Galatians Chapter 5
Note that I've used the words "Christ" and "Messiah" interchangeably. Likewise for "Jesus" and "Yeshua". There is nothing wrong with any of these words. However, "Messiah" and "Yeshua" are more accurate to the Hebrew language.
Works of the Law -or- Faith in the Promise?
Galatians 5:1 Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Messiah has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
That word "therefore " seems to indicate a reference to what Paul said before, so let's look at his conclusion of chapter 4 =>
Galatians 4:31 So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman.
As an illustration/allegory, Paul used Sarah as the free woman and Hagar as the slave woman. Isaac was the son of the free woman. Ishmael was the son of the slave woman. Paul said that these two were an illustration of the two covenants. Let's look at those side by side =>
| Covenant illustrated by Hagar & Ishmael | Covenant illustrated by Sarah & Isaac |
|
Born according to the flesh(Abraham's and Our works). |
Born according to the promise (Abraham's and Our faith). |
| "... answers to the Jerusalem that exists now"( Gal4:25 ). The mother of bondage. | Answers to "the Jerusalem that is above{the mother of freedom. New Jerusalem of Rev3:12;21:2 that comes down to the new Earth"( Is65:17;66:22; 2Pet3:13; Rev21:1 )} |
| Under the works of the law of "Mount Sinai", Exodus 20:1-26 . | Under the "Promise of the Father", given to us, starting at Pentecost( Acts2:33 ) - the spirit of Yeshua( Gal 4:5-6 ). |
| The "yoke of bondage"( Gal5:1 ) | The Freedom from Messiah,( Gal5:1 ) through His and His Father's Holy Spirt |
Now that we have the context, let's start over with verse 1 in a different translation, but with the same message =>
Galatians 5:1 So, Messiah has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
So, rather than trying to obey the law by our own willpower, let's live in the freedom that Messiah gave us. Let's live by faith in the words of Jesus, because He has the words(teachings) of eternal life, according to Peter in John 6:68 .
John 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, Lord... thou hast the words of eternal life.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
Faith, Works, and Circumcision
Galatians 5:2-6 Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. 4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. 5 But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. 6 For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
In other words, Trying to keep the law by our willpower(flesh) alone, is no more successful than Abraham trying to fulfill God's promise by having a son by Hagar. Instead, we must eat Jesus( John6:54 ), meaning that we must eat His words( John6:63 ), meaning that we must assimilate the teachings of Jesus into our minds, that we may have the mind of Christ(), which is Christ in us. This is how we obtain righteousness, which is right-doing.
Galatians 5:7-10 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn’t from the one who called you to freedom. 9 This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! 10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. But he who confuses you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
It appears that someone was teaching these people that they must be circumcised in order to be saved. Apparently, at least some of the Galatians, were believing these "false teachings".
Galatians 5:11-12 Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. 12 I wish that those who disturb you would be cut off.
Apparently, the preaching of "salvation through the cross of Christ" was not popular in those days...
Galatians 5:13-15 For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh{to satisfy your sinful nature}. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”(see Mt7:12 ) 15 But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another.
In Matthew 7:12, Jesus said, "Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the Torah{law} and the Prophets." -- this is often referred to as the "Golden Rule".
Galatians 5:16-17 So I say, let Christ's Spirit{His teachings} guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Let's now look deeper into these "two forces [which] are constantly fighting each other". We could think of these "two forces" as our conscience(what we are convicted is right and what is wrong) and temptations which lead us to sin.
What do angels do? Well, one thing they do is communicate with humans. We have much scripture that teaches this. For, "Are they[angels] not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"( Heb1:14 ). Of course this is speaking of the holy angels of God. They speak to us through our minds. They bring to us the will of Jesus, which He receives from His Father. This is the spirit of Christ.
But satan has angels also, right? What do they do? They also talk to us, through our mind. However, these angels bring us the spirit of satan, rather than the spirit of Christ.
So, in our mind we have both the spirit of Christ and the spirit of satan fighting against each other for control over our mind. So, Paul says "let Christ's Spirit{His teachings} guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves."( Gal5:16 ) - and/or what satan is tempting you to do.(Sid)
Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
In other words, you are not under obligation to your sinful desires and/or satan's temptations, when you are allowing Christ's spirit, through His holy angels to guide you.
Galatians 5:19-21 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Messiah have crucified the flesh{fully surrendered their will to Christ} with its passions and lusts.
Romans 6:6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.
Romans 8:9-16 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life{see also Jn6:63 } because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. 12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
God's "Spirit joins with our spirit" - that's how we have the mind of Christ and of His Father.
Paul's Conclusion
Galatians 5:25-26 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah ( Deut8:3; Matt4:4 )
-Sid Nash: 11/23/2024. Latest version: http://sidnash.org/docs/Gal5.html