Wednesday, February 22

The new covenant of love

Scripture: Galatians 5

Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight—the only thing that matters is faith working through love.

Galatians 5:13–14 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.14 For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Observation

The Galatians had received the gospel of Jesus but some were returning to the Mosaic law. They were leaving the new covenant of grace for the old covenant of law. Paul says that they are free from the old covenant. Circumcision doesn’t matter any more. What matters is “faith working through love.” 

He goes on to tell them that their new freedom isn’t to be used to indulge their selfishness; just the opposite, it is to be used to “serve one another through love.” For love sums up the whole law, and is the first fruit of God’s Spirit within them. 

The Galatian battle is still being fought. We still gravitate back to the old covenant rather than living in the new. We are still dominated by rules more than love, by law more than grace. 

Application

What does it look like for me today to serve others through love? To live by faith through love? To love my neighbor as myself—or even better, to love as Christ has loved me (John 13:34)?

I have a full and sometimes difficult day in front of me. I want to live it in love, selflessly serving and sacrificing for others. I want to do what is best for others no matter what it costs me. Today, I want to ask, “What does love require of me in this situation?” 

Prayer: Lord, I love you and I want to be better at loving others. It’s hard for me right now to love some people. I need your help and I ask you for it today. 

More: Leviticus 15-16, Psalm 23, Galatians 1