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.
Paul begins here letting us know when we are led by the Spirit of God, we are walking in righteousness and there is no law against righteousness. In the next three verses Paul encompasses 3 areas of human life; sex, religion, and human relationships. He shows us the different ways that the flesh manifests itself. All of these acts of the flesh are usually not seen in everyone and no one person may commit these acts to the same degree, but any of theses acts to any degree are sins of the flesh. Anyone who continues to do these things would cause them to be a person of flesh and flesh does not inherit the kingdom of God. None of us are perfect but as a Christian if any of this is a part of lives we need to strive each day to correct these things in our life and get closer to God. If you do unwillingly sin, ask for forgiveness. We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. He intercedes with the Father for us.
Galatians 5:15 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.
In this scripture we find that trying to destroy others comes home to us and many times we are destroyed in the process. Fussing and fighting have no place in the church. Be a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. Also we are told not to give in to the lust of flesh because it brings trouble and strife. When we make Jesus Lord of our life and walk in the Spirit of God we have no desire to do wrong to anyone and we have no lust of the flesh. The flesh opposes the work of the Spirit and leads the believer toward sinful behavior he would not otherwise be compelled to do.The flesh and spirit have been in mortal combat to control the will of man. The lust of the flesh has destroyed many a person. We must bury our flesh that our spirit might take control. The Spirit of God within us is the only thing that can overcome the flesh of man. We must give our will over to the Spirit of God so that we can defeat the desires of the flesh.
Galatians 5:13 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.
Paul Starts out here telling us that we have liberty in serving God but we are not to use this for an occasion to say it is okay to commit a sin. He goes to state the one thing that covers a multitude of sin, and that is to serve one another in love. He continues in the next verse to say there is one word that fulfills all the law and we know that word is love. He says we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Mark 12:30-31 are the words of Jesus and it says,”And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment.” “And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” If everyone could grasp what this is saying we would live in totally different world.
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.
Paul starts off here telling us it is a very dangerous thing to teach anything but the pure gospel message, if they have time to consider what he is telling them, they will not accept going back into the law. Grace is too good to trade it for law. Next he makes the point that if he was preaching circumcision as necessary for salvation, why were the Judaizers persecuting him instead of supporting him? Paul counted it as gain to be persecuted bringing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The teaching of the cross was an offense to the Jews. Last Paul felt the ones causing the the trouble should be put out of the church, but it was highly unlikely that would happen. We need to really look at what Paul is trying to convey to the people and that is to hold to your first love, the true Gospel.
Galatians 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you 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.
Paul is telling them that they started out correctly. They were running the race of life well. Now they have listened to those who would come in and destroy. We must apply the blood of Jesus to our ear, so only things of God will be heard in our inner mind. We should not listen to others, and let them sway us. We should be thoroughly convinced, and never waver in our belief. They have listened to another doctrine other than what Paul had brought. The Lord God of heaven called you, stay with Him. God did not send the message to get back under the bondage of the law. This is the same thing as saying; one rotten apple will ruin the whole barrel, if it is not removed. Leaven is sin. It is a sin to doubt the message of grace. Anything that displeases God is sin. Faith is the only thing that pleases God. It seems that some of these people in the church were listening to those that still followed the law.
Galatians 5:5 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.
Paul here is telling us that because we already have the Holy Spirit in us,as Christians, we are waiting for the hope of righteousness by faith.Christians are not like the rest of the world who have no hope. We have hope of the resurrection. Our hope is in Christ Jesus. He is our blessed Hope. Our righteousness is His righteousness that He clothed us in. Nothing done or not done in the flesh, even religious ceremony, makes any difference in one’s relationship to God. What is external is immaterial and worthless, unless it reflects genuine internal righteousness.We see in all this that Christianity has very little to do with the flesh. The only thing it does have to do with it is that we must cut away the flesh that the spirit might live. For us to be in a position that we desire to be with Christ, we must crucify our flesh and live in the spirit.
Galatians 5:2 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.
Paul is trying to get the Galatians to under stand that circumcision is a part of the law and it has nothing to do with the fact that Jesus shed His blood on the cross for our salvation. if they insist on doing this part of the law then they have to do the whole law.It appears that these Galatians believed if they were circumcised, that would somehow put them in better standing with the Lord. It is as if they believe this to be like baptism. Circumcision and sacrifices are almost as if they are saying that the shed blood of Jesus is not enough. This shows us that if the readers truly renounce grace through faith alone as the way of salvation, if they depend on legalism to secure divine favor, then they show that they never really knew God’s grace in the first place. Again the question could be ask would you rather be under the law or under Grace? Please attend church today where the truth of God’s Word is preached and taught so you can make the right decision to be able to spend eternity in Heaven with our Savior.
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Paul starts this chapter letting us know we are free from the bondage of sin and the law through our faith in Christ Jesus. Free means deliverance from the curse that the law pronounces on the sinner who has been striving unsuccessfully to achieve his own righteousness , but who has now embraced Christ and the salvation granted to him by grace. We are to stand fast and stay where we are in being free to enjoy the fullness of the grace of our Lord and Savior. A person who had just been set free, would never choose to go back into bondage, if they were thinking clearly.
Galatians 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Here we see that just as Isaac inherited the promises made to Abraham, so also are believers the recipients of God’s redemptive promises , because they are spiritual heirs of Abraham. It goes own to tell of how Ishmael mocked Isaac which helps us to see that there will always be conflict between believers an unbelievers. Paul is warning them here that there will never be peace between the flesh and the Spirit. Then we are told to cast away that which is of the law and embrace the freedom that comes with righteousness. Christians are not of the flesh, but are of the Spirit. We are righteous, with faithful Abraham, because we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to follow the truth of the word of God and not be legalistic in trying get closer to God. This chapter has helped us to see that we need to stay in the word of God to know that we are following in His righteousness and not listening to false doctrines.
Galatians 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
In this passage, Paul uses historical people and places from the Old Testament to illustrate spiritual truth. Paul makes Hagar represent the Mosaic covenant which gendereth to bondage. As Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, sharing her same social status of slavery, so the law puts those subject to it in spiritual bondage.Paul viewed Hagar and Judaism in the same way, for as Hagar and her offspring were in social bondage, so Judaism and her adherents were in spiritual slavery to the law.Then we see this is speaking of the New Jerusalem where Christ reigns. Also this is speaking of the Christians, who are saved, being so many that they are impossible to number. Are you living bondage today, if so, you can be free form that if you give your life to Christ.
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." I John 5:7
