Message: Freedom and Fruit / Galatians 5:1, 13–25

Today, the word “freedom” can mean many different things. Political freedom means that everyone has the right to speak, vote, gather, and share ideas without fear. Economic freedom is the ability to choose and own what we need or want. In ethics, freedom is about being able to follow our beliefs and do what we think is right without being forced by others. In philosophy, freedom is the opposite of determinism. It is linked to free will, which gives each of us the power to find meaning in life and to walk our own path.

In all of these meanings of freedom, there is one shared idea: every person has the worth and dignity to make their own choices and take their own actions. Every human being is born with a value that cannot be taken away. The first line of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, puts it this way: “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.”

The Bible shares this truth in many ways. One example is the belief that every person is made in the image of God. As people who carry God’s image, we are given both our worth and the ability to act freely. In both secular and Christian thinking, true freedom is deeply connected to how we see human dignity and how we treat one another.

However, some people misunderstand Christian freedom. They think that God gave us free will so we could choose either good or evil, as if both were equal options. But that is not what the Bible teaches. Freedom is not just about having many choices. It is about relationship. When we are in the right relationship with God, with others, and with all creation, we are truly free.

A person who looks free at the piano is not someone who just presses random keys. Making noise is not the same as revealing the freedom of the soul. True freedom at the piano is seen in a skilled musician who has learned to understand both the instrument and the composer’s intention, then offers a beautiful performance shaped by their unique interpretation. In the same way, real freedom is not about using our time and talents carelessly. Our true freedom shines when we live in line with God’s will, allowing the beauty within us to flourish.

The apostle Paul understood the meaning of freedom in the Bible very well. In the early church, some believers thought they had to follow all the religious laws to be accepted by God. They were trying to earn God’s love through their actions. Others believed that Christian freedom meant they could do whatever they wanted. They focused more on pleasing themselves than on loving God and their neighbours.

To both groups, Paul wrote, “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.”

It may sound strange that Paul used the word “slave” to explain freedom. To understand this, we need to remember the world Paul lived in. In the Roman Empire, a free person was considered a citizen, while a slave was seen as the property of someone else. The economy of the empire depended heavily on slave labour. At that time, about one-third of the population were slaves or captives, and most were owned by the wealthiest one percent. Although some slaves could eventually be freed and become citizens, that did not mean full freedom. They still had to provide “volunteer” service to their former owners.

However, there was one way to be free from those obligations: by becoming a slave of a temple. In that case, the person was no longer owned by a human master but was considered to belong to the god of that temple. In short, becoming a slave of a god was a way to escape human control and receive a kind of divine freedom.

So when Paul said he was a servant of Christ, his readers understood what he meant. By becoming God’s servant, Paul was set free from the powers that once ruled his life. By serving only Christ as his Master, Paul found true freedom. He was no longer tied down by anything or anyone else.

Serving God does not mean being under God’s control in a harsh or fearful way. When we serve God, we are not treated like slaves. We are welcomed as God’s children. As Paul said earlier in Galatians, God sent Jesus “to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children” (4:5). God gives us freedom so that we can live as beloved children. 

On the other hand, Paul warned people about false masters and idols that trapped people. He called them “the desires of the flesh” and listed things such as sexual immorality, impurity, sorcery, hatred, fighting, jealousy, anger, division, envy, drunkenness, and similar things. 

God allows us to enjoy everything in the world, but when we become obsessed with or addicted to some things, they can become false masters or idols. Take wine, for example. It can be part of celebration and joy. Wine is not evil in itself. But when it takes up too much space in our lives and begins to control us, it becomes a kind of idol. It takes the place that belongs to God. This is what Paul means by “the desires of the flesh.”

What the Holy Spirit desires is completely different from the desires of the flesh. The Spirit guides us to recognize that everything we have is a gift from God and calls us to use these gifts for freedom, justice, and peace. From this perspective, we can distinguish between sexual liberation and sexual addiction. We believe that every person, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, is created in the image of God. Our congregation welcomes people in the LGBTQ+ community, and we pray and work for their rights because we believe everyone has the right to enjoy their sexual life and no one should face oppression or violence because of their sexuality.

Sexual addiction, however, is a different matter. It is a form of idolatry that destroys human dignity and leads to bondage. The story of Sodom in the Bible illustrates this truth. The people of Sodom treated others not as bearers of God’s image but as tools for their sexual pleasure. They tried to forcefully abuse the travellers who stayed at Lot’s house. When they turned sexual intimacy from a gift of God into an idol, their city became filled with injustice and violence. Being obsessed with sexual pleasure is not sexual liberation but sexual captivity. Because of this, the city became so corrupt that not even ten righteous people could be found there. This story reveals the dangers of sexual addiction and sexual violence, just as Paul warns in today’s scripture.

So today, let us ask ourselves: What takes up more space in our lives than God? What causes us anxiety? What oppresses us? What obsesses us? 

Christian freedom begins when God is first in our lives. When we hold God as our true Creator, Master, Lord, Redeemer, and Protector, we are free. Guilt no longer weighs us down. Death does not frighten us. Those in power cannot crush our souls. Loneliness does not control our hearts.

Paul describes the fruit of this freedom that comes from the Spirit who guides us on God’s way: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We bear this fruit in our lives when we are set free by Christ.

Christian freedom bears the fruit of the Spirit. Christ has set us free, and so we love. Christ has set us free, and so we rejoice. Christ has set us free, and so we are patient. Christ has set us free, and so we are kind. Christ has set us free, and so we give generously. Christ has set us free, and so we are faithful. God has set us free, and so we are gentle. God has set us free, and so we practise self-control.

May we all receive the freedom that comes from Christ and bear the fruit of the Spirit in our daily lives.

Thanks be to God. Amen.


Rev. Min Hwang

South Stormont Pastoral Charge

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