Freedom is not commonly thought of as a Christian value, but it is. In Galatians 5, Paul declared that “Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1 NIV). But Paul then warned the Galatians: “Do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). What kind of slavery was he warning against?

Primarily, he was warning the Galatians not to accept the advice of people who were telling them that they had to follow the Mosaic law. This would include the moral law but also a whole host of rituals that were supposed to atone for their sins. These rituals were onerous in themselves, but they were also ineffective. People who trusted in them would not be forgiven but would still carry the guilt and punishment for their sins. They would remain bound by guilt and fear.

Paul then went on to tell the Galatians: “Do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh” (Galatians 5:13). He gave the examples of sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, and orgies (Galatians 5:19-21). This danger was that the Galatians might think that since they were free from the Mosaic law, they could do whatever they liked. However, the sins of the flesh might start out as freedom, but they end up as addiction and another kind of slavery. People who engage in such behaviors find that they cannot stop, and their lifestyle becomes destructive.

Modern Christians, also, must avoid the two types of slavery—an obsession with rule-keeping on the one hand, which leads to joylessness, fear, and pride, and sinful indulgence on the other hand. In the middle ground is submission to God’s Spirit, which produces love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). In Christ, we are free to live as God wants us to live.