Galatians 5

Galatians 5:1

5:1 The last verse of chapter 4 describes the believer’s positionhe is free. This first verse of chapter 5 refers to his practicehe should live as a free man. Here we have a very good illustration of the difference between law and grace. The law would say: If you earn your freedom, you will become free. But grace says: You have been made free at the tremendous cost of the death of Christ. In gratitude to Him, you should stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made you free. Law commands but does not enable. Grace provides what law demands, then enables man to live a life consistent with his position by the power of the Holy Spirit and rewards him for doing it. As C. H. Mackintosh says, The law demands strength from one who has none, and curses him if he cannot display it. The gospel gives strength to one who has none, and blesses him in the exhibition of it.Run, John, and live, the law commands, But gives me neither legs nor hands; Far better news the Gospel brings, It bids me fly and gives me wings.

Galatians 5:2

III. PRACTICAL: PAUL DEFENDS CHRISTIAN FREEDOM IN THE SPIRIT (5:2-6:18) A. The Peril of Legalism (5:2-15) 5:2 Legalism makes Christ of no value. The Judaizers insisted on the necessity of Gentile believers being circumcised for salvation. Paul, speaking with the authority of an apostle, insists that to depend on circumcision is to make Christ of no benefit. Says Jack Hunter: In the Galatian situation, circumcision to Paul was not a surgical operation, nor merely a religious observance. It represented a system of salvation by good works. It declared a gospel of human effort apart from divine grace. It was law supplanting grace; Moses supplanting Christ; for to add to Christ was to take from Christ. Christ supplemented was Christ supplanted; Christ is the only Saviorsolitary and exclusive. Circumcision would mean excision from Christ. 5:3 Legalism requires men to keep the whole law. People under law cannot accept the easy commandments and reject the others. If a person attempts to please God by being circumcised, then he is under obligation to keep the whole law. Thus a man is entirely under law, or not under law at all. Obviously, if he is entirely under law, Christ is valueless to him. The Lord Jesus is not only a complete Savior, but also an exclusive one. Paul is not referring in this verse to any who might have been circumcised in the past, but only to those who might undergo this rite as a necessity for complete justification, to those who assert the obligations of law-keeping for their acceptance with God. 5:4 Legalism means the abandonment of Christ as one’s only hope of righteousness. This verse has given rise to considerable discussion. Many different interpretations have been offered, but these may be grouped broadly in three classes, as follows:

1. Many hold that Paul here teaches that it is possible for a person to be truly saved, then to fall into sin, and therefore to fall from grace and be forever lost. This has come to be known as the falling away doctrine.We believe such an interpretation to be unsound for two compelling reasons: First, the verse does not describe saved persons who fall into sin. In fact, there is no mention of falling into sin. Rather, the verse is speaking of those who are living moral, respectable, upright lives and hope to be saved thereby. Thus the passage acts as a boomerang on those who use it to support the falling away doctrine.

They teach that a Christian must keep the law, live a perfect life and otherwise refrain from sinning in order to remain saved. However, this Scripture insists that all who seek to be justified by works of law or self-effort have fallen from grace.Secondly, this interpretation contradicts the over-all, consistent testimony of the NT to the effect that every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is eternally saved, that no sheep of Christ will ever perish, and that salvation depends entirely on the finished work of the Savior, and not on man’s feeble efforts (Joh_3:16, Joh_3:36; Joh_5:24; Joh_6:47; Joh_10:28). 2. A second interpretation of the verse is that it refers to those who were originally saved by faith in the Lord Jesus, but who subsequently put themselves under the law to retain their salvation or to achieve holiness. In other words, they were saved by grace, but now seek to be kept by law. In this case, to fall from grace is, as Philip Mauro put it, to turn from God’s way of perfecting His saints by the work of the Spirit in them, and to seek that end through the observance of external rites and ceremonies, which men of the flesh can observe as well as saints of God.This view is unscriptural, first because the verse does not describe Christians who seek holiness or sanctification, but rather unsaved persons who seek justification by law-keeping. Note the wordingyou who attempt to be justified by law. And second, this explanation of the verse implies the possibility of saved people being subsequently severed from Christ, and this is inconsistent with right views of the grace of God. 3. The third interpretation is that Paul is speaking of people who might profess to be Christians but who are not truly saved. They are seeking to be justified by keeping the law. The apostle is telling them that they cannot have two saviors; they must choose either Christ or the law. If they choose the law, then they are severed from Christ as their only possible hope of righteousness; they have fallen from grace. Hogg and Vine express it clearly: Christ must be everything or nothing to a man; no limited trust or divided allegiance is acceptable to Him. The man who is justified by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is a Christian; the man who seeks to be justified by the works of the law is not. 5:5 The apostle shows that the hope of the true believer is far different from that of the legalist. The Christian waits for the hope of righteousness. He hopes for the time when the Lord will come, when he will receive a glorified body, and when he will sin no more. Notice that it does not say that the Christian hopes for righteousness; he already has a right standing before God through the Lord Jesus Christ (2Co_5:21). But he waits for the moment when he will be completely righteous in himself. He does not hope to achieve this by anything that he can do, but rather through the Spirit and by faith.

The Holy Spirit is going to do it all, and the believer simply looks to God in faith to bring it to pass. The legalist, on the other hand, hopes to earn righteousness by his own works, law-keeping, or religious observances. It is a vain hope, because righteousness cannot be achieved in this way. Notice that Paul uses the pronoun we in this verse, referring to true Christians, whereas in verse 4 he uses the pronoun you when speaking to those who seek justification by works of law. 5:6 Legalism avails nothing. As far as a person who is in Christ Jesus (that is, a Christian) is concerned, circumcision does not make him any better, and uncircumcision does not make him any worse. What God looks for in the believer is faith working through love. Faith is complete dependence on God. Faith is not idle; it manifests itself in unselfish service to God and man. The motive of all such service is love. Thus faith works through love; it is prompted by love, not by law. This is a truth found many times in the Scripturesthat God is not interested in rituals, but in the reality of a godly life. 5:7 Legalism is disobedience to the truth. The Galatians had made a good start in the Christian life, but someone had hindered them. It was the Judaizers, the legalists, the false apostles. By accepting their erroneous teachings, the saints were disobeying the truth of God. 5:8 Legalism is not a divine teaching. Persuasion here means belief or doctrine. Him who calls you refers to God. Thus the belief that circumcision and law-keeping should be added to faith in Christ does not come from God but from the devil. 5:9 Legalism leads to more and more evil. Leaven in the Scripture is a common symbol of evil. Here it refers to the evil doctrine of the Judaizers. The natural tendency of leaven, or yeast, to affect all the meal with which it comes in contact is used here to show that a little error must inevitably lead to more. Evil is never static. It must defend its lies by adding more lies. Legalism is like garlic; there is no such thing as a little of it. If a few people in a church hold false doctrine, they will get more and more followers, unless sternly dealt with. 5:10 Legalism brings judgment on its teachers. Paul was confident that the Galatians would reject the false teachings. His confidence was in the Lord, which may mean that the Lord had given assurance to Paul on this matter. Or, knowing the Lord as he did, he was sure that the Great Shepherd would restore His wandering sheep, perhaps even through the Letter which Paul was then writing to them. As for the false teachers themselves, they would be punished by God. It is a serious thing to teach error and thereby to wreck a church (1Co_3:17). It is much worse, for instance, to teach that drunkenness is permissible than to be a drunkard yourself, for the false teacher makes scores of others like himself. 5:11 Legalism does away with the offense of the cross. Paul now answers the absurd charge that even he at times preached the necessity of circumcision. He is still suffering persecution at the hands of the Jews. This persecution would stop instantly if he preached circumcision, because that would mean he had abandoned preaching the cross. The cross is an offense to man. It offends him or stumbles him because it tells him that there is nothing he can do to earn salvation. It gives no place to the flesh and its efforts. It spells an end to human works. If Paul were to introduce works by preaching circumcision, then he would be setting aside the whole meaning of the cross. 5:12 The apostle’s wish that the troublemakers would … cut themselves off may be understood literally; he wishes that they were castrated. They were zealous in using the knife to circumcise others; now let the knife be used to make them eunuchs. It is probably preferable to take the words figuratively; in other words, Paul wishes that the false teachers were cut off from the Galatians altogether. The gospel of grace has always been accused of permitting men to live as they like. People say: If salvation is by faith alone, then there is no control over a person’s conduct afterwards. But the apostle is quick to point out that Christian liberty does not mean license to sin. The believer’s standard is the life of the Lord Jesus, and love for Christ impels him to hate sin and love holiness. Perhaps it was especially necessary for Paul to warn his readers against license here. When men have been under the restraints of law for some time and are then granted their freedom, there is always the danger of going from the extreme of bondage to that of carelessness. The proper balance is that liberty which lies between law and license. The Christian is free from the law, but not lawless. 5:13 Christian liberty does not permit sin; it rather encourages loving service. Love is seen as the motive of all Christian behavior, whereas under law, the motive is fear of punishment. Findlay says: Love’s slaves are the true freemen.The Christian’s freedom is in Christ Jesus (Gal_2:4), and this excludes any possible thought that it might ever mean freedom to sin. We must never turn our freedom into a base of operations for the flesh. Just as an invading army will seek to gain a beachhead and use it as a base of operations for further conquest, so the flesh will utilize a little license to expand its territory. A proper outlet for our freedom is this: Make it a habit to be slaves one to another.A. T. Pierson says: True freedom is found only in obedience to proper restraint. A river finds liberty to flow, only between banks: without these it would only spread out into a slimy, stagnant pool. Planets, uncontrolled by law, would only bring wreck to themselves and to the universe. The same law which fences us in, fences others out; the restraints which regulate our liberty also insure and protect it. It is not control, but the right kind of control, and a cheerful obedience which make the free man. 5:14 At first, it seems strange that Paul should introduce the law here after emphasizing all through the Epistle that believers are not under it. He is not urging his readers to go back to the law; he is showing that what the law demanded but could not produce is the very thing that results from the exercise of Christian liberty. 5:15 Legalism invariably leads to quarreling, and apparently it had done so in Galatia. How strange! Here were people who wanted to be under the law. The law requires them to love their neighbors. Yet the very reverse has happened. They have been backbiting and devouring one another. This behavior springs from the flesh, to which the law gives a place, and on which it acts.

Galatians 5:16

B. Power for Holiness (5:16-25) 5:16 The believer should walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh. To walk in (or by) the Spirit is to allow Him to have His way. It is to remain in communion with Him. It is to make decisions in the light of His holiness. It is to be occupied with Christ, because the Spirit’s ministry is to engage the believer with the Lord Jesus. When we thus walk in the Spirit, the flesh, or self-life, is treated as dead. We cannot be occupied at the same time with Christ and with sin. Scofield says: The problem of the Christian life is based on the fact that so long as the Christian lives in this world he is, so to speak, two treesthe old tree of the flesh, and the new tree of the divine nature implanted by the new birth; and the problem itself is, how to keep barren the old tree and to make fruitful the new tree. The problem is solved by walking in the Spirit. This verse and those that follow show that the flesh is still present with the Christian; the idea of the eradication of the sinful nature is thus refuted. 5:17 The Spirit and the flesh are in constant conflict. God could have removed the fleshly nature from believers at the time of their conversion, but He did not choose to do so. Why? He wanted to keep them continually reminded of their own weakness; to keep them continually dependent on Christ, their Priest and Advocate; and to cause them to praise unceasingly the One who saved such worms. Instead of removing the old nature, God gave us His own Holy Spirit to indwell us. God’s Spirit and our flesh are perpetually at war, and will continue to be at war until we are taken home to heaven. The believer’s part in the conflict is to yield to the Spirit. 5:18 Those who are Spirit-led are not under the law. This verse might be understood in two ways: Led by the Spirit is a description of all Christians. Therefore, no Christians are under the law; they are not depending on self-effort. It is the Spirit who is resisting the motions of evil within them, not they themselves. Also, to be led by the Spirit means to be lifted above the flesh and to be occupied with the Lord. When one is so occupied, he is not thinking of the law or the flesh. The Spirit of God does not lead people to look to the law as a means of justification. Rather, He points them to the risen Christ as the only ground of acceptance before God. 5:19-21 We have mentioned before that the law appeals to the energy of the flesh. What kind of works does fallen human nature produce? There is no difficulty in identifying the works of the flesh. They are evident to all. Adultery is unfaithfulness in the marriage relationship. Fornication is unlawful sexual intercourse.

Uncleanness is moral evil, sensuality. Lewdness is shameless conduct involving absence of restraint. Idolatry is not only the worship of idols, but also the immorality that accompanies demon worship. Sorcery is witchcraft, the Greek word being related to drugs (pharmakeia). Because drugs were used in sorcery, the word came to mean intercourse with evil spirits, or the use of magic spells. It may also include superstitions, bad luck, etc.

Hatred means strong feelings of malice directed toward individuals. Contentions are discord, variance, quarrels. Jealousies are distrust, suspicions. Wrath is outbursts of hot anger or passions. Selfish ambitions are self-centered strivings to be number one, even at others’ expense. Dissensions are separations caused by disagreements.

Heresies are sects formed by men with self-willed opinions. Envy is displeasure at the success or prosperity of others. Murders are unlawful killing of others. Drunkenness refers to intoxication caused by strong drink. Revelries are riotous gatherings for entertainment, accompanied by drunkenness. Paul warns his readers, as he had told them before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. The passage does not teach that a drunkard cannot be saved, but it does say that those whose lives are characterized by the above catalog of fleshly works are not saved. Why should Paul write in this manner to churches of Christians? The reason is that not all who profess to be saved are true children of God. Thus throughout the NT the Holy Spirit often follows the presentation of wonderful spiritual truths with the most solemn warnings to all who profess the name of Christ. 5:22, 23 It is significant that the apostle distinguishes between the works of the flesh, and the fruit of the Spirit. Works are produced by human energy. Fruit is grown as a branch abides in the vine (Joh_15:5). They differ as a factory and a garden differ. Note that fruit is singular, not plural. The Holy Spirit produces one kind of fruit, that is, Christlikeness. All the virtues now listed describe the life of the child of God. Dr. C. I. Scofield has pointed out that every one of them is foreign to the soil of the human heart. Love is what God is, and what we ought to be. It is beautifully described in 1 Corinthians 13, and told out in all its fullness at the cross of Calvary. Joy is contentment and satisfaction with God and with His dealings. Christ displayed it in Joh_4:34. Peace could include the peace of God as well as harmonious relations among Christians. For peace in the life of the Redeemer, see Luk_8:22-25.

Longsuffering is patience in afflictions, annoyances, and persecutions. Its supreme example is found in Luk_23:34. Kindness is gentleness, perhaps best explained in the attitude of the Lord toward little children (Mar_10:14). Goodness is kindness shown to others. To see goodness in action, we have but to read Luk_10:30-35. Faithfulness may mean trust in God, confidence in our fellow Christians, fidelity, or reliability.

This latter is probably the meaning here. Gentleness is taking the lowly place as Jesus did when He washed His disciples’ feet (Joh_13:1-17). Self-control means literally holding oneself in, especially regarding sex. Our lives should be disciplined. Lust, passions, appetites, and temper should be ruled. We should practice moderation.

As Samuel Chadwick points out: In newspaper English the passage reads something like this: the fruit of the Spirit is an affectionate, lovable disposition; a radiant spirit and a cheerful temper; a tranquil mind and a quiet manner; a forbearing patience in provoking circumstances and with trying people; a sympathetic insight and tactful helpfulness; generous judgment and a big-souled charity; loyalty and reliableness under all circumstances; humility that forgets self in the joy of others; in all things self-mastered and self-controlled, which is the final mark of perfection. How striking this is in relation to 1 Cor. 13! Paul closes this list with the cryptic comment: Against such there is no law. Of course not! These virtues are pleasing to God, beneficial to others, and good for ourselves. But how is this fruit produced? Is it by man’s effort? Not at all. It is produced as Christians live in communion with the Lord. As they gaze upon the Savior in loving devotion, and obey Him in daily life, the Holy Spirit works a wonderful miracle. He transforms them into the likeness of Christ. They become like Him by beholding Him (2Co_3:18). Just as the branch derives all its life and nourishment from the vine, so the believer in Christ derives his strength from the True Vine, and is thus able to live a fruitful life for God. 5:24 Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh. The verb tense here indicates something that happened decisively in the past. It actually occurred at the time of our conversion. When we repented, there was a sense in which we nailed the old, evil, corrupt nature to the cross with all its affections and lusts. We determined that we would no longer live to cater to our fallen nature, that it would no longer dominate it. Of course, this decision has to be renewed continually in our lives. We must constantly keep the flesh in the place of death. 5:25 If here carries the thought of since. Since we have eternal life by the work of the Holy Spirit in us, let us live out the new life by the power of the same Spirit. The law never could give life, and was never intended to be the Christian’s rule of life.

Galatians 5:26

C. Practical Exhortations (5:26-6:10) 5:26 In this verse there are three attitudes to be avoided:

1. ConceitLet us not become conceited, literally holding of false or empty opinion (of ourselves). God does not want Christians to be boastful or conceited braggarts; it does not fit in with being a sinner saved by grace. Men living under law often become proud of their miserable achievements, and taunt those who do not come up to their standards, and legalistic Christians will often run down other Christians who don’t have the same lists of borderline things that they condemn.
2. ProvocationProvoking one another. It is a denial of the Spirit-filled life to provoke or challenge other people to measure up to one’s own private viewpoints. One never knows the problems and temptations of another person’s heart, never having walked in his shoes.
3. EnvyEnvying one another. Envy is specifically the sin of wanting something that belongs to someone else to which one has no right or claim. Envy begrudges another person’s superior success, talents, possessions, or good looks. Persons of few talents or weak character are apt to envy those who seem to be more successful law-keepers. All such attributes are foreign to grace. A true believer should esteem others better than himself. Law-keepers desire false glory. True greatness is to serve unnoticed, to labor unseen.