The Point of Freedom. Galatians 5:1-26

1 The Point of Freedom Galatians 5:1-26

2 The Point of Freedom Text: 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 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. 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.

3 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 affections 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. Introduction: I. In this chapter Paul: A. Summarized his teachings as presented in Galatians 2-4 (vs. 1-5), and B. differentiated between the works of the flesh and the works of the Spirit (vs. 6-26)

4 Commentary: 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. I. Christ set us (Christians) free. A. This refers to freedom from bondage to the Law of Moses. II. Christians must stand firmly in that freedom. A. Paul urged the Galatians to stand their ground and not to be influenced by the Judaizing teachers who would make them subservient to the Law of Moses. III. Christians must not be entangled again in a yoke of bondage, in keeping of the Mosaic Law. Galatians 5:2, Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. I. Paul declared that a choice had to be made between A. obligatory obdedience to the Law of Moses (here represented by circumcision) along with obligatory obedience to the gospel of Christ and B. obligatory following Christ only. II. Paul emphatically stated here that those who seek to straddle the fence actually depart from Christ! A. This is a dramatic and unequivocal statement of fact!

5 B. The Law of Moses including circumcision did not, could not justify! III. Many philosophies in today s world would nullify the effect of the gospel of Christ if we were to be influenced by them. Galatians 5:3, For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. I. Paul advised the Galatian Christians that for them to accept one part of the Law of Moses would obligate them to keep the entire law. A. It is a matter of all or none. B. Paul urged the Galatians to realize that none of the Law of Moses applies to Christians as obligatory. II. The Judaizers were seeking to bind obedience to the Law of Moses on all believers and, in this way, dilute the effectiveness of the Gospel. Galatians 5:4, Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. I. Those who would keep the Law of Moses as a requirement for Christians actually sever their relationships with Christ. II. All those who would seek to be justified by the Law of Moses are fallen from grace. A. Grace is available only through Christ. B. Grace is not available through the Law of Moses. C. Those who seek grace through the keeping of the Law of Moses are looking for grace where it cannot be found.

6 III. Some of the Galatians Christians had indeed fallen from grace by their adherence to the Law of Moses. Galatians 5:5, For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. I. Christians: A. through the Holy Spirit B. by faith (the Christian religion) C. wait for the hope of righteousness (eternal glory). II. Eternal glory comes from faith, not through the Law of Moses. Galatians 5:6, For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. I. Circumcision is irrelevant in regard to Jesus Christ. A. Circumcision for Gentiles and reverse circumcision for Jewish converts to Christianity had no part, were of no value in justification/salvation through Christ. B. 1 Corinthians 7:18, 19, Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Galatians 5:7, Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

7 I. Paul told the Galatian Christians that they were progressing well in the Christian life. A. They had progressed in their obedience to the faith. II. Something happened that caused them to be hindered in Christian growth to the point that they no longer obeyed the truth as they had in the past. A. Who tore up the race track in front of you to slow your running of the Christian race? B. Note that these Galatian Christians were not said to have stopped believing in Christ. C. They had been hindered in obeying the truth! Galatians 5:8, This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. I. Christ was not the source of this heresy, doctrine, persuasion. A. Christ had called them to salvation. B. Judaizers were teaching a heresy that would nullify, if followed, the salvation they had achieved through Christ. II. Heresies today will destroy our salvation! Beware! A. What are some of today s heresies which threaten our justification? Galatians 5:9, A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. I. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. A. This is axiomatic, obviously true, and a known fact to everyone in Galatia.

8 B. A little yeast mixed in dough affects the entire loaf. II. The application of this principle is that a few Judaizers could corrupt the entire church. A. A few false teachers can lead an entire church astray. B. One plague-infested person can infect a city. A few false teachers can corrupt an entire church. Galatians 5:10, 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. I. Paul did not believe the Judaizers would succeed in leading the Galatians astray. II. Any who tried to pervert the Gospel would bear his own judgment; that is, be severed from Christ and fallen from grace. Galatians 5:11, And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. I. If Paul still preached circumcision there would be not reason for him to be persecuted by the Judaizers. A. Preaching that circumcision was essential to salvation would have appeased the Judaizers. B. Under these conditions the Judaizers would not have been offended, caused to stumble by the preaching of the cross. Galatians 5:12, I would they were even cut off which trouble you. I. Paul said he wished that the Judaizers who preached the necessity of circumcision would go beyond circumcision. A. Paul said there was no need to stop at circumcision.

9 B. The priests of Cybele had made themselves eunuchs. C. The cult of Attis practiced sacral castration. D. Paul ridiculed the Judaizers by asking, Why stop with circumcision? 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. I. Freedom from the Law of Moses did not mean Christians were allowed to live sinfully and follow the desires of the flesh. II. Grace and freedom did not release Christians to live wantonly. II. The great motivator in leading Christians to righteous living is love of the brethren. A. Love leads us to be servants of one another. B. The greatest commandments of all are: Mark 12:29-31, And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 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 neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Galatians 5:14, For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. I. The entire law (of Christ) is summarized in this one sentence: A. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. B. Scriptures:

10 1. Galatians 6:2, Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 2. Leviticus 19:18, Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. 3. Romans 13:8-10, Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Galatians 5:15, But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. I. If, instead of loving one another, Christians bite and devour one another, we will be destroyed by each other. II. The devil is most happy and Jesus is saddest when Christians fight among themselves. Galatians 5:16, 17, This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 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. I. The life of the Holy Spirit and the life of the flesh are diametrically opposed to each other. A. Humans are inclined to live after the flesh, but Christians must not yield to fleshly temptations.

11 B. Christians are up stream people swimming against the current of worldly culture. C. The Spirit and the flesh are mortal, deadly enemies, contrary to each other. II. Christians are to follow the Spirit, not the ways of the flesh. Galatians 5:18, But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. I. If we are led by the Holy Spirit we are not under the Law of Moses. A. The Law of Moses was largely concerned with liturgies and externals. B. Christianity is concerned primarily with a change in heart and life. II. We are not obligated to keep Mosaic forms and liturgies. We are obligated to walk in the steps of our Lord where ever they lead. Galatians 5:19-21, Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 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. I. The works of the flesh, to be totally avoided by all Christians, include: A. adultery, fornication (AV), sexual immorality (NIV), B. uncleanness (AV), impurity (NIV), C. lasciviousness (AV), debauchery (NIV),

12 D. idolatry (AV), idolatry (NIV), E. sorcery (AV), witchcraft (NIV), F. enmities (AV), hatred (NIV), G. strife (AV), discord (NIV), H. jealousies (AV), jealousy (NIV), I. wraths (AV), fits of rage (NIV), J. factions (AV), selfish ambition (NIV), K. divisions (AV), dissensions (NIV), L. parties (AV), factions (NIV), M. envyings (AV), envy (NIV), N. drunkenness (AV), drunkenness (NIV), O. revellings (AV), orgies (NIV), P. and such like. II. Those who practiced such things will not go to heaven, inherit the Kingdom of God. A. These Galatians may have been guilty of these things before their conversion. B. Paul warns them not to return to that lifestyle. III. Other such lists of sin are to be found elsewhere in scripture. A. 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10, Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor

13 abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. B. Romans 1:27-32, And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. C. 2 Timothy 3:1-8, This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. D. Proverbs 6:16-19, These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue,

14 and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Galatians 5:22, 23, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. I. The fruit of the Spirit is: A. love, B. joy, C. peace, D. longsuffering, patience, E. kindness, F. goodness, G. faithfulness, H. meekness, gentleness, I. self-control, temperance. II. Against these honorable characteristics there is no law! III. We must choose which way of life we will follow. A. Christians cannot vacillate between the two. B. The fruits of the Spirit please God. C. The works of the flesh please the devil.

15 Galatians 5:24, And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. I. Devout Christians have killed the life of fleshly passions and lusts. A. We are marching to the beat of another drummer! B. We, on occasion, must resist the devil lest he entice us back into the life of sin. Galatians 5:25, If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. I. Since God s Spirit is in us, we are to live and walk by God s Spirit. A. Talk the walk; walk the talk! Galatians 5:26, Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. I. Christians are not to be: A. vainglorious, B. provokers of one another, C. envious of one another. Conclusion: I. Paul emphasized two major things in this chapter; viz.; A. Salvation is through grace and faith in Christ, not through the keeping of the Law of Moses. B. Those who are saved by grace are to demonstrate their love for God by avoiding the works of the flesh and by abounding in the fruit of the Spirit. II. How do we measure up in regard to Christian living?

16 III. As Christians we have been set free from: A. The Law of Moses. B. Sin and its consequences. IV. Christians must not go back into bondage through any device of the devil, A. choosing to return to bondage. B. being tricked into returning to bondage. C. being led into a different bondage. V. American Christians know of two great Statues of Liberty, one in New York and one on Golgatha s hill each saying, Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to be free! A. Let us sound out the message!

17 Questions 1. What teaching, philosophy did Paul strongly oppose in the Galatian letter? 2. What philosophies, teachings in today s world would nullify the gospel of Christ? Think worldwide. 3. Paul advised the that for them to part of the of would them to keep the. It is a of or. 4. What had some Galatians done which caused them to fall from grace?

18 5. through the by (the ) wait for the of ( ). comes by, not through the of. 6. is in regard to. What is essential is which by. 7. for and for had no part, were of no value in / through. 8. Who had hindered the Galatians who had been progressing well toward Christian maturity? 9. Is the truth something to be believed, obeyed or both? Explain your answer.

19 10. What point was Paul making when he said, A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 11. Did Paul believe the false teachers in Galatia would succeed? What did Paul say would happen to these false teachers? 12. If Paul had preached that circumcision was required he would not have been persecuted by the Judaizers. Why was this true? 13. Paul wished that those who troubled the Galatians were cut off. What did he mean by this expression?

20 14. from the of did not mean Christians were allowed to and follow the of the. To the contrary, by they were to. 15. What are the greatest commandments of all? 16. In what two ways can we fulfill the law of Christ? 17. What will happen to those who bite and devour one another? 18. The of the and the of the are to each other. 19. If we are by the, we are not under the of.

21 20. What is the difference between adultery and fornication? 21. List and define fifteen works of the flesh. 22. What sins would you include in and such like? 23. What will happen to those who do such things?

22 24. What are seven things the Lord hates? 25. List nine fruits of the Spirit. 26. Christians cannot between the of the and the of the if we wish to enter the of. 27. They that are s have the with the and. If we in the, let us also in the. 28. Christians are not to be, of one, of one. 29. What two things did Paul emphasize in Galatians 5?

23 30. Christ says to the world, Give me your, your, your to be.