Freedom is a gift and a right that we don’t often think about in this country Australia. We are used to doing what we want, when we want and with whom we want. But those of us who live in Melbourne have had a taste of what life is like when certain freedoms are removed. During covid lockdowns in the last two years we were not allowed to gather together, not allowed to travel and not allowed to leave our homes at all except for a very limited number of reasons. When the restrictions were eased, we delighted at once again being able to meet with other people and being allowed to participate in communal activities.
Paul places freedom at the heart of the gospel, along with grace and faith. In his letter to the Galatian churches, this freedom is focused on being liberated from the Jewish Law with its many restrictions and regulations. We can enjoy right relationship with God based purely on our faith in Jesus Christ and what he has done for us.
Because of this insistence that we don’t need to follow the detailed demands of Jewish Law, Paul is seen as a bit of a trouble-maker and rebel … like Jesus before him! But Paul turns this on its head by suggesting that we are to use our freedom to love and serve others, effectively becoming a slave … the very opposite of a free person.
So while freedom is a fundamental right, it’s possible to abuse our freedom for selfish or indulgent ends. Instead, sometimes we have to curtail our freedom to best serve others. This was seen during the covid lockdowns when the vast majority of Melburnians complied with the restrictions and curtailed their freedom for the sake of loving and serving others by keeping them safe. Sadly this attitude has largely disappeared and selfish indulgence is back in charge.
May God give us wisdom to discern how to use and enjoy our freedom – in ways that serve the interests of others.