Galatians 5:13 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. (ESV)
How often do we take the freedom God has given us and try and convict another person for not walking the same way we do? Would that not be placing a yoke of slavery on another. You see, we often call it freedom, because we practice what we think is the most biblical way to the faith. But yet in that freedom we have just created a burden. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” God does not see us for the laws we live by but what is of concern to him is whether or not we accept his son. “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” God has called us to freedom, that we might not fall back into what he has freed us from. It’s a sad day when we place the law over Christ, we might as well go as far to say, “Christ you are not enough.” Do you believe in the power of the cross, or do you truly think there is something you can do that will earn your salvation. If that is the case, I would strongly encourage you to get into the word and ask God to reveal to you His salvation found only through the promise of His son Christ Jesus.
Now that we know where our freedom comes from we can talk about how to apply this freedom to our lives in a way that will build up the body of Christ, not tear it down as we so often allow it to. Today more churches are divided over non salvific issues then over doctrine and theology. Things as small as, one person thinks we should do worship before the message and the other thinks that all worship should be done after the message. And we say, really? A church would divide over something that holds no biblical truth. Its hard to believe but it is the culture we live in today. We allow the flesh to dictate our freedom, man is fallen and stubborn by nature. Often times set in his ways, and without the renewal of Christ very prideful. We get stuck in our ways and will go to the extent of dividing a church to make a point.
What is the church anyways? That pretty building down the road, right. Common answer, but no. It’s the body of Christ. The cornerstone, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” Literally in the Hebrew, cornerstone is translated the head of the corner. Christ, the head of what? 1 Peter 2:4, he is the head of his people, “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious.” We are the church, in Christ Jesus, “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” If you notice everything I am talking about points back to Christ. This should be a reflection of our churches and ministries today.
Christ at the center, and we build down from there. Allowing the freedom of Christ and the Holy Spirit to cultivate and grow the structure of a ministry.
On a global scale, the body of Christ needs to agree to disagree, set aside their differences, not look at any one way as the right way. Because single out any one way and it will not work, but a worldwide collaboration and then the body of Christ is able to work as intended. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” So what do we do? Through love we serve one another. We love because Christ first loved us. Let that captivate your soul the divisions in the body start to disappear. Let the love of Christ allow you to step outside of your culture for a minute, and become sensitive to all walks of life. Praise God for his diversity and uniqueness, that he has chosen something so small as man to reflect his glory. Be like Paul, “I have become all things to all men, that by all means I might save some.”
Application:
In the Kenyan culture, they appreciate an outsider who has applied themselves to learn a few words in their language. Today I will learn a few words in Swahili, as I am heading off to Kenya shortly
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