Galatians 5
1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
The freedom that Paul talks about over here is concerning no longer being required to keep the Law to be saved. Before Jesus opened up the New Covenant for the forgiveness of sins the only way to be saved was to keep the Law – perfectly, without a single slip up. This was an impossible task. So no longer being required to do that is indeed a big burden off our shoulders – and certainly not one that we should want to be enslaved to again.
2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.
3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.
4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
Circumcision was the Old Covenant way of identifying yourself with the people of God. It was instituted by God with Abraham. After the Galatians believed, some Jews came later and managed to convince the Galatians that they still needed to be circumcised to be identified as people of God. Paul tells them that such a view is heretical.
We know that salvation is by grace (help from God) through faith (in what Jesus did). That is, we know that Faith → Grace → Salvation.
We also know that if there is no faith then there is no grace and hence no salvation. That is, we also know that no Faith → no Grace → no Salvation.
What Paul is saying here is that the relationship really is: Faith and Only Faith → Grace → Salvation.
Therefore, Faith + anything else → no Grace → no Salvation
This is a very strong statement! It humbles us and makes us all equal in God’s eyes. That is, we are all sinners, unable to save ourselves, and unable to add anything to God’s salvation. The entire payment for salvation is from God, and nothing is from us. If we try to add anything (circumcision, good works, or anything else), there is no salvation for us. It is not that God will save us but say, "Tsk, tsk, you’ve been a naughty boy trying to get your two bits into my gift of salvation." God will not save us at all if we try to come to Him with our two bits.
We need to really internalize this and let it humble us.
The proof that we have indeed internalized this is that we will never look down on any other human being or despise any other human being.
Another important thing that we shouldn’t miss from the passage is that it is possible to lose one’s salvation. To be severed from Christ, and to fall from grace means that we are no longer saved. It also means that such a person was once saved. After all, you can’t be severed from something that you were never attached to. Nor can you fall from a position that you never had. Gal 5:4 is one of the clearest verses that teach that one can be once saved and then lose one’s salvation.
Some people say that those who fall away from Christ were never really saved. But Gal 5:4 clearly teaches against that. This is because the person severed from Christ (i.e. no longer saved) had to have previously been attached to Christ (i.e. saved).
5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.
The hope of righteousness refers to our resurrection into a body that cannot be tempted. Then we will be able to be righteous without having to struggle. The Holy Spirit, dwelling in us, is God’s pledge, or down payment if you will, that He will one day do this thing that we believe He will do. In other words, we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
The hope of righteousness is a thing in the future. But for the present, our faith is demonstrated through love, whether we are circumcised or not. Circumcision no longer buys you anything when you are in Christ. What really matters is that while you are waiting for the hope of righteousness you need to be demonstrating love. And this love must come because you really believe that God has saved you. Such a belief results in deep gratitude towards God and a great desire to bless others. Just as a person who loves money feels thrilled when he wins the lottery, so also, a person who longs to get rid of his sin problem feels thrilled that God has fixed his sin problem completely. That thrill enables him to go out of his way to love others.
Treat me unjustly? No problem – I can still love you, because my greatest problem has been fixed!
Steal my money? No problem – I can still love you, because my greatest problem has been fixed!
Take advantage of me? No problem – I can still love you, because my greatest problem has been fixed!
Ruin my reputation? No problem – I can still love you, because my greatest problem has been fixed!
That is a picture of faith working through love.
7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?
The fact that Paul says that the Galatians were running well indicate that they were saved.
8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.
From this verse we can learn (and must internalize) an interesting fact: that not everything that someone (who claims to represent God) tells you is actually from God. There are so many people today who, just like the Galatians, are gullible enough to believe something just because some pastor or Bible teacher said it. They never bother to research it in the Bible even though Scripture tells us to test every spirit.
Note that circumcision did make sense logically. After all, in the Old Testament, God commanded the Jews to be circumcised if they wanted to be considered among the people of God. So getting a Gentile circumcised when they were born again seemed logical. However, just because something is logical doesn’t mean that it is from God. And one has to be careful to understand that distinction.
9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.
In a church, even a single person can cause a lot of trouble.
10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11 But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.
12 I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.
Paul was not happy with the person who told the Galatians to be circumcised. And he was not afraid to express it clearly. Keeping in mind that these words are inspired by the Holy Spirit, we can see that God was not happy too. But Paul didn’t take matters in his own hands – he left judgment to God, and that is how we must always be too.
The cross is a stumbling block in the sense that it requires us to accept that salvation is from God alone. No proud person, who desires to extol his own virtues and goodness, can be saved.
Paul didn’t just sit back and allow the church to believe that circumcision is required for salvation. He cared enough to fight for the truth. He wanted the theology of the church to be pure.
We must do that too, even if it means persecution for us.
Quite often, pastors require you to tithe to become members of their church. When one points out that tithing is not commanded in the New Testament the pastors point out that tithing didn’t begin in the Old Testament Law but was instituted even before that because even Abraham, who was before the Law tithed. But in the book of Galatians we see that circumcision, like tithing, also began with Abraham, and that didn’t make it okay to circumcise people in the New Testament. Therefore, just because Abraham tithed it doesn’t mean we should too, because Abraham circumcised but the letter to the Galatians clearly tells us that we shouldn’t.
13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "" YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'‘
We are free to be motivated by love to serve others because we no longer need to do what is right to be saved. Rather, we now do what is right because it is the right thing to do! We love others because loving is good, and not because loving others will get us to heaven.
15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
The Holy Spirit leads you to love others. When you obey Him you are being led by the Spirit, and are walking by the Spirit.
The flesh (the part of you from where temptations arise) pressures you to do the opposite of what the Holy Spirit wants you to do. You must try to always give preference to the Holy Spirit. When you have such an attitude you are free from the Law.
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
If you practice evil then you are not saved. To practice something is to do it because you want to do it. Such a person doesn’t want to stop doing a particular sin but wants to continue in it. That is, such a person is not in a state of repentance. Such a person will not inherit the kingdom of God. That is, he is not saved. Only those who are saved are sons and are the ones who will inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
If you are doing what the Spirit wants you to do – that is, if you are producing the fruit of the Spirit – then you don’t have to worry about the Law.
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
A person who is saved has crucified the flesh. That is, he does not want to sin in any way anymore. When he is tempted, he fights the temptation and tries to overcome it.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in us makes us spiritually alive. That is, we live by the Spirit. The proof that the Holy Spirit is in us is that when we are tempted we will fight against temptation.
Paul’s point is that this walking by the Spirit is what really matters, not circumcision. If you are not walking by the Spirit then circumcision cannot save you. And if you are walking by the Spirit then it doesn’t matter whether you are circumcised or not – you are still going to inherit the kingdom of God.
26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
In the churches of Galatia, some people would have agreed with Paul, while some would have disagreed. In doctrinal disagreements, it is easy for things to quickly degenerate to boasting, challenging and envying. Paul realizes that and warns them to ensure that they don’t fall into that trap.
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