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The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.

Paul and his workers went to the synagogue first. They were already interested in the things of God, they were half-way there. Go and talk to those who are already “spiritual” and share with them the truth that Jesus is the only way to the Father. Those in Berea were considered “more noble” because they were eager to listen to the gospel message and seek the Scriptures to show that it is true. In order to receive the word with eagerness, you must first understand the word. There are so many in our world today who know the Bible, they just don’t know the Jesus of the Bible. When you speak the truth to them, they will be eager to receive it! Then, urge them to PROVE that it is true with the Bible. The more you read of the Bible, the more amazing and true the gospel becomes to you. It is one message, 66 books, one savior. As you share the gospel with a specific group, and they believe, others will be brought along as well…

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 

There is a misconception that your Christian walk is your own business and between you and God alone. Well, sure, that’s 100% true, unless you’re a Christian as in what the New Testament says. To be a Christian is to be a member of Christ’s church, which means being a member of a local church (see Matthew 18). To be a member of a local church is to be members of one another. It is our duty to pay attention to each other and to restore brothers and sisters when they fall… irrespective of them admitting it or not. How do we fulfill the law of Christ, that’s the law of love, is to point out and correct sin in each other, and to be willing to have others do the same for you. You can’t be a faithful Christian on an island. Let’s do it!

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Because Jesus died for you He has done the work of salvation for you. You are not bound to any man, you are FREE! Sadly, too many of us are so self-centered we focus more on the fact that no one has the right to tell us what to do we miss the fact that there’s a difference between what we have to do and what we should do. If my freedom causes harm to others, I should not take advantage of that freedom. “I have the right to do that!” is not the call of the Christian. Giving up what you have a right to, for the sake of the weakness of another, is exactly what Jesus did by going to the cross. It is our chance to live the gospel. Don’t worry about your rights, worry about building up others.

the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Sometimes the son feels like a slave. “Why are you always telling me what to do!?” Well, it’s not because I own you, it’s because I love you. One day, all this will be yours and I need to ensure you grow up correctly. Do not act like a petulant child when the Lord corrects you. Don’t act like you’re “someone” when a brother or sister in Christ attempts to lovingly correct you, they may be speaking God’s word into your life. We are not under the “elementary principles of this world” (that is to say, the Mosaic Law, the basic governing precepts) because we have the Spirit of God in us. We DO follow God, but not because we are obligated under the law like a slave, we are obligated by who we are, the heir. We are not free to simply act however we see fit, we are being moulded and shaped to receive the inheritance of the entire world. Follow the Lord, not because you have to, but because He lets you!

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

We do not want to live by the letter of the law. Though that is truly “Justice” none of us can even hope to come close to living-up to that standard. This is the fundamental misunderstanding of the Pharisees who opposed Jesus. They, better than most, should have understood the weight of the law… it is impossible for us. We are saved by faith in Jesus’ fulfillment of the law. You are seen as blameless as Christ if you have made Him your savior. We are not defined by our past, we are not defined by our shortcomings, we are not even defined by who we are… we are defined by Jesus and His work on the cross. You are given a promise!