Victory in the liberty of the Spirit through Jesus Christ, not in the soggy and wet sentiments of human nature.

Galatians 5:13-15

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13

The liberty that Paul is speaking of to the Galatians is to be free from the many laws of Judaism, such as circumcision. Their liberty came by following the heart rooted in the Spirit through Jesus Christ. “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” 1 John 3:20-21

Being free from living by the laws of Judaism didn’t mean that freedom was given to the sinful human nature. The Galatians, and all of us, are not free to lust for what others have, to lie and slander others, to steal, to live in sexual promiscuity, to murder, to be a problem to parents, to desecrate the day of rest in Jesus Christ, and to serve other gods aside from God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Liberty in the Spirit means that all of the above carnal behaviors are resolved from within the heart and mind in the presence of the Holy Spirit, not by circumcision nor any other external requirements.

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!” Romans 6:15

Circumcision was given to Abraham as a sign of the promise that God made with him years ago about him being a father of many, many people through Jesus Christ. “…and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.” Genesis 17:11 Now that Jesus Christ has come, the covenant has been fulfilled, and circumcision no longer has any meaning.

“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! Galatians 5:14-15

Our Lord Jesus said that every single law of Judaism is kept by loving God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, “Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

Paul warns us about biting and devouring one another to the point of destroying each other. In the effort to subdue the sinful human nature, we are not welcoming to sentiments and influences that open the door to the curse of bad behavior. In fact, we do not worship compliments, flattery, angels, good works, smooth words, etc. because “niceness” is not God, but Jesus Christ is. “For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.” Romans 16:18 “Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels…” Colossians 2:18 Our Lord Jesus warns us about wolves in sheep clothing, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” Matthew 7:15

The Gospel of Christ is our born-again experience and that is what we serve.

In the process of subduing the flesh, we have to be careful that we do not completely crush, dishearten, and destroy each other. Today, the spiritual battle is in the mire of wet, soggy, and spongy ground of our inner being, but there we have the victory, as described in Zachariah 10:5. In today’s culture, there is an entity with power over physiology and is able to influence what people say, do, think, and feel. It goes beyond subduing the carnal nature of the flesh to seeking to devour those who are not given a ticket into the social culture, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 The atheistic entity enlivens the image of the beast to live and speak through people as they are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11