Slavery was legal and a major part of most cultures until the early 1800s. William Wilberforce was largely responsible for ending slavery in the British empire. As a member of the British parliament, he had been trying to end slavery for many years. After 20 years of work, in 1807, he finally helped pass the Slave Trade Act, and then in 1833, Britain passed the Slavery Abolition Bill. Wilberforce died three days later, having lived long enough to see the fulfillment of his great goal—to end slavery in Britain.

Freedom and slavery seem to be opposite ideas, and in many respects, they are. However, in the Christian life, we are both free and slaves/servants.

Gal 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

In Galatians, Paul describes life under the OT system as being “confined” under the power of sin and “kept” under the OT Law (3:22-23). The Law did not set anyone free from sin; it simply made them more aware of how sinful they were.

Once Christ began His ministry, the Law of Moses became God’s means “to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith” (3:24). Christ fulfilled the requirements and penalties of the Law on behalf of believers. Freedom from the Law frees believers to serve others.

So we are free in a certain sense, but we are still servants in a certain sense. We are free from the OT law and free from the power and penalty of sin, but now we are servants—servants of God and of one another.

Galatians 5:13 tells us, “by love, serve one another.” Let’s consider what this verse tells us about both Christian freedom and Christian service for one another.