Episode 164

I’ve been on a freedom kick lately. Partly because of my pastor’s powerful messages the past few Sundays, but also because my heart has been aching for my brothers and sisters in Christ who are burdened by an impossible yoke of expectations and perfectionism. That would be people like me! We so desperately want to please God that we take on a load that Jesus never meant for us to carry.

Paul addresses three different groups of believers in this portion of Galatians 5:

1. 1. Those who want desperately to please God and so they take on a burden they were never meant to bear. (I talked about them and their yoke of slavery in last week’s episode, so be sure to listen if you missed it.)
   2. Those who misuse their freedom. (I’m reminded of 1 Corinthians 10:23, where Paul writes this: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.)
   3. Those who bite and devour each other. Paul addresses believers who impose their impossible list of dos and don’ts while shaking their self-righteous fingers. The religious ones who take pride in their standing before God.

I don’t know about you, but I know which of the three groups I tend to fall into, which could be another reason why I’ve been on a freedom kick lately. I invite you to listen to last week’s episode if you missed it by visiting my podcast page. And while you’re on my website, click over to the homepage to sign up for my newsletter.

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This week’s scripture: Galatians 5:13-18