Paul's gospel practiced. 5:2-6:15
The Gospel practiced in liberty. Galatians 5:2-12
Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised,
Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is
circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you,
whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope
of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus
Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith
which worketh by love.
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey
the truth? This persuasion cometh not of
him that calleth you. A little leaven
leaveneth the whole lump. 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. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision,
why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. I
would they were even cut off which trouble you.
5:2 Is Paul saying that a person can lose their salvation if
they are circumcised? What is he
arguing?
They are fallen from the way of grace, the only true way of
salvation. This is not about losing their salvation but about understanding
what salvation is.
5:3 Paul points out that to choose circumcision, the law, is
to go into debt under the whole law. Once you add a work to grace, you nullify
the gift of grace and must now try to keep all the law.
Application: In belief systems that add baptism to grace, is
baptism the only work added or are their other “laws” that now become mandatory
to keeping a person’s salvation?
5:4 In what way are the Galatians "fallen from
grace?"
They are fallen from the way of grace, the only true way of
salvation. This is not about losing their salvation but about understanding
what salvation is.
5:5-8 Paul contrasts the way of Grace through the Spirit
with the law. What is the contrast?
Those under the law are burdened with trying to do all the
law and can never know if they have done enough, while those under grace “wait
for the hope of righteousness by faith.”
They had faith working through love but now they have
nothing.
They ran well but now are hindered.
This change of mind does not come from the one who called
them to salvation.
5:9 What is the "little leaven" warning
concerning?
A little false doctrine affects the entire doctrine of
salvation.
5:10-12 Does Paul question their salvation or confirm his
belief that they are saved?
He has confidence in them that through the Lord. He believes
he is dealing with people who are saved but confused and misled and because
they are saved the Lord will bring them out of this mistake.
What argument might Paul have been answering when he said
that some contend, he preaches circumcision?
Paul had Timothy who was half-Jewish, circumcised when
Timothy was with Paul in Jerusalem in order to not offend the Jews Paul and
Timothy were trying to reach with the Gospel.
What was the proof this wasn’t true?
Paul was still being persecuted by those who believed in the
law.
In the first chapter Paul says that those who preach a different
gospel should be anathema, now he gives a different punishment for them, being “cut off.” What exactly does he mean?
That they would be cut off, in the Greek it is the idea of
emasculation. In a sense this punishment would be fitting for those who would
make circumcision necessary for salvation. They were mutilating the Gospel so Paul
wishes they were mutilated.
The Gospel practiced in love. 5:13-15
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use
not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word,
[even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take
heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
How is service and love a counter measure to the abuse of
liberty?
I am free from the law, but I am in bondage o others through
love. Love will constrain me from
abusing my liberty at the expense of others.
Paul condenses the Law to only one phrase. What is it?
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
How does this compare to what Jesus said about the law?
Matthew 22: 36-40
Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On
these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Later Paul will repeat this same truth when he writes to the
Romans.
Romans 13:8-10 Owe no man any thing, but to love one
another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this,
Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou
shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other
commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love
thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore
love is the fulfilling of the law.
Explain Paul's warning of biting and devouring one another.
The devouring will not stop, it will continue until there is
no one left. The church will be
destroyed by all the members being deeply hurt by the contention this heresy
will cause.
The Gospel practiced in the Spirit. 5:16-26
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil
the lust of the flesh. 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. But if ye be led of the Spirit,
ye are not under the law. Now the works
of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft,
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 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. But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness,
temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have
crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in
the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of
vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
What does Paul mean by "walk in the Spirit?"
Live and act under the power and influence of the Spirit.
5:17 Paul again states that law and spirit are in opposition,
they contend against one another. If one tries to serve God in the flesh,
through the law, they will not be able to do what they as spirit led children
of God should do.
5:18 Instead they must be led of the Spirit because they are
not under the law.
5:19-2 What are the works of the flesh?
Sensual Sins
Adultery - betrayal of spouse
Fornication - sexual union outside marriage
Uncleanness - unnatural practices, homosexuality
Lasciviousness – lewdness
Religious Sins
Idolatry - worship of idols
Witchcraft - Grk pharmakeia, drugs, potions
Personal Sins
Hatred -
Variance - contentions
Emulations - Grk zelos, indignation
Wrath - strong bitterness
Strife - arguing
Seditions - divisions
Heresies - factions, false doctrine
envyings,
murders,
Lifestyle Sins
drunkenness,
revellings, debaucherous parties
What is the fruit of the Spirit?
Love - agape
(sacrificing love)
Joy - kara
Peace - eirene (at one)
Longsuffering – endurance through trials
Gentleness - kindness
Goodness - delight in what is good
Faith - trust, belief, faithfulness
Meekness - gentleness, mildness
Temperance - self-control, mastery of self
Contrast the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit
|
Works of the Flesh
|
Fruit of the Spirit
|
|
Physical
|
Spiritual
|
|
Selfish, self-serving
|
Selfless, serving others
|
|
Short-lived, passions
|
Long-lived qualities
|
|
Destructive
|
Constructive
|
|
Out of Control
|
Under Control
|
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
5:23 What does the term "against such there is no
law" mean?
These stand above and apart from the Law. They are not a part of the Law, but the
outworking of the Holy Spirit within us. The law cannot have anything to do
with them.
Should I strive to produce the fruit in my life?
No! This is the work
of the Holy Spirit. To make the fruit
into just another list of commandments is exactly what Paul has been warning
about. Whether it is circumcision as a
physical show of salvation or "Fruit" as a spiritual show it is still
adding to salvation.
5:24 How can our life be rid of the lust and affections of
the flesh?
We must believe and accept that we have crucified the flesh.
This was accomplished at salvation and we must believe and act upon that
belief. Like salvation it is an act of faith but not a work of the flesh. We
cannot in ourselves, do something to make it happen.
Paul amplifies this truth in Romans.
Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with
him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not
serve sin.
5:25 Is the "If" on "If we live in the
Spirit" a condition or a declaration?
In the Greek, it is a first-class condition, and should be
understood as since. Paul is making a
statement of what is right and logical not conditional upon a choice but what
should be true.
5: 26 What kind of glory is vain according to Paul?
That glory, honor or being right which is directed toward
ourselves. It is anything that provokes another or envies another.
Conclusion:
Paul’s
epistles are almost all divided into a doctrinal and a practical section and
this is the case with his letter to the Galatians. Yet there is as difference
here, instead of a general description of Christian duties or actions, Paul
gives practices that are sharply drawn from the truth he has been reinstituting
to the Galatians. He strongly warns them
against strife within the churches caused by the error of works and grace being
mixed. He describes the outflow of the Spirit in us but only after sharply
contrasting it with the works of the flesh. He not only gives us guidelines for
living in grace but also strong warnings against trying to living a life of
grace by mixing it with the keeping of law. Paul says, it is one or the other,
it cannot be both, so live the way you should.
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