Paul has argued that the contribution of the Jewish Law was to lead people to the Messiah. Now Paul moves on to practical applications of this truth.
Galatians 5:1-3, Stand up to legalism!
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
Galatians 5:1-3, Stand up to legalism!
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
Paul insists that the believer must stand up to legalism.
Galatians 5: 4-6, Faith through love
You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
It is not works or circumcision that matter, but an active faith. (Active faith involves love!)
Galatians 5: 7-12, Legalism is dangerous
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.
Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
Paul confronts, in harsh words, the Judaizers who want to push the new believers into the strictures of Judaism. A deeper principle is that legalism drains joy and truth out of the believer. It is this book that led me, as a college student, to realize that Christians cannot accept legalism, but must (in various ways) confront it when it occurs.
Galatians 5: 13-15, Love one another
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
The quote in verse 14 is from Leviticus 19:18. But Jesus also gave that summary of the Law; see for example Mark 12:30-31 or John 13:34.
The phrase "sinful nature" in verse 13 is literally, "in the flesh" (NIV footnotes.)
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
The quote in verse 14 is from Leviticus 19:18. But Jesus also gave that summary of the Law; see for example Mark 12:30-31 or John 13:34.
The phrase "sinful nature" in verse 13 is literally, "in the flesh" (NIV footnotes.)
Galatians 5: 16-21, Live by the Spirit
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
We meet the expectations of the Law when we live guided by the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5: 22-26, Children of God
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
After the "acts of sinful nature" in verses 19-21, Paul switches over to the more positive results of living a life in the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
In the next chapter of Galatians, Paul wraps up his instructions with some personal, almost private, comments.
In the next chapter of Galatians, Paul wraps up his instructions with some personal, almost private, comments.
No comments:
Post a Comment