On A Clear Day

Sep. 25, 2008

Freedom

My church often does a fall women's retreat, and this year our theme is freedom. I have been pondering Biblical freedom in preparation for the retreat, and of course, that always leads a body to Galatians. How can you discuss spiritual freedom and not turn to Galatians? Paul has so much to say about grace and the freedom it brings.

As I read Galatians a few months ago, I wondered why Paul seems to emphasize freedom from the law more than the other disciples. Finally I had one of those "duh" moments when I saw what was in front of my face. Paul was determined to be free from the law because he had been so heavily in bondage to it before.
The disciples were fishermen before they followed Christ, but Paul was a zealot. The other disciples were good Jews, probably observant Jews, but Paul was in bondage to the law - to his Jewishness. It was what brought him to the place of persecuting others for what they believed. It was his life. He breathed the law, he ate the law, he lived the law. When he accepted what Christ had done for him on the cross, he saw the folly of the law and was determined to live by the grace that had set him free. He did not want to add any extra laws to what God had taught him. He fought it tooth and nail.

Paul wrote "In Christ's family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, since you are Christ's family, then you are Abraham's famous "descendant", heirs to the covenant promises. "
As I considered this I came to realize how hard it must have been for some Jewish Christians of Paul's day to accept this. It must have been hard to accept that in Christ, they were no longer "better" than the Gentiles. The law exalts us, at least in our own eyes, and it is hard to let that go. We believe our own rule-keeping brings us some sort of favor with God, and we don't want to let go of the dream. We don't really want all things to be equal. We want to keep the inside track- but there isn't one.

For many, it seems that living in grace presents the same challenge now that it did when Paul was walking the earth. I know that I have days and weeks when I want to cling to the rules myself. It seems, in the moment, as if it is a more secure way to live, and yet I am beginning to understand that rule keeping makes me petty and petulant, and grace makes me mature. I love the tutor, but he is not the one who can set me free, and he is not worthy of my devotion. Christ came to offer me a better way. I want to live in it.

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About Me

This blog is about whatever is on my mind, God, my family, my life. For some reason I like the title, so I use it. Maybe it refers to my thinking more than the weather. When I'm thinking clearly, maybe my blogs will encourage someone.