An individual read that he had “liberty in Christ” and he believed he could do almost anything he wanted because of his “liberty”. He was soon no longer a Christian. Can we do “anything” we would like to because we have “liberty in Christ”? What is this liberty Paul is speaking of? Does our liberty in Christ give us the right to lie, cheat, steel, commit murder or adultery? NO!!
Galatians 5:13-15 “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.”
Paul is clearly explaining to the gentile Galatian church to love one another and not to be mean and selfish (sinful) against each other.
“Liberty” is an interesting and wonderful concept. So, our first question is what are we at liberty from? Some say we are at liberty from keeping God’s law. Galatians 5:13-15 DOES NOT say we have liberty to break God’s law in any way. If we were at liberty from keeping God’s law, we could all sin and do whatever we wanted without any repercussions. Killing, adultery, lying, false witness, covet etc. would all be legal and condoned by God if liberty meant freedom from God’s law. God does not in any way condone sin. We learn in 1 John 3:4 that sin is the “transgression of the law”. The breaking of God’s law is what sin is. Paul tells us in Romans 6:23athat the “wages of sin is death…” So, the liberty we have is the liberty of freedom from the death penalty of the law. All sinners will die. What things are God’s people NOT at liberty to do? Read I Cor. 6:9-10; Heb. 10:26-27; Gal. 5:19-21; Rom. 1:23-32; Rom. 6:20-21; Rom. 8:5-9; I Cor. 15:56; Rev. 21:8. We are not at liberty to SIN and be saved! Sin leads to death but the “gift of God is eternal life” (Rom. 6:23b).
In Galatians 5:13-15 Paul says, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself“. Is this all there is to salvation or is there more? Love your neighbor? Paul was quoting Jesus from Matthew 22:37-40. He summarized a point to make a point. Doing whatever we want (sinning) does not show love to one’s neighbor. In reading all of Matt. 22:36-40(see below) we see what true love is. Loving God and our neighbor. The question then becomes how to love God and neighbor? Easy, keep God’s Holy moral laws- the Ten Commandments as summarized by Jesus in Matthew 19:17-22. Paul also reiterated the Ten Commandments in Romans 13:8-10.
Matthew 22:36-40 “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
When asked about the greatest commandment of the law Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments. Jesus said to love God first and then love your neighbor. Being a sinful person does not show love. Paul said the same thing. Our “liberty” comes from keeping God’s laws, His way of life. We are liberated from the death penalty brought on by sin. How? By the keeping of the law of God.
