Today’s 333 Devotional: “Freedom’s Principle of Love”
The freedom we enjoy is never to be used as an excuse for indulgence. Freedom is not a permission slip allowing us to do whatever we please. Too often I’ve heard people say they know what they were doing is wrong, but God will forgive them anyway.
This is not freedom; rather it’s an abuse of freedom. Yes, we have the freedom to do whatever we want, and yes God will forgive us, but forgiveness isn’t a license to continue, because if there is no change, if there is no repentance to follow, then it really isn’t forgiveness we’re asking for, it’s permission.
The Apostle Paul said, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13)
Paul is saying that love is the real issue, because when Jesus sets us free, we are set free from sin and death, but at the same time we are also set free to serve others in love. Therefore, the freedoms we say we have should be regulated by love so that everything we do, every decision we make, we’re not just doing or saying the right thing, but we’re doing the right thing, and that is loving others as ourselves (Galatians 5:14).
As we approach this topic of freedom, I am always reminded of the great speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “I have a dream.” Here is a little part of that speech that speaks to this principle.
“I have decided to stick to love. I know that love is ultimately the answer to mankind’s problems. So I’m going to talk about it wherever I go. I’ve seen too much hate … hate is too great a burden to bear. So I’ve decided to love. If you are seeking the highest good, I think you’ll find it through love.”
Hatred paralyzes, confuses, and darkens life, while love releases, harmonizes and illuminates life.
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