Tug of War

July 9, 2025

“Tug of War”

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”

—Galatians 5:13–15 (ESV)

When we think of freedom, we often picture freedom from something—freedom from restraint, rules, or expectations. But Paul reminds us that in Christ, freedom isn’t about breaking free to do whatever we want—it’s about being free to love and serve others.

As kids, many of us played tug of war. Two teams pulling in opposite directions, each trying to drag the other over the line to claim victory. That picture helps illustrate the inner tension Paul describes here. Because of Jesus, His followers have been granted freedom—freedom from the penalty of sin. But even with that freedom, we still feel the tug-of-war between our sinful nature and our Spirit-led identity.

In the original Greek, the word Paul uses for “freedom” is eleuthería. In Greco-Roman culture, eleuthería had civic overtones—freedom from tyranny or slavery. Paul reclaims the word with gospel depth: True freedom is not about doing whatever you want. It’s the Spirit-empowered ability to do what’s right—to love, to serve, and to live in step with God’s purposes.

We often fall into one of two traps: either trying to earn God’s favor through law and performance, or abusing grace as a license to live however we want. In both cases, we miss the heart of freedom. Paul centers it in love—not love of self, but love of others. Real freedom is not selfish; it's sacrificial.

Freedom in Christ is not about living loosely, but living purposefully. It’s the Spirit-empowered ability to do what’s right: to love deeply, to serve humbly, and to walk in step with Jesus. We’re not set free so we can serve ourselves—we’re set free so we can live fully for God and others.

If we want to grow in our faith, we have to shift the focus outward. Freedom grows when we stop asking, “What do I get?” and start asking, “How can I serve and love like Jesus?” That’s the heart of the gospel—and the only kind of freedom that truly sets us free.

Reflection Question: In what areas of your life are you tempted to view freedom as self-serving instead of Spirit-led? How might God be calling you to use your freedom to love and serve today?

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for calling me to true freedom—not to live for myself, but to love and serve others like You. Fill me with Your Spirit so I can walk in that freedom, serve with joy, and reflect Your heart in how I treat others. Amen.