From the Pulpit...

In the context on tonight's message the word for "opportunity" was often used to refer to a central base of military operations. In the context, "flesh" refers to the sinful inclinations of fallen man. The freedom Christians have is not a base from which they can sin freely and without consequence. Christian freedom is not for selfish fulfillment, buy for serving others. The ethics of the former OT law are the same as those of the NT gospel as indicated in the quote from Leviticus 19:18. When a Christian genuinely loves others, he fulfills all the moral requirements of the former Mosaic law concerning them. This is the ruling principle of Christian freedom. "Bite and devour one another", is imagery of wild animals savagely attacking and killing each other - a graphic picture of what happens in the spiritual realm when believers do not love and serve each other.