As evidenced in our current culture, the ideas of “liberty and freedom” are regularly misconstrued to mean that we are allowed to do whatever we want.

If you watch the news at all, you can see that this faulty idea of freedom only propagates an environment of anarchy and division, rather than creating an environment of unity and love. This is true in a nation, a family, or a church.

In Galatians 5:13, Paul tells us what true liberty looks like:

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

Basically, he is saying that true liberty is more about loving others than about having license to satisfy ourselves.

In 1 Corinthians 10:23, Paul says “…all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”  His point is that real liberty focuses on what is best for others, not on what is allowable for me.

As believers, then, we have been freed from the bondage of selfishness and sin to have the liberty to serve others in love.

Is your practice of liberty based on “because I can,” or because you love others?