03-09-25 Keith Lowder Galatians 5:13-18

Paul sure does pack a lot of ideas into his letters, right?  Each theme could have its own letter or at least chapter, but Paul likes to pack them together.  Let me try to simplify.  Hypnotherapy isn't for everyone.  In some ways, Christianity isn't either.  While Christ died for all so that we could be free from our sins and reconciled to the Father, we come to Christ on His terms rather than on our own.  Christianity and Christian living are not whatever we want them to be.  Our freedom is not for doing whatever we want, but for living according to the Holy Spirit which will lead us away from our selfish desires.  We will be led to love others.  

 

Remember how Jesus called on people to repent?  The heart of repentance involves giving up our agenda and instead taking up the Lord's for our life.  The question that confronts us daily as followers of Christ is: Will we use our freedom to live for the Lord or for ourselves?  The former is living according to the Spirit and the latter is according to the flesh.