Galatians 5


Hold your liberty in Christ 1
Love fulfills the law 7
Walk in the spirit 16
Works of the flesh and the spirit 19
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.1 ¶ Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
 2  Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
 3  For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
 4  Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
 5  For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
.6  For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
   4 - Justified by the law Of course there is no such thing as justification by the law. Paul's point is that those who think they are justified through obedience have denied grace. The Jewish people had largely accepted the pagan ideas that what they did saved them. Today, we don't hear people saying, I've obeyed, therefore God will save me. The modern trend is to believe that living by the Spirit means we can behave however we like and still be saved. We lose by taking only part of the gospel.
  6 - Faith which worketh Here is the solution. Works don't bring salvation but they are evidence that our faith is strong. And without faith we cannot please God he1106. We use faith to grasp salvation and to walk in newness of life ro0604.
.7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
 8  This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
 9  A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
 10  I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
 11  And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
 12  I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
  7 - Ye did run well That is, before listening to the false teachers. For the Christian race see 1co0924, ph0216, 2ti0407, he1201.
  8 - Him that calleth That is, Paul, or God ga0106, 2co0519. The "Judaizers" must have had a fascinating appeal.
  9 - Leaven Or "yeast." See on mt1333, 1co0506, 2ti0217.
.13 ¶ For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
 14  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
 15  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
  13 - Use not liberty for Law keeping in Paul's time was thought to bring salvation and freedom from the Romans. Liberty from the legalistic way of thinking does not mean we are held guiltless when we choose sin.
.16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
 17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
.18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
  16 - Flesh It is not bad. The issue is which one do we allow to control us?
  17 - Lusteth Or "sets the feelings."
  18 - Led by the Spirit See on ro0814.
  18 - Not under the law They are not condemned by the law because, by the grace of Christ, they have been obedient.
.19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
 20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
 21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
.22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
 24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
 25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
 26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
   19 - Works of the flesh The list includes both sins against God – the first four commandments, and sins against people – the last six. ex20.
   22 - Fruit of the Spirit This list is worth contemplation.
   23 - Against such ... no law Many people, even religious leaders, believe that Paul taught us that the law of ten commandments does not apply directly to us today. Notice here how the Galatian believers would be free from the law. The law does not condemn anyone with the fruits of the Spirit. They have crucified the flesh, v.24.
   25 - Walk in the Spirit Those who claim to be living in the Spirit must behave in love, joy, peace, and so on.
   26 - Not vain glory By love for others (fruits of the Spirit) we walk in the last six commandments. By giving glory to God instead of seeking it for ourselves, we walk in the first four.
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