Bedside Watchman -- TRUE LIBERTY

Last Updated on : October 11, 2014

The Bedside Watchman

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October 4th -- Galatians 5
TRUE LIBERTY

THERE is beautiful liberty in the injunction, "by love serve one another" -- liberty to serve, and thus fulfil the law of Christ. It includes all the law under which we live, for Paul in Galatians 5:14 says that all the law is fulfilled in loving one's neighbour as one's self; and again: "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." At the same time he says, "Every man shall bear his own burden", but there is no contradiction here. A difference in the word translated "burden" shows the meaning of Paul. The burden of verse 2 is a burden too great for one to bear without overstrain -- an overload. The second word means the load properly apportioned to every soldier -- his own burden. To share this would be to burden another unduly and unjustly; there must be a wholesome self-reliance as well as a spirit of help. But should a soldier on the march weaken, and his burden become too great for his strength, a comrade, being stronger, might take some of his load in the spirit of helfulness and comradeship. Each must bear his own burden, but the strong must help the weak according to the law of Christ under which his soldiers serve: "By love serve one another", not by constraint but willingly.

C.A.LADSON, Guided by the Star, page 69