apostle Paul is how good of a pastor he was. Paul always seems to know how people might misuse his writings and seeks to warn people against this. Even in our passage today Paul does this. Immediately after saying that the Christian is “called to freedom,” Paul emphasizes that this freedom is not to be abused. He writes, “only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh” (5:13). We may be free in Christ to act as we like, but just because we can does not mean we should. 

For us this might mean something like this; we might be free to post on Instagram hot political takes. Doing this has no bearing on our salvation barring the fact that we are not doing so for sinful purposes. However, just because we are free to do this does not mean that we should do this. Paul, later in Galatians lists out the “works of the flesh” (5:19). These works include “enmity,” “strife,” “dissensions,” “divisions,” and “things like these” (5:20-21). We might be free to share this content with the world, but we need to ask in what ways are we contributing to these “works of the flesh” through this? Is this hot political take producing what Paul calls “the fruit of the Spirit” such as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (5:22-23) or is it producing “enmity,” “strife,” and “divisions” (5:20)? How are we damaging our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ by abusing our Christian freedom to contribute to the “works of the flesh”? Just because we can does not mean we should.

3) We are free to serve

The last thing Paul does in our passage is offer an alternative to the abuse of freedom, “serve one another” (5:13). How should our Christian freedom be utilized today? According to Paul it should be utilized for the service of one another in the body of Christ. But what does this mean? What does this look like?

Imagine with me for a moment that someone in your small group has just shared that they struggle with having fits of anger towards other people. They are very quick to respond with frustrated outbursts when pushed the wrong way by someone else’s words. This is especially true when this person is engaged in conversations about previous COVID mandates. In Christ, you are still free to talk how you like and act how you like without fear that your salvation is at stake. This means that you are still free to talk however you might like about previous COVID mandates. Yet would you be using your freedom as an opportunity to serve this person if you constantly talked about COVID mandates? Of course not! Serving this person in this context would be to let go of your need to talk about those things and steer the conversation in other directions.

Examples like this could be multiplied a thousandfold. The reason for this is simple. Discerning where one’s freedom is being properly used versus abused requires vigilant wisdom. However, I think there are two questions we can ask to help us discern the proper use of our freedom towards one another as Christians. 

1) Is what I am doing giving myself and others an “opportunity for the flesh?” Read through Galatians 5:19–21 and ask, is this action I am doing, what I am saying, how I am presenting myself, etc. causing any of these “works of the flesh” to be stoked in my brothers and sisters in Christ? 

2) Is what I am doing serving myself and others in their sanctification? Read through Galatians 5:22–23 and ask, is what I am doing serving others by helping to produce the fruit of the Spirit in their lives? 

As Christians we are free, but the freedom we are called to is one that seeks to love through serving one another. Let us strive then to use our Christian freedom as a means to serve one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Matt Crocker