The Practice of Christian Liberty

GOLDEN TEXT: “Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” —Galatians 5:13

GALATIANS 5:13-18; 5:22 – 6:5

OUR Golden Text sounds an important warning with respect to the proper use of Christian liberty. “If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the Law,” Paul wrote. Elsewhere he wrote, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (II Cor. 3:17) The rigid commands of the Law, “Thou shalt,” and “Thou shalt not,” have been replaced in the Christian life with the leading of God’s Holy Spirit, but we are not to take advantage of our liberty and resist that leading by catering to the flesh and its desires.

In this lesson, the particular aspect of carnality which Paul warns against is “biting” and “devouring” one another; or, in other words, a lack of sympathetic understanding and good will among ourselves as brethren in Christ. Instead of “devouring” we are to serve one another, and to do so in the spirit of love. While not under the Law, if we are led by the Holy Spirit in the pathway of love toward our brethren, then the Law is actually fulfilled in the one commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”—Lev. 19:18

Those who are led by the Spirit will manifest the “fruit” of the Spirit—“love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such,” Paul says, “there is no law.” They that are Christ’s; that is, true Christians, “have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Where this has not been done the Holy Spirit will not fill and control the life.

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another.” From this it is clear that when there is controversy and bickering among the brethren it is evidence that the flesh has not been crucified and that the Spirit of God is not in control.

It is true, of course, as Paul reminds us, that “the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh” so that we cannot do the things which we would. Being led by the Spirit does not mean attaining perfection in the flesh, but where there is envying and strife it indicates that the flesh has gained the mastery over our new minds.

One can be “overtaken in a fault,” Paul tells us, but this is no reason for other brethren to stoop to his fallen condition. Instead, “they which are spiritual”—that is, who are filled with and led by the Spirit of God, will do all they can to “restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.” In this they will keep watch of themselves, lest they also be tempted.

It seems evident that the “fault” which Paul is here especially referring to is an envious, backbiting spirit on the part of a brother. Only the truly “spiritual” could be used by the Lord to restore such an one, and even then they would need to be on the alert in their dealings with him lest they unwittingly be induced to render “evil for evil.”

One of the causes of envy and strife on the part of a brother is too high an estimation of himself. Paul says, “If a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” Paul says that if a man proves his own work, then he will have “rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” The thought here seems to be that to whatever extent the Lord blesses us in our service for him and for the brethren we will have cause for rejoicing, without making comparisons with others. It is a trait of fallen human nature to exalt self by belittling others.

Instead of envying others, we should rejoice in their abilities and opportunities to serve. In the Lord’s vineyard there are opportunities for all his people to serve according to their various talents. We should endeavor to make a proper appraisal of ourselves, and not to seek, by strife and bickering, to push ourselves into service for which we are not qualified. It is often this tendency on the part of the less spiritual that causes dissension in an ecclesia.

Paul says that we should bear one another’s burdens and also that every man should bear his own burden. This is not a contradiction, for both thoughts are true. There is a slight difference of meaning in the Greek words translated “burden” in these two statements. In the admonition to bear one another’s burden the thought is a load, or weight, that which is burdensome—a reference to our trials and difficulties as Christians. Through our sympathy and love we can help one another bear these.

But when Paul says that each one should bear his own burden, the meaning in the Greek is more particularly a task, or service. We each have a service to perform for the Lord and we are not to expect others to do our share of the Lord’s service, but zealously perform that which he has given us to do. It is the same thought as expressed in greater detail in Romans 12:3-8.

QUESTIONS

Flow should Christian liberty not be used?

What particular aspect of carnality does Paul emphasize in this lesson?

Why is it not necessary for those who are led by the Spirit to be under the Law?

What is the proper way to “restore” one who is overtaken in a fault?

What does Paul mean by bearing one another’s burdens and bearing our own burdens? Is this a contradiction?

| Home Page | Table of Contents |