The Shape of Freedom

The Shape of Freedom | Proverbs 3:3–8 & Galatians 5:1, 13–26 What does it really mean to be free? In this sermon, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Paul's letter to the Galatians and the surprising truth that Christian freedom is not the absence of responsibility but the freedom to become the people God created us to be. Through stories of everyday faithfulness, reflections on the Fruit of the Spirit, and the wisdom of Proverbs, Lewis explores the difference between a life driven by self-interest and a life shaped by God's Spirit. Too often, we think of freedom as the ability to do whatever we want. But Paul offers a different vision. In Christ, we are set free from fear, striving, and the need to earn God's love so that we can love others with joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Rather than focusing only on avoiding what is wrong, this message invites us to pursue what is good—to become people whose lives bear the fruit of the Spirit and reflect the love of Christ in our homes, our communities, and our world. Because the shape of Christian freedom is love. Preached by Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway at First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte on June 28, 2026, the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost.