Spend time in prayer and silence with God, asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
– Galatians 5:13-15
Devotion
In verse six of this chapter, Paul writes, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love.” Then in verse fourteen, Paul reminds his readers of the second greatest commandment given by Jesus, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” So, then faith working through love is the great principle of all conduct. Paul then proceeds to a correction of popular mistakes concerning freedom. The idea that liberty means the absence of all restraint is false. There are three methods of trying to live the Christian life—two of them will not work. One is a life of legalism. The other is the life of license. The third method of living the Christian life is the life of liberty. Paul warns his readers not to use their liberty in Christ for an occasion to sin. Grace does not set us free to sin, but it sets us free from sin! You see, believers should desire to please God, not because they must please Him like a slave, but because they are sons and daughters and they will to please their Father. We serve God because we love Him. The whole basis of obedience is a love relationship to Him. The law never brings us to that place. Paul warns the Galatians of what happens when legalism/license trump love: “You will be destroyed by each other.”
The Big Question
Have you ever tried to live the Christian life through a mindset of legalism? Have you ever used your freedom in Christ to indulge your sinful nature? How are you doing at loving (valuing) your neighbor as yourself?
Conclude your time in prayer and silence, reflecting on what God revealed to you today.