Brothers and sisters, you were called to freedom—only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  Galatians 5:13, TLV

Freedom to Choose What?   While this is such a beautiful verse, it has been taken out of context and used in ways that are counter to the intent. It’s the word, “freedom” that causes folks to run amok. Reading the whole of chapter 5 is helpful, but really, we need to read all of what is commonly referred to as the “Sermon on the Mount.” Matthew chapters 5-7.

Here’s the reality, we’ve always been free — from the Garden of Eden to today. Free to choose to follow God and do the right thing. Or free to do the opposite.

It’s always been about the heart

In Matthew, Yeshua explains the Father’s heart. Our Heavenly Father doesn’t want legalism, He wants us to be free to follow His Holy Spirit, because the Law is written in our hearts:

“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”
—it is a declaration of ADONAI [the LORD]—
“I will put My Torah [Law] within them.
Yes, I will write it on their heart.
I will be their God
and they will be My people.” Jeremiah 31:32, TLV

So why does He want us to be free to choose His way? Out of love. His love for us and our love for Him.

The New Covenant — the New Testament — is that we are His people by love and commitment through the sacrificial blood of the Father’s Son, Jesus.

Now, when Yeshua [Jesus] says:

Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets! I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. Amen, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or serif shall ever pass away from the Torah until all things come to pass.  (Matthew 5: 17-18, TLV, Emphasis Mine)

What does that mean practically? Our Messiah goes on to say that the Torah — the Law — says, “Don’t kill or murder.” But, under this New Covenant, because the Law is written in our hearts, we shouldn’t even THINK a murderous thought. Or even call someone a fool because it is like we’ve thought a murderous thought. (Matthew 5:21-22)

So, yes, we’re free to do what we want as always, and those of us who are the Father’s redeemed children can still choose to do all the horrendous things mentioned in Galatians 5:19-21, but this is a dangerous thing. Instead, as Yeshua taught, we take the Law and we engrave it upon our heart so that our heart changes.

We’ll mess up, of course. And we have the freedom to leave the path of repentance, forgiveness, restoration, and change, but why in the world would we?

The Law and our redemption were instituted out of love by the Creator of the Universe. Our response should be gratitude and love. We may be clumsy and awkward at living that out, but our Father knows that. In fact, He has already seen it — even what we’ll mess up next year or the next decade. Still, He’s there to help us through.

Freedom is a great responsibility. Let’s use is wisely. Because like our nation’s freedom, it was hard won.