Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians Absolute Spiritual Freedom in Christ Galatians 5:1-26

In this marvelous epistle of Paul, Paul is combating the damnable teaching of the Judaizers who were teaching the Galatian believers that faith in Jesus Christ is incomplete without adherence to certain legalistic standards.  In essence, these damnable teachers were advancing that faith in Jesus Christ plus adherence to the Mosaic Law were necessary for salvation.  Paul wanted these Galatian believers to understand that absolute spiritual freedom is found solely in Jesus Christ without adherence to the Mosaic legalism.

Galatians 5:1-26 may be outlined as follows: I. Remaining Steadfast in Christian Liberty – Galatians 5:1-12; II. Remaining Steadfast in the Proper Use of Liberty – Galatians 5:13-15; III. Remaining Steadfast in Christian Liberty by Walking by the Holy Spirit – Galatians 5:16-26.

1. Remaining Steadfast in Christian Liberty – Galatians 5:1-12

In verse 1, Paul commanded the Galatians to “stand fast” in their Christian liberty because Christ, the Great Liberator, has set these believers free from spiritual bondage.  These believers had been liberated from slavery to heathenism but were in peril of becoming entangled in slavery to the Mosaic Law. The Galatians were totally free in Christ; however, they were being told by the Judaizers that more was needed for them to be rightly related to God!

In verses 2-4, Paul issued a firm warning to those who advocated adopting the Mosaic Law as a means of becoming or remaining righteous before God.  This warning was mainly directed to Gentile converts who were being influenced by the false teachers (Judaizers) to submit to circumcision and all the demands of the Law.  In submitting to circumcision as a means of gaining righteousness before God, Paul warned these Galatians that Christ will be of no value to them at all (v. 2).  Paul was vehemently opposed to the Judaistic theology that insisted that circumcision was necessary for salvation.

Paul was not against or condemned circumcision, for he had Timothy circumcised to reach a wider ministry (Acts 16:1-3).  However, Paul strongly opposed adding circumcision to faith to gain righteousness before God!  In addition to the fact that law and grace do not mix (v. 2) a person under the law is under an entirely new obligation: a person is obligated to obey the whole law.  The law is a unit, and if a person puts himself under any part of it for justification, he is a “debtor” to the entire code with its requirements and its curse (v. 3) (James 2:10).

Paul concluded in warning in verse 4 by repeating that Christ’s work is of no value to those who are seeking to be justified by the law.  One cannot gain righteousness before God through the law.  One attempting to gain righteousness through the law has “fallen from grace.” To fall from grace is to fall into legalism.  In contrasts with legalists, true believers by faith, eagerly await the consummation of their salvation (Romans 8:18-25).  At the consummation of our salvation, then the righteousness for which we hope will be fully realized (v. 5) (I Peter 1:3-4, 13).

In verse 6, Paul affirmed that neither the practice nor nonpractice of the right of circumcision was of any value.  The only thing that matters is faith that expresses itself in love.  True faith in not stale but demonstrates itself in love!  Paul’s point was simply that: “Works do not produce salvation; rather, works are the evidence and product of genuine faith!”

Using the metaphor of a race (vv. 7-8) Paul declared that the Galatians had started out well in their Christian life.  However, something was now hindering them, or literally cutting in on them, so that they were no longer obeying the truth.  In verse 8, the false teaching that the Galatians were beginning to embrace did not originate in the God who called them.  He called them by and into grace.  They were now being seduced by other voices into following a false gospel.

In verse 9, the prevalence of the damnable false teaching of the Judaizers is expressed in the proverbial statement “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (I Cor. 5:6; Matt. 16:6).  Like leaven in bread, the false teaching of the Judaizers would spread and contaminate the whole church if measures were not taken to eliminate it.

In verses 10-12, for all the dangers presented by the legalism being taught in Galatia, Paul was confident that the Galatians’ faith was genuine and that they ultimately would agree with his teaching and not be carried away in error.  He was also confident that the one who was teaching the error, whoever he was, would “bear his judgment.”  The judgment mentioned in verse 10 is “Divine judgment”.

In verse 11, there was an allegation made against Paul stating that he had preached the necessity of circumcision but was now preaching a different message.  Paul pointed out that if he had taught that the rite was necessary for salvation, he would not have experienced such a persecution from the Jews.  The gospel of grace he preached, however, was centered in the cross – the crucifixion – of Jesus as the payment for sin.  This teaching was offensive to the Jews, who promoted works such as circumcision as the means of acceptance by God.

In verse 12, Paul was so adamant about the gospel of grace that he could tolerate nothing that would compromise it.  He then wished that those who put such confidence in an act of the flesh would mutilate themselves as their pagan neighbors did in their twisted attempts to please God.

1. Remaining Steadfast in the Proper Use of Liberty – Galatians 5:13-15

In verse 13, it is imperative that believers remain grounded in their freedom in Christ, but that freedom is not a license to indulge any and all fleshly desires.  The freedom Christ give is freedom from sin and its power and consequences, as well as, freedom from enslavement to a religious system that can offer no hope of victory over sin.  Properly understood, liberty in Christ cannot promote sin.  Instead, it should lead to loving service to others.  Obedience to the biblical injunction to love one’s neighbor as oneself (Lev. 19:18) sums up the whole law.  In fact, it fulfills or completes the law (v. 14).  Love is the expression of faith.

In verse 15, it was assumed that there was strife within the Galatian churches; and if so, the Galatians needed to be reminded to love one another rather than to consume one another.

III. Remaining Steadfast in Christian Liberty by Walking by the Holy Spirit – Galatians 5:16-26

The real key to averting the kind of conflict Paul discussed in verse 15 is applying our faith by walking or living in the Spirit.  As children of God indwelt by the Spirit, we must submit to His power and control, trusting Him to give us victory over temptation and to bring us into conformity with God’s will.  When we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the “lust of the flesh” (v. 16).  We will not give in to ungodly and selfish desires.

Verse 17 explains that there is a continuing internal conflict between the indwelling Spirit and the flesh.  The flesh is the old disposition (tendency or inclination) to sin that continues even in those who have been born again.  In essence, genuine freedom in Christ does not mean freedom to live apart from all restraint.  True freedom comes from willingly submitting to the control of the Holy Spirit.

Paul has already discussed that Christ has freed us from the bondage of the law (Gal. 3:25; 5:1) and given us the Holy Spirit to lead us and empower us to please God.  Thus, as Christians, we are characterized as those who are “lead of the Spirit” and so are “not under the law” (v. 18).  We are free in Christ to live in the realm of the Spirit!

The sins listed in Galatians 5:19 are sexual in nature and cover illicit relations among both married and unmarried people.  The first of the four sexual sins is adultery which is described as sexual infidelity or unfaithfulness.  The next sexual sin is fornication or sexual immorality (porneia).  From this word comes the term “pornography.”  Porneia refers to any and all forms of illicit sexual relationships.  The next term “uncleanness” extends to one’s immoral thoughts; “lasciviousness” refers to complete lack of restraint in sexual matters.

Following the sexual sins, Paul cited two religious sins: idolatry which involved the worship of pagan gods by bowing to idols; and witchcraft (pharmakeia) from which the term “pharmacy” comes.  The remaining vices listed in Galatian 5:20-21 are social in nature.  “Hatred” engenders “variance” (strife).  “Emulations” is misdirected zeal and “wrath” refers to outbursts or anger.  “Seditions” refers to division that comes from conflict and “heresies” denotes the separate groups that form as a result of divisions.  The list ends with “envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings.”  The latter refers to drunken parties; Christians whose lives are persistently characterized by these sins demonstrate that he or she is not a follower of Christ.

In verses 22-24, in contrast to the works of the flesh, Paul listed the fruit of the Spirit.  The fruit is produced by the indwelling Holy Spirit, not by our efforts.  However, our only role is to submit to Christ and seek His will and the Holy Spirit will produce these qualities in us.  These qualities are “love” which is selfless, unconditional and unending.  This love seeks the highest good of others.  “Joy” is the inner contentment that is unaffected by outward circumstance.  “Peace” is that inner calmness of emotions and thoughts which rests on the assurance that God is too good to be unkind and too wise to make mistakes.

“Longsuffering” is patience, especially in the face of opposition. “Gentleness” or kindness, describes one who has a tender regard for the interests and feelings of others.  “Goodness” is similar to gentleness, though the emphasis seems to be more on generosity.  “Faith” denotes faithfulness in following the Lord and being reliable.  “Meekness” is gentleness in strength.  “Temperance” is self-control.  These Spirit- produced qualities do not need to be restrained by laws, as do the works of the flesh.  Those who are Christ’s, display these qualities in their lives.  This is because every true believer has crucified the flesh with its passions and sinful desires (v. 24).

As Christians, Paul stated: If (or since) we “live in the Spirit”, we must also “walk in the Spirit.”  We must conform our conduct to the new life we entered when we were saved (v. 25).  In addition, we are not to proudly seek glory for ourselves nor provoke others with a selfish attitude, and we are not to envy those who might be more honored than we are.  There is no place for self-centeredness among those who belong to Christ (v. 26).

May God Bless!