2.19-Freedom. There is a wonderful thing about being someone who is honest

 2.19-Freedom. There is a wonderful thing about being someone who is honest is that we can find things that we want to keep doing more of and things that we want to do less of.

Much of this can be summarized in that we don't want to be mastered by anything that is causing us to not be healthy. There can be the misuse and overuse of things that in themselves are not bad. Food and drink and money among others.

What God's grace, mercy and peace does is to set us free for a time of thought and reflection and change to allow our use of these thigns to be handled in a more helpful way.

The Bible does not say that money is the root of all evil, but that the "love of money" is the root of all evil. A very important distinction.

The greatest teacher of all times teaches that money and food and drink should be used to build up good friendships. When we use things things in a selfish way is when they become self destructive.

Galations 5.

5 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

2 Look! I, Paul, tell you that if you have yourselves circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I testify again to every man who has himself circumcised, that he is obligated to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who [a]are seeking to be justified by the [b]Law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we, [c]through the Spirit, [d]by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little [e]leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. 10 I have confidence [f]in you in the Lord, that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear the punishment, whoever he is. 11 But as for me, brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been eliminated. 12 I wish that those who are troubling you would even [g]emasculate themselves.

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, 20 idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who [h]belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.