CVC is partnering with our school body’s pastors — and we asked our pastors to give us some encouraging words and a meditation on a scripture that lined up with our theme: Living God’s Story. This week, we invited Visalia CRC’s associate pastor Tim Keep.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love… If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. (Galatians 5:13, 15)

Freedom is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? It’s hard to overstate how important freedom is for our flourishing. It is one of the main themes of scripture. Israel was freed from slavery; when Jesus came, he brought freedom from the chains of sin and of death. Salvation is about freedom. If we are going to live God’s story, then we ought to live in Christian freedom.

Unfortunately, we might be tempted at times to use that freedom for selfish purposes.

“I can do whatever I want—it’s a free country!”

Remember hearing that? I used it as a kid a time or two. Most often, it’s a tactic on the playground for getting away with being annoying. You can’t stop me from repeating you, following you, or pestering you, because it’s a free country. I can do whatever I want. Honestly, I’ve heard this sentiment repeated frequently in recent months.

But freedom in Christ is not open-ended. It has a direction and a purpose.

You are not free to look down on others condescendingly.
You are not free to take your anger out on people.
You are not free to do whatever you want.
You are freed to serve one another humbly in love. There is good reason for this, and Paul knew it. To truly enjoy and experience freedom, we must live in peace and love with one another. There’s no freedom in biting and devouring one another—such a community experiences no true freedom at all, it will simply destroy itself.

But in God’s story, you are free. Live into that freedom with deep love and care for each other. When tempted to speak ill of someone or release your burning anger against them, extend the grace of Christ in a kind action or in a prayer on their behalf.
All freedom is costly—true freedom the most. The perfect life of Jesus was given to secure your freedom, so may we live it out in love!

To truly enjoy and experience freedom, we must live in peace and love with one another.

Want to send your children to a school where the word of God is used as a reference to live life to the fullest? Choose CVC: cvc.org/apply