Faith Expressing Itself Through Love

Last Sunday Pastor Brian was preaching from Galatians 5, and he read the verse on the picture. This is actually a verse that struck me a couple years ago (I even wrote it on my Facebook, which is somewhat rare). I was contemplating what it meant for me, for my faith, for how I practice my faith.

I mean, what if I believed that? I mean really believed it? What if I let those words change my actions inside and out? What would look different about how I structure my day and my free time?

Let me give you some context around this verse. Paul was a missionary to Galatia. He taught the Galatians that faith comes through Jesus Christ alone, that there is nothing more that we can do to ensure salvation. The some Galatia accepted his words and believed in Jesus.

But after Paul left, some other Jewish-Christians came around and started teaching that followers of Christ must obey the Old Testament Law, which started with male circumcision (if you don't know what that is, ask your mother). Jews were instructed by God to circumcise all who were in His family and nation, so these Christians thought that law should be practiced by Jesus followers, which, by the way, Jesus happened to be Jewish.

So the Galatians started to buy into this and circumcised their men and started following the Old Testament Law, which went against what Paul was preaching. They believed that the only way to please God was to follow the Law. But Paul said that Jesus has already paid the price, that God's wrath against sin was already pleased through Jesus' sacrifice, and that there was no more work that needed to be done.

So Paul Got mad. Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Galatians 5. Don't worry, I'll wait.

Still waiting...

Seriously, go do it now!!!

So Paul affirms that nothing else really counts except "faith expressing itself through love." But then he turns gears a bit. He tells them not to use their "freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

I think to fully understand this, we have to understand that there are two entities we are called to love:

1. Love God. When we have a love for God it changes our priorities. It changes how we behave. It changes what we think is good and pleasing. It causes us to act differently than we otherwise would because we want to please Him.
2. Love others. This was a huge one for Jesus. Your love for others will show your love for God. In other words, how you love others is how you love God (check out 1 John if you don't believe me). 

So we are called to have faith which will be expressed through love. And that love is a love that serves. It's not a freedom that indulges self.

Here are two questions to answer on the blog.

1. How does your love for God inform how you act? In other words, what changes in you or your behavior because of your love for God?
2. What are some specific ways you can love those in your family more? What kinds of behavior and actions would show the love of Christ to them?
3. What are some specific ways you can love others around you (school, sports, band, drama, work, etc...)? How can you show them the love of Christ?