Kingdom Building Ministries - You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:13-14 NIV).

Recently I was in Seattle visiting family. I joined my aunts and uncles for their weekly Sunday morning breakfast at their favorite café. The café was packed with people meeting and eating together over their morning coffee. None of these people appeared to be going to church that Sunday. (They didn’t look dressed for it; plus it was late in the morning.) As I sat in with them, I thought about how none of the people in the café would ever get to heaven unless they knew Jesus and also how God had given me a great opportunity to share Him with family who don’t know Him personally.

Breakfast was quite interesting. We laughed together and shared a meal. We discussed several topics including the nature of the people Jesus used to hang out with. Talking about this made me think about the tax collectors and ”sinners” that Jesus dined with in Matthew 9:10-14. The Pharisees were critical of Jesus for hanging out with such people—just as today some might be critical for someone missing a Sunday morning service to meet with a non-believer.

In Galatians 5, Paul spoke to Gentile believers about not focusing on the rituals and customs of Jewish believers. He was exhorting them to live freely in their salvation. Living freely so that they may love others instead of wasting time on irrelevant religious practices.

I am not advocating a person should never attend church. It is very important as a believer to be connected to a church body. But we as believers need to remember what our priorities are—to love God and to love others (Matthew 22:37-40). Is it more important to make your weekly appearance at church or, if the opportunity presented itself, to spend time with someone who needed to hear about Jesus? Are our Christian lives so full of religion that we are unable to be flexible to the needs of the lost or hurting?

Jesus spoke out against those who loved their practices and prestige more than their God and He freed us from the law by His death on the cross.

-Andrew Akers

Whether it’s in Church or a café in Seattle, we have the liberty to love. Question is: Are we doing it?

© 2002. Kingdom Building Ministries.