Galatians
The Galatian churches included those in the cities of Lystra, Iconium, Antioch of Pisidia, and Derbe which were established on Paul’s first missionary journey and revisited on his subsequent missionary trips.
The six chapters of this epistle are divided into three main sections of Paul’s teaching.
Chapters 1 & 2 are personal in nature and deal with Paul’s authority.
Chapters 3 & 4 are doctrinal in nature and deal with justification by faith.
Chapters 5 & 6, are practical in nature and deal with the application of the doctrine of justification.
Chapter 5 - Stand Fast In The Liberty of Faith
I. Liberty verses Law (Gal. 5:1-6).
A. The Law verses the Spirit.
1. Outward works compared to inward faith (v.1-3, Ro.2:25-29).
> Both of these show that if you want to be justified by works, then you must keep all of the law.
> Circumcision was an act commanded of the Jews by God to show outwardly of their obedience inwardly.
> Much like Baptism, we perform an outward act to show what we have done inwardly.
> Neither of these provide salvation; Both are merely outward expressions of inward faith.
2. If you believe a person is justified by these works, then you must hold them accountable to ALL OF THE LAW.
> (Rom. 2:25) Your obedience in one point is made null, by your disobedience in another.
> (Rom. 2:26-27) Suppose a person obeys all the other commandments, but does not obey the commandment of circumcision? Is he then justified?
> If you by obeying this law, and breaking others, are justified, shouldn’t it work the other way around?
> And, if they keep more laws than you do, will they not be your judges (Rom. 2:27)?
> Either your saved by keeping ALL the law, or your not saved by the law at ALL.
3. But, it is not the OUTWARD that pleases God (Rom. 2:28-29).
> It is not the circumcision of the flesh, but of the heart.
> Or, in other words, it is not the act of obedience that God is looking at, but the spirit of obedience.
> A man could perform outward acts of obedience and hate God. But, a man who loves God obeys by choice.
> A prisoner may obey his oppressors outwardly, while inwardly hating them. But, a free man obeys his Lord, with the restraints of chains and bars.
> NOTICE THE PHRASE: "not in the letter"!
B. Not in the letter, but in the Spirit.
1. We were once under the letter of the law.
> We didn’t know any better than to obey out of fear.
> The commandment was a law unto death. It showed us how far from holiness we were.
> It brought judgement, not peace.
2. But, we have been redeemed from the curse of the law.
> We are no longer obligated to obey the letter of the law (Rom. 7:1-6).
> The illustration given is that of a wife whose husband has died. And, so she is no longer under obligation to her late husband. He is dead!
> If she marries another, she is not in adultery, because her obligation to her deceased husband has been removed.
> She can now live at liberty with her new husband!
3. Should we live worse lives, now that we are no longer under the law?
> Over and over the question is answered by the same phrase (Rom. 3:30-31; Rom. 5:20-6:2; Rom. 6:14-15; Rom. 7:6-7; Rom. 7:12-13).
> We are not under the law, but under Grace. But, grace never gives us permission to sin.
4. Grace teaches us to live above the law (2 Cor 3:1-12).
> The letter killed my desired to live for God. It forced me to do what I was opposed to (v. 6).
> But, when the spirit of God came into my heart, I desired to live for God, not of the letter, but of the spirit.
> And, that which came after was BETTER than that which I had before (v. 7-8).
> In fact, the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is so glorious that I never even think about the law anymore (v. 9-10).
> I am quite satisfied with life in the spirit, seeing it is far greater than life in the flesh (v. 11-12).
C. Why then would I want to go back to the law (Gal. 5:1-6).
1. For these reasons, I will stand fast in my faith.
> I will not let a false preacher tell me that I must work to remain in God’s favor.
> I will not allow myself to fall under the assumption that I am serving to win God’s love, but that I am serving because I love God.
2. For these reasons, I will serve by "faith which worketh by love" (Gal. 5:6).
> Can it be more clearer? It is of FAITH that worketh by LOVE!
> Not actions of the physical body, but a desire of the heart that leads to actions of the body.
> Not of physical works, but of spiritual love that desires to work for God.
II. Hindrances to Serving by Faith (Gal 5:7).
A. Paul begins a new approach to his argument.
1. Notice these four sad words in our verse seven.
> "You Did Run Well". They speak of past blessings, but also of present failure.
> Something had happened. They had been obedient, they had been running the race well.
> But, Now, Paul points out: Something or someone had hindered their faith.
2. That is not just true of the believers in Galatia.
> Many start out serving God, but somewhere along the way wind up by the wayside.
> Consider some of the hindrances of our faith.
B. The Hindrance of False Teachers (Gal. 5:8-12).
1. Paul uses some strong language to condemn these false teachers.
> Regardless of their claims of authority, Paul condemns them. He does so on the basis of their teaching!
2. He says four things about them.
> They are not of God (v. 8).
> They wrap a little lie up with truth; but a little lie ruins the whole truth (v. 9).
> They are going to have to give an account for their false teaching (v. 10).
> He wishes they were quickly removed (v. 12).
3. An interesting notation is mad in verse eleven.
> The preaching of the cross is offensive. It brings men into humility, rather than lift them up with pride.
> A preacher who stays true to the gospel will offend those who have strayed from the truth.
> Preachers who soften the gospel message are much more received than those who stay true to it.
C. The Hindrance of Fighting Brethren (Gal. 5:13-15).
1. It has already been said that liberty should make us live better than the law.
> Paul commands the church to not use liberty as an excuse to be selfish, and carnal.
> In fact, he says, this liberty should cause us to serve one another, for love’s sake (v. 13).
2. If you want to obey the law, it is fulfilled in one principle (v. 14).
> If you love your neighbor, you will not steal.
> If you love your neighbor, you will not kill.
> If you love your neighbor, you will not covet his possessions.
> If you love your neighbor, you will have his best interest at heart, and will always do him right!
> If you want to be right with the law, stay right with your neighbor.
3. But, fighting is a great hindrance to our Christian walk (v. 15).
> We not only destroy the other person when we fuss and fight, but we destroy ourselves.
> A Christian’s selfishness leads to destruction of all that are involved.
> "If we bite and devour..." we will be "consumed"!
D. The Hindrance of a Fleshly Walk (Gal. 5:16-26).
1. WALK is something you do on purpose.
> You must choose to walk in the Spirit, or choose to walk in the flesh.
> This does not come naturally, but must be diligently sought.
2. Remember, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE PRACTICAL LIFE OF THOSE WHO ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH...
> We are not talking about being saved BY walking in the Spirit, we are talking about walking in the Spirit BECAUSE we are saved!
3. Since your are saved, choose to walk in the Spirit (v. 16).
> Both the Spirit and the flesh desire to have your mind and body (v. 16-17).
> They are so contrary to each other, that if you choose one, you will not be able to do the things of the other.
> When you are yielding to the flesh, you cannot be spiritual; and visa-versa...
4. The law is unnecessary when you are walking in the Spirit (v. 18).
> You do by choice the things commanded of you, when you walk in the Spirit.
> You reject the lusts of the flesh when you are walking in the Spirit.
> Choose to walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
4. Characteristics of the flesh (v. 19-21).
First four deal with sexual impurity
> Adultery - immorality between married people.
> Fornication - immorality between unmarried people.
> Uncleanness - sexual impurity, a filthiness of the heart and mind (pornography).
> Lasciviousness - a wanton appetite, debauchery, sexual excess.
Next two deal with Spiritual impurity
> Idolatry - putting one’s chief affections on any other object or person instead of Christ.
> Witchcraft - sorcery; tampering with the powers of evil.
Next nine deal with an evil attitude towards the brethren
> Hatred - "enmity"; leads to variance and strife.
> Variance - strife or discord; looking for a fight.
> Emulation - jealousy.
> Wrath - outbursts of anger.
> Strife - selfish ambition; fighting for leadership.
> Sedition - dissensions, divisions, and factions.
> Heresies - organized divisions; "I alone am right"!
> Envying - carrying grudges, a deep desire for what others have, so that you cause trouble for them.
> Murders - Hatred that leads to taking the life of another.
Last two deal with personal piety
> Drunkenness - excessive use of strong drink.
> Reveling - excessive partying, and outlandish behavior.
THOSE THAT BELIEVE ITS OK TO LIVE LIKE THIS ARE NOT SAVED (v. 21).
