1 John 5:3 ³For this is the love of God, in order that we keep his commands, and his command are not heavy burdens.

Those who have laid themselves on the altar of consecration find freedom there. This freedom is characterized by transforming love that changes one from a slave to a son. God’s commands are not burdens for those who abide in him, but they serve their purpose of showing us how to love. They become what they were meant to be: the roadmap to holiness. As the writer of Psalm 119 expresses it on every line of that poem, it is a delight to serve God in obedience to his will. Such persons have committed themselves completely to God as children. God is the loving Father, not the coercive, vindictive slave driver.

For those who have not given their lives completely to God, God’s commands seem like burdens. Those people view God as a taskmaster, as the Christian faith as a list of dos and don’ts. They are  slaves to the law, bound by a misunderstanding the purpose of God’s laws. They think that being a Christian is unpleasant and difficult. If they have faith, it is weak and immature, easily swayed by selfishness in its many forms. In this condition, it is difficult to overcome temptation. The results could be a drift towards legalism or libertinism, the two issues Paul addressed in his letter to the Galatians. A person can grow in either direction. Growing as a slave may end up in the trap of legalism, where people struggle to follow the law to gain eternal life. Or a person may give up and return to the ways of the world into libertinism. John addresses both issues in this letter. The way of freedom is the way of love.