Galatians 5

Freedom in Christ

¹It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.

• GAL 5:1[NOTABLE]Christ set us free so we would stay free. The yoke of slavery here is trying to earn God's love by keeping religious rules, like the Galatians adding circumcision. Freedom is not permission to sin either, 5:13. It is freedom to love God and serve people because you want to, not because you are scared.

²Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. ³Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. ⁴You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

⁵But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the hope of righteousness. ⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. What matters is faith expressing itself through love.

⁷You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth? ⁸Such persuasion does not come from the One who calls you. ⁹A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough. ¹⁰I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.

¹¹Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. ¹²As for those who are agitating you, I wish they would proceed to emasculate themselves!

• GAL 5:12[NOTE]Yes, Paul really said that. The troublemakers wanted to cut the Galatians with circumcision, so Paul says he wishes the knife would slip and they would cut the whole thing off. It is harsh, and a little funny, but he was angry because they were cutting new believers off from grace. Priests of the goddess Cybele in Galatia really did cut themselves this way, so his readers got the joke.

¹³For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love. ¹⁴The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

• GAL 5:14[QUOTES]Direct ← LEV 19:18

Walking by the Spirit// Ezekiel 36:16–38; Romans 8:9–11

¹⁶So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; ²⁰idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, ²¹and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

• GAL 5:20[DEMONIC]Sorcery (pharmakeia) listed among works of the flesh
• GAL 5:20[NOTE]SORCERY. The Greek word is pharmakeia, where we get pharmacy. In Paul's day it meant using potions, poisons and drugs in magic: spells, curses and calling on spirits. That is why most Bibles say sorcery or witchcraft. Some read it as warning against drug use, but the word points to the occult, not to medicine.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

• GAL 5:22[NOTABLE]Nine qualities, but Paul says fruit, not fruits. They grow together like one piece of fruit, not a basket where you pick your favorites. You cannot make fruit by straining. It grows when you stay connected to the vine, John 15:5. Compare the works of the flesh in 5:19 to 21. Works are made. Fruit is grown.

²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.