- Our Christian Liberty.
- Faith working through love.
- Living or walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Note: in the body on this article the verses from Galatians Chapter 5 are in italics, the explanation of the verse/s follows in straight text with additional scriptures shown in bold italics.
Christian Liberty
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
In verses 1 – 6 above, Paul explains to the Galatians the significance of the liberty or freedom they have in Christ Jesus as opposed to the bondage or enslavement they had under the law and which they will again be under if they return to the practices of the requirements of the law.
Verse 1: Paul encourages the Galatians to stand fast or embrace and don’t let go of the freedom they have through faith in Christ Jesus and not to become once more enmeshed in the bondage that the law brings.
Verse 2: Paul reiterates the fact that if the Galatian churches revert once again to circumcision (circumcision being the main contention in Paul’s letter), then Christ will benefit them nothing. If they revert to the law, then they invalidate the work that Christ accomplished for them on the cross.
They will then have to live and comply with the whole law not just circumcision! Jesus fulfilled the law, he was the only man that could, and so those that put their faith in Him alone become righteous in the eyes of God – Christ is our righteousness. Only through Christ do we receive forgiveness of our sins from God.
Matthew 5:17 (NKJV)
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
Verse 3: In this verse Paul highlights that another negative consequence of returning to the law is the obligation to comply with the whole of the Mosaic Law. As Paul puts it, we become debtors to live and comply with the whole law!
The Law is a unit, and if a person puts themselves under any part of it for justification, like being circumcised, they are a “debtor” to the entire code with its requirements and its curse.
James 2:10 (NIV)
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
Verse 4: In this verse Paul makes it very clear that if we try to return to any part of the law, we separate ourselves from Jesus, we become ‘estranged’ as he puts it.
Now, let’s examine the word ‘estranged’ used in this verse. This version, NKJV, uses the word ‘estranged’ from Christ, the NIV uses ‘alienated’ from Christ the KJV says, “Christ is become of no effect unto you,” and the AMP uses the word ‘severed’ from Christ.
All of these basically say that when we try to justify ourselves by the works of the law, we separate ourselves from Christ and make his death on the cross of no value to us and in my view, if that is the case, then we cease to be born-again!
So, the Greek word for ‘estranged’ in this verse is ‘katargeó’, pronounced ‘kat-arg-eh'-o’ (Strong’s 2673) and besides the translated meanings I have already mentioned its full definition is: to render inoperative, to abolish, to make of no effect, to annul, to abolish, to bring to nothing, to sever from and to separate from.
Now, in this verse, we, the Church today should take to heart very seriously the fact that after saying we become ‘estranged’ from Christ and we ‘attempt to be justified by law’, Paul goes on to say, “you have fallen from grace.”
Now, what does this statement mean and what are its implications for us today?
Let’s start examining this statement by having a look at the below two verses from Ephesians 2:
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
The Apostle Paul tells us here that we are saved by grace which is a gift from God and not through any works we do and definitely not by the law which nobody, but Jesus, could keep in its entirety.
Now, coming back to our text in Galatians 5:4, which tells us that in trying to return to the law or trying to incorporate it into the gospel, we become estranged from Christ, and we fall out of God’s grace through which we are saved, and thus we are estranged or cut off or severed or separated from Christ Jesus! Not a good thing!
Verses 5 and 6
5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
In verse five Paul says that we (born again Christians), being filled with and walking in the Spirit, are daily being conformed to the image of Christ, which means our righteousness is being strengthened daily as we are obedient to the Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
In verse six we are told that whether we are physically circumcised or not has no bearing whatsoever on our salvation but only our faith in Christ Jesus, apart from works, working itself out in the power of the Holy Spirit and in the love of God. In this way we bring glory to Jesus and him alone!
Love Fulfills the Law
7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
In verse 7, Paul tells the Galatians that they started off well in their Christian walk, “You ran well.” He then asks them who derailed them, who put them off track from obeying the truth of faith in Christ Jesus alone?
This is a rhetorical question as he has already told them that it is the false teachers that have infiltrated their congregations! They have corrupted the truth by insisting that they return to the elements of the law such as circumcision.
8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.
In verse 8 he tells the Galatians in no uncertain terms that the argument to return to circumcision, the law, is NOT FROM GOD! And, my dear readers, if it is not from God, it is a deception of the devil – stay away from it!
9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
Verse 9, although small in words, carries a HUGE WARNING! If you allow sin (leaven) into your lives and it is not dealt with and repented from, it will corrupt your whole life and many of the congregation around you!
Jesus used leaven as a picture of sin when He warned us against the “leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Matthew 16:6-12 (NKJV)
6 Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.”
8 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? 9 Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? 10 Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? 11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the (false) doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
In verse 10 Paul encourages the Galatians in saying that he has confidence in them in Christ Jesus that they will return to the true gospel of faith in Christ Jesus alone. He also goes on to tell them that the false teachers and prophets that have infiltrated the Galatian churches shall fall under God’s judgement for them. Their judgement has already been prepared! They will be destroyed - much like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were in the Old Testament
2 Peter 2:1-3 (NKJV)
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.
In verse 11 Paul draws the Galatians attention to himself and says to them, "if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution?" By this statement it would appear that Paul is being persecuted personally by his former Pharisaical colleagues for preaching the gospel!
He then goes on to say that, "Then the offense of the cross has ceased." What he is saying here is that he could not be preaching both circumcision (legalism through the law) and the Cross, because they are contradictory. If he preached the same message that the false teachers were preaching, then the offense of the Cross or 'stumbling block' of the cross would cease to exist.
1 Corinthians 1:23 (NIV)
but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Thus the Cross marked the end of the Law system and rendered circumcision and obedience to the Mosaic Law unnecessary and obsolete. Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour fulfilled the law for all mankind to be saved if they put their faith in Him alone!
Matthew 5:17 (NKJV)
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!
In verse 12 Paul, by his words, shows his deep annoyance and enmity to the false teachers that had infiltrated the Galatian churches by saying that he could wish that they figuratively 'castrate' themselves, and not just circumcision, so that they wouldn't be able to reproduce anymore people of their false kind! Believers today should follow Paul's example and look at today's false prophets and teachers in the same way! Church, have nothing to do with them!
Freedom in Christ Jesus
Now that Paul has exposed the false teachers and their teachings to the Galatians, he changes tack and encourages them to walk their Christian path in the freedom we have through faith in Christ Jesus alone!
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
In verse 13 he again personalises his message by addressing them as his brothers and reminding them that in Christ Jesus they have been called to freedom and not to the bondage that living by the law brings. He also gives the Church a very strong warning that still applies to the Church today!
DO NOT USE THE FRREDOM THAT WE HAVE IN CHRIST TO SERVE OUR OWN FLESHLY NEEDS, BUT RATHER LOVE AND SERVE ONE ANOTHER IN THE AGAPÉ LOVE OF GOD!
Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
In verse 14 Paul says that the law is fulfilled in one word, that word being love, the agapé love of God. Jesus fulfilled the law and Jesus is love!
1 John 4:16 (NKJV)
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
1 Corinthians 16:14 (NKJV)
Let all that you do be done with love.
15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
And in verse 15 Paul warns us that if we do not love each other as God loves us, then we will only end up destroying each other because we will be void of spiritual, agapé love. if we do not love each other then we are not in Christ Jesus!
1 John 4:20-21 (NKJV)
20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, [d]how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
In Verses 16-18, Paul explains to us the difference between the work of the Holy Spirit and the work of the flesh (sin) in the believer’s life. The flesh is sinful by nature as a result of the fall and man's every inclination is toward evil.
Genesis 8:21b (NIV)
even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
Satan works through the flesh to move us toward sin, whereas God works through our born again human spirit by His Holy Spirit to produce Christian virtues in us that please Him. The Holy Spirit energises and empowers our spirit to over come the flesh, our sinful nature. This is why it is so important for every born again Christian to walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16 below) and to be continually filled by Him!
Ephesians 5:18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
The command here to “be filled” is in the present continuous tense, therefore it speaks of something that is continuing, not something that happened just once and stopped. It is something on going. To bring out this sense more accurately we could say: “be being filled,” “keep on being filled,” or “continue being filled.”
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
In verse 16, Paul gives us the solution to overcoming our sinful natures, "Walk in the Spirit," This means that we, as born again Christians are to live our lives by continually being led and guided by the Holy Spirit. This is the only way that we will be able to overcome the lusts of the flesh, our sinful nature! Being led by the Holy Spirit is what Jesus himself desires for us.
John 16:12-15 (NKJV)
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
In verse 17 Paul explains that the flesh, our sinful nature which exists in the realm of the soul, fights against our born again Spirit to have control over our souls and vice versa, the Spirit fights against the flesh to bring the soul into submission to the Spirit. The Spirit and the flesh are contrary to one another - the flesh wants to sin while the Spirit does not, but often the flesh wins when we act contrary to the things of the Spirit and walk in the flesh.
In Romans 8:1-8 below Paul refers to our being in the 'flesh' as being carnally minded but because we, as born again Christians and led by the Holy Spirit, do not live according to the flesh but according the Spirit and faith in Christ Jesus alone, we do not live under the condemnation that living under the Mosaic Law brings! Thank you Jesus! When we live in the flesh we cannot please God, so don't do it!
Romans 8:1-8 (NKJV)
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
In verse 18, Paul summarises the preceding verses very succinctly, but here is my personal opinion of what he is saying:
We cannot live a godly life under the Law, this is impossible, only Jesus could do that! A Godly life can only be lived once we are born again and are being led by the Holy Spirit. When we are led daily by the Holy Spirit we live out the Godly qualities expressed in Galatians 5: 22-23 below - the nine facets of the Fruit of the Spirit!
In verses 19-26, Paul starkly contrasts the difference between a life lived in the flesh and a life lived in the Spirit.
Life in the flesh
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
In verse 19-21 above, Paul first tells the Galatians and the Church today that the works of the flesh are clearly evident. When compared to the Fruit of the Spirit in verses 22-23 below we can consider them to be bad fruit and contrary to the fruit of the Spirit in every way. The works or fruit of the flesh are self-centered and destructive.
The Bible tells us that as born-again Christians we should produce fruit in keeping with repentance! This is the fruit of the Spirit.
Matthew 3:8 (AMP)
So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin];
In the second half of verse 21, Paul gives us a very stern warning that we should always carry in the forefront of our minds these words, "those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Those that live in the realm of the flesh cannot please God an will not enter heaven!
Romans 6:8-9 (NIV)
8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
Life in the Spirit
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
In verse 22 and 23, Paul lists for us the nine facets of the Fruit of the Spirit. This is the fruit that we as Christians should be displaying in our lives, our Christian walk to maturity. When we are walking in the Spirit in all things we will be displaying these Godly characteristics (the nine facets of the Fruit of the Spirit) in our lives. As time goes by in our walk to maturity they will become more and more evident in our lives for the world to see. We will be more and more conformed to the image of Christ - we will be like Jesus to the World!
When we walk in the Spirit we bring glory to Jesus to whom all glory belongs. The person walking in the flesh only wants glory for himself and nullifies the work of the Cross!
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Through Christ Jesus, the born again Christian, by walking constantly in the Spirit, is able to put to death his flesh, his sinful nature with its self-centered passions and desires. This is when we live for Jesus and it is to the Father's glory that we bear much fruit and to show ourselves to the world as true followers of Christ!
John 15:8 (NIV)
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
It is the Holy Spirit that gives us spiritual life and when we become born again our human spirit is renewed and re-energised and Paul reminds us to also walk in the Spirit. To keep in step with him and to walk the path that the Father has willed for our lives so that we can bring glory to Jesus.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
To “Walk in the Spirit” means to obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit in all things. Step by step one’s Christian walk should conform to the Holy Spirit’s direction and enablement, lest believers become boastful (conceited), challenging (provoking) one another, and becoming jealous of one another.
Prayer
Dear Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that you would continually fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me wisdom and discernment so that I will not be led astray by the errant teachings of false prophets and teachers. Reveal to me, I pray, the wolves in sheep’s’ clothing that I may not stray from your path – faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone! Lord, I pray that you would keep my ears and my heart ever attentive to the voice of your Holy Spirt! I pray, Lord, that you would teach me your ways that I may bring glory to Jesus. Amen!
To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!
Jesus the Name above all names!
Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself. My word is flawed the Bible is not!
Thank you brother Ray for another outstanding teaching!! I always learn something brand new from your blog! Always I am well fed as I read your wonderful teachings!! God is doing a wondrous work in you brother Ray.God Bless you Richly eternally my friend. 🙏💞🙌💞🙏
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