It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1 (NASB)
In my previous blog, we took some time to recognize the sacrifices made by America’s founders to secure freedom of religion. In light of Galatians 5:1, we also asked, “What are we doing with our religious freedom?”—most notably the freedom from sin that Christ made possible through His atonement on the cross.
The church in Galatia lost sight of the reason that Christ had made them free; subsequently, they turned once again to circumcision as a validation of their faith. So Paul reminds them—and us—that “in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.” And then he says this: “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6 NIV).
Wow. What are you saying, Paul? Are you literally saying that walking in love is more important than anything?
Apparently so.
We find this to be a recurring theme throughout Paul’s writings, and is evidence of his understanding of how we are to live under the New Covenant established by Jesus. Let’s consider some other writings of Paul:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (ESV)
Paul essentially says here that I can be the greatest gospel preacher or communicator the world has ever had the privilege of hearing, but if I don’t have love—and clearly he means that I am actually loving others—then all I am doing is making noise. He goes on to say that I can have prophetic insight (that others obviously don’t have); I can understand not just some mysteries and possess some knowledge, but I understand all mysteries and possess all knowledge—let that sink in for a minute—and I can have faith so unwavering as to move mountains, but if I don’t have love, then I am nothing.
Nothing.
Are you getting this?
But he’s not finished.
He continues by saying that I can give away everything I have and even literally die for the gospel, but if I’m failing in the horizontal relationship of loving others, I gain (or accomplish) nothing. Let’s read Galatians 5:6 again:
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
All that matters, Paul said, is that I express my faith through love; not that I impress people with how much Bible I know. Now let’s see what Paul wrote to Timothy, whom he referred to as his son in the faith:
The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. But some people have missed this whole point.
1 Timothy 1:5-6 (NLT)
You may think all this talk of love is soft and superficial and not worthy of so much print space. But if we ever come to understand what real love is (see 1 John 3:16, Matthew 5:43-48), then we will discover there is nothing more challenging in this life than loving people who have hurt us, who hate us, who despise us, and who get under our skin. Yet Jesus said the primary evidence by which people will know we are His disciples is that we love one another (John 13:35).
Nothing will set you apart from the world more than loving people unselfishly—especially those who mistreat or malign you. Paul told Timothy that some people have completely missed this point.
Circling back to Paul’s exhortation in Galatians 5:1 to stand firm in the freedom (liberty) that Christ purchased for us, let’s consider the reason he gives for which Christ has made us free:
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:13-14 (NIV)
In last week’s blog I gave you this axiom based on Titus 2:11-12 concerning the operation and purpose of grace in our lives:
God’s grace is His provision to avoid sin, not His promise to excuse it.
This week, I give you another:
Jesus made us free, not so we can do whatever we want, but so we can serve others humbly in love.
Jesus (and Paul) distilled the entire law down to a single sentence: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This is so much more than a religious platitude; yet we’ve heard it quoted so many times that it bounces off our brains like a superball off concrete. So I appeal to you to take Galatians 5:6 to heart and recognize that the only thing that matters is a life of faith that expresses itself through love. This is the true demonstration of Christlikeness.
