5th December 2025

For most people today freedom is something they value, and are willing to strive for, and defend. We appreciate the things we are able to do and choices we’re able to make with little fear of reprisal. And we may feel strongly for those who live in circumstances without those opportunities.

Yet in reality the freedoms we enjoy are within relatively limited boundaries: they are constrained by regulations and resources. And all too often one person’s freedom comes at the expense of another’s.

In Galatians chapter 5 the apostle Paul explains a much greater and more complete freedom that Christians enjoy. In verse one he tells us it is Christ who has set us free: it’s not something we can do of ourselves; it’s something Jesus has chosen to do in his incredible love and grace. And this true freedom that we can enter through Jesus is ultimately the very freedom that God himself enjoys, not limited by human constraints.

Yet Paul goes on to warn that we don’t dilute or forgo that freedom by submitting to a ‘yoke of slavery.’ The context makes clear that he is referring to the requirements of the law of Moses, and exemplifies this with the specific example of circumcision (vv.2-4). If his readers began, or returned to trying to live under these constraints, they would be trapped and no longer able to enjoy the freedom Christ had given them.

Reading Paul’s words though, some might be concerned that this ‘total freedom’ suggests licence to do anything we like, no matter the consequences. But this is to forget that God is love, so his true freedom is always for the love and good of his children. Paul explains that the only thing that really counts is faith expressing itself through love (v.6). If we are living in this freedom, then our choices should be motivated by love: ‘For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself ” ’ (vv.13-14).  

How do we know what living in love looks like? Paul’s answer is not by looking to the law of Moses, but as Christ enables us through the Holy Spirit: ‘But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh…if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law’ (vv.16,18). Paul goes on to say that the fleshly, evil desires we need to avoid are ‘evident’ (v.19) or ‘obvious’ (v.19 NIV) – we don’t need the law of Moses to understand that they don’t reflect the love and freedom of God. 

So, what should living in the freedom that Christ gives us really look like? Paul’s answer is that the Holy Spirit will be bearing godly fruit in us: ‘…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law’ (vv.22-23 ESV). For us to experience the true freedom we have in Christ is to share in the freedom that God himself has through the Holy Spirit, and to share that loving freedom with others. And Paul says the way we do that is not through a ‘yoke of slavery’, but by keeping ‘in step with the Spirit’ (v.25). 

Local congregation:
Grace Communion Peterborough
Farcet Village Hall                                                    
Main Street
Farcet
Peterborough
PE7 3AN

Meeting time:
Sunday 11.00 am

Local congregational contact:
Richard Dempsey
Email:  richard.dempsey@btinternet.com
Local church website: GRACE COMMUNION CHURCH PETERBOROUGH – Landing Page

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church