“For you were called for freedom, brothers and sisters. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
– Galatians 5:13-14
What I take from this passage is that to be truly free is not to possess the ability to do what we want but rather it is to execute the ability to do what we ought – to give our love freely in the service of others. It also says we should love and care for ourselves, just not at the expense or exclusion of others. It seems to me that St. Thomas Aquinas captured this sentiment in saying: “To love is to will the good of the other.”
“Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
– James 4:17
So then how do we reconcile this against what St. James tells us in his letter quoted here? When does freedom become responsibility? As Christians, does our faith hold us to a higher standard, one with accountability for our inactions as well as our actions? The following video does an excellent job of capturing the link between freedom, faith and responsibility:
I’d be interested in hearing other thoughts and takes on these Scripture verses and what being truly free means to you. Thanks!
Scripture References
Galatians 5:13-14 James 4:17
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