Galatians 5:1-26
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
7 Ye did run well; who did hinder youa that ye should not obey the truth?
8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
10 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.
11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 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.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 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.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affectionsb and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Contents: Liberty of the believer in Christ, apart from the law. Conflict of flesh and the Spirit. Christian character the result of the Spirit's work not self-effort.
Characters: Christ, Holy Spirit, Paul.
Conclusion: Since we are justified only by faith in Christ Jesus, not by the righteousness of the law, let us not again stand in fear of and bondage to legal ordinances. While our salvation is settled by the work of Christ, the conflict of sin which still wars in the believer's members, may be settled by yieldedness to the Holy Spirit, Who is present in the believer to subdue the fleshly nature and to bear heavenly fruit through our lives.
Key Word: Liberty, Galatians 5:1; Galatians 5:13. Flesh and Spirit, Galatians 5:16.
Strong Verses: Galatians 5:1; Galatians 5:6; Galatians 5:14; Galatians 5:16; Galatians 5:17; Galatians 5:18; Galatians 5:22; Galatians 5:23; Galatians 5:24.
Striking Facts: Galatians 5:4. To «fall from grace» is to fall back on legal ordinances and mix law and grace. One who is fallen from grace is not a believer who has lost his salvation by failure to do good works (the popular Methodist explanation), but one who is doing good works and trusting in them as a means of salvation and sanctification.