Galatians 5 verses 13 to 26

 

Galatians 5 verses 13 – 26

For brethren ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this.  Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

This I say then, walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Or 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.

But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

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.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.

Meekness, temperance, against such there is no law.

And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

If ye live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit.

Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

 

COMMENTARY BE FREE by Warren Wiersbe

The legalists thought they had the answer to the problem in laws and threats, but Paul has explained that no amount of legislation can change man’s basic sinful nature.  It is not the law on the outside but love on the inside that makes the difference.  We need another power within and that power come from the Holy Spirit of God.

There are at least 14 references to the Holy Spirit in Galatians.  When we believe on Christ, the Spirit comes to dwell within us – chapter 3 verse 2.  We are “born after the Spirit” as was Isaac – chapter 4 verse 29.  It is the Holy Spirit in the heart who gives assurance of salvation – chapter 4 verse 6 and it is the Holy Spirit who enables us to live for Christ and glorify him.  The Holy Spirit is not simply a “divine influence”.  He is a divine person, just as are the Father and the Son.  What God the Father planned for you and God the Son purchased for you on the cross, God the Spirit personalizes for you and applies to your life as you yield to him.

This paragraph is perhaps the most crucial in the entire closing section of Galatians, for in it Paul explains 3 ministries of the Holy Spirit that enable the believer to enjoy liberty in Christ.

1.    The Spirit Enables us to fulfil the law of love – verses 13 to 15

For brethren ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this.  Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

Paul begins by explaining our calling – we are called to liberty.  The Christian is a free man.  He is free from the guilt of sin because he has experienced God’s forgiveness.  He is free from the penalty of sin because Christ died for him on the cross.  And he is, through the Spirit, free from the power of sin in his daily life.  He is also free from the law with its demands and threats. Christ bore the curse of the law and ended its tyranny once and for all.  We are “called unto liberty” because we are “called into the grace of Christ” (Galatians 1 verse 6).  Grace and liberty go together.

Paul then issues a caution – “Don’t allow your liberty to degenerate into license.”  This is the fear of all people who do not understand the true meaning of the grace of God.  “If you do away with rules and regulations” they say “you will create chaos and anarchy.  Of course that danger is real, not because God’s grace fails but because men fail of the grace of God – Hebrews 12 verse 15.  If there is a “true grace of God” (1 Peter 5 verse 12) then there is also a false grace of God and there are false teachers who “change the grace of our God into a license for immorality” (Jude 4).  So Paul’s caution is a valid one.  Christian liberty is not a licence to sin but an opportunity to serve.

This leads to a commandment: By love serve one another (verse 13).  They key word of course is love.  The formula looks something like this:

Liberty + Love = Service to others

Liberty – Love = License (slavery to sin)

The amazing thing about love is that it takes the place of all the laws God ever gave.  “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” solves every problem in human relations (see Romans 13 verses 8 to 14).  If you love people (because you love Christ), you will not steal from them, lie about them, envy them, or try in any way to hurt them.  Love in the heart is God’s substitute for laws and threats.

On a much higher level, the Holy Spirit within gives us that love that we need (Romans 5 verse 5, Galatians 5 verse 6 and 22).  Apparently the Galatian believers were lacking in this kind of love because they were “Biting and devouring one another” and were in danger of destroying one another (verse 15).  The picture here is of wild animals attacking each other.  This in itself is proof that law cannot force people to get along with each other.  No matter how many rules and standards a church may adopt, they are no guarantee of spirituality.  Unless the Holy Spirit of God is permitted to fill hearts with his love, selfishness and competition will reign.  Both extremes in the Galatian churches – the legalistic and the libertines were actually destroying the fellowship.  The Holy Spirit does not work in a vacuum.  He uses the Word of God, prayer, worship and the fellowship of believers to build us up in Christ.  The believer who spends time daily in the Word and prayer and who yields to the Spirit’s working, is going to enjoy liberty and will help build up the church.  Read 2 Corinthians 3 for Paul’s explanation of the difference between a spiritual ministry of grace and carnal ministry of law.

1.    The Spirit Enables us to Overcome the Flesh – verses 16 – 21, 24

This I say then, walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  Or 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.  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.  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.   And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

The conflict – verses 16 and 17.  Just as Isaac and Ishmael were unable to get along so the Spirit and the flesh (the old nature) are at war with each other.  By “the flesh” of course Paul does not mean “the body”.  The human body is not sinful; it is neutral.  If the Holy Spirit controls the body, then we walk in the Spirit, but if the flesh controls the body, then we walk in the lusts (desires) of the flesh.  The Spirit and the flesh have different appetites and this is what creates the conflict.  These opposite appetites are illustrated in the bible in different ways.  For example, the sheep is a clean animal and avoids garbage, while the pig is an unclean animal and enjoys wallowing in filth (2 Peter 2 verses 19 – 22).  After the rain ceased and the ark settled, Noah released a raven which never came back (Genesis 8 verses 6 and 7).  The raven is a carrion-eating bird and found plenty to feed on.  But when Noah released the dove and it did not return, he knew that it had found a clean place to settle down: therefore the waters had receded.

Our old nature is like the pig and the raven, always looking for something unclean on which to feed.  Our new nature is like the sheep and the dove, yearning for that which is clean and holy.  No wonder a struggle goes on within the life of the believer.  The unsaved man knows nothing of this battle because he does not have the Holy Spirit (Romans 8 verse 9).  Ishmael did not create any problem until Isaac came on the scene.

Note that the Christian cannot simply will to overcome the flesh.  “These two are opposed to each other so you cannot do anything you please” (verse 17).  It is this very problem that Paul discusses in Romans “I do know what I am doing.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do … For what I do is not the good I want to do; not the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7 verses 15 and 19)  Paul is not denying that there is victory.  He is simply pointing out that we cannot win this victory in our own strength and by our own will.

The contest – verse 18.  The solution is not to pit our will against the flesh but to surrender our will to the Holy Spirit. This verse literally means “But if you are willingly led by the Spirit then you are not under the law.”  The Holy Spirit writes God’s law on our hearts (Hebrews 10 verses 14 to 17, 2 Corinthians 3) so that we desire to obey him in love.  “I delight to do thy will O my God; yea, Thy law is within my heart.” Psalm 40 verse 8.  Being “led of the Spirit” and “walking in the Spirit” are the opposites of yielding to the desires of the flesh.

The crucifixion – verses 19 to 21 and 24.  Paul lists some of the ugly “works of the flesh”.  The flesh is able to manufacture sin but it can never produce the righteousness of God.  “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.” Jeremiah 17 verse 9.  This list in Galatians can be divided into 3 major categories: 

(1)   The sensual sins – verses 19 and 21

Adultery is illicit sex between married people, while fornication generally refers to the same sin among unmarried people.  Uncleanness means just that: a filthiness of heart and mind that makes the person defiled.  The unclean person sees dirt in everything (see Titus 1 verse 15).

Lasciviousness is close to our word debauchery.  It speaks of a wanton appetite that knows no shame.  It goes without saying that all these sins were rampant in the roman Empire.  Drunkenness and revelling (orgies) need no explanation.

(2)   The superstitious sins – verse 20

Idolatry like the sins named above, is with us today.  Idolatry is simply putting things ahead of God and people.  We are to worship God, love people and use things, but too often we use people love self and worship things, leaving God out of the picture completely.  Jesus tells us that whatever we worship, we serve (Matthew 4 verse 10).  The Christian who devotes more of himself to his car, house or boat than he does to serving Christ may be in danger of idolatry (Colossians 3 verse 4).

The word witchcraft is from the Greek word pharmakeia which means “the use of drugs”.  Our English word pharmacy is derived from this word.  Magicians in Paul’s day often used drugs to bring about their evil effects.  Of course sorcery is forbidden in the bible as are all activities of the occult (Deuteronomy 18 verses 9 – 22).

(3)   The social sins – verses 20 and 21

Hatred means “enmity” the attitude of mind that defies and challenges others.  This attitude leads to variance, which is strife, the outworking of enmity.  Emulations means jealousies or rivalries.  How tragic when Christians compete with one another and try to make one another look bad in the eyes of others. 

Wrath means outbursts of anger and strife carries with it the idea of “self-seeking selfish ambition” that creates divisions in the church.

Sedition and heresies are kindred terms.  The first suggests division and the second cliques caused by a party spirit  Divisions and factions would be a fair translation.  These are the result of church leaders promoting themselves and insisting that the people follow them not the Lord (The word heresy in the Greek mans “to make a choice).  Envyings suggests the carrying of grudges, the deep desire for what another has (Proverbs 14 verse 30).

Murders and drunkenness need no elucidation.

The person who practices these sins shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  Paul is not talking about an act of sin but a habit of sin.  There is a false assurance of salvation that is not based on the Word of God.  The fact that the believer is not under law but under grace, is no excuse for sin (Romans 6 verse 15).  If anything, it is an encouragement to live in obedience to the Lord.

But how does the believer handle the old nature when it is capable of producing such horrible sins? T he law cannot change or control the old nature.  The old nature must be crucified (Galatians 5 verse 24).  Paul explains that the believer is identified with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6).  Christ not only died for me but I died with Christ.  Christ died for me to remove the penalty of my sin but I died with Christ to break its power.  Paul has mentioned this already in Galatians (chapter 2 verses 19 and 20) and he will mention it again (chapter 6 verse 14).  He does not tell us to crucify ourselves, because this is impossible (Crucifixion is one death a man cannot inflict on himself).  He tells us that the flesh has already been crucified.  It is our responsibility to believe this and act upon it.  (Paul calls this “reckoning in Romans 6 – you have the same truth presented in Colossians 3 verse 5).  You and I are not debtors to the flesh but to the Spirit (Romans 8 verses 12 – 14).  We must accept what God says about the old nature and not try to make it something that it is not.  We must not make “provision for the flesh” (Romans 13 verse 14) by feeding it the things that it enjoys.  In the flesh dwells no good thing (Romans 7 verse 18) so we should put no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3 verse 3).  The flesh is not subject to God’s law (Romans 8 verse 7) and it cannot please God (Romans 8 verse 8).  Only through the Holy Spirit can we “put to death” the deeds that the flesh would do through our body (Romans 8 verse 13).  The Holy Spirit is not only the Spirit of life (Romans 8 verse 2; Galatians 5 verse 25), but he is also the Spirit of death; he helps us to reckon ourselves dead to sin.  The Holy Spirit is not only the Spirit of life (Romans 8 verse 2; Galatians 5 verse 25), but he is also the Spirit of death; he helps us to reckon ourselves dead to sin.  We have seen 2 ministries of the Spirit of God; he enables us to fulfil the law and he enables us to overcome the flesh.  He has a third ministry as well.

3.      The Spirit Enables us to Produce Fruit – verses 22 and 23, 25 and 26

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  Meekness, temperance, against such there is no law.  If ye live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit.  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another It is one thing to overcome the flesh and not do evil things but quite something else to do good things.  The legalist might be able to boast that he is not guilty of adultery or murder but can anyone see the beautiful grace of the Spirit in his life?  Negative goodness is not enough in a life, there may be positive qualities as well.

The contrast between works and fruit is important.  A machine in a factory works and turns out a product but it could never manufacture fruit.  Fruit must grow out of life and in the case of the believer, it is the life of the Spirit (Galatians 5 verse 25).  When you think of “works” you think of effort, labour, strain and toil, when you think of “fruit” you think of beauty, quietness, the unfolding of life.  The flesh produces “dead works” (Hebrews 9 verse 14) but the Spirit produces living fruit.  And this fruit has in it the seed for still more fruit (Genesis 1 verse 11).  Love begets more love!  Joy helps to produce more joy!  Jesus is concerned that we produce “fruit ... more fruit ... much fruit” (John 15 verses 2 and 5) because this is the way we glorify him.  The old nature cannot produce fruit, only the new nature can do that.

The New Testament speaks of several different kinds of “fruit” people won to Christ (Romans 1 verse 13), holy living (Romans 6 verse 22), gifts brought to God (Romans 15 verses 26  -28), good works (Colossians 1 verse 10) and praise (Hebrews 13 verse 15).  The “fruit of the spirit” listed in our passage has to do with character (verse 2 and 23).  It is important that we distinguish the gift of the Spirit which is salvation (Acts 2 verse 38, 11 verse 17) and the gifts of the Spirit, which have to do with service (1 Corinthians 12) from the grace of the spirit, which relate to Christian character.  It is unfortunate that an over emphasis on gifts has led some Christians to neglect the graces of the Spirit.  Building Christian character must take precedence over displaying special abilities.

The characteristics that God wants in our lives are seen in the ninefold fruit of the Spirit.  Paul begins with love because all of the other fruit is really an outgrowth of love.  Compare these eight qualities with the characteristics of love given to the Corinthians (see 1 Corinthians 13 verses 4 – 8). This word for love is agape which means divine love (The Greek word eros meaning “sensual love” is never used in the New Testament.  This divine love is God’s gift to us (Romans 5 verse 5) and we must cultivate it and pray that it will increase (Philippians 1 verse 9).

When a person lives in the sphere of love, then he experiences joy – that inward peace and sufficiency that is not affected by outward circumstances (A case in point in Paul’s experience recorded in Philippians 4 verses 10 – 26).  This “holy optimism” keeps him going in spite of difficulties.  Love and joy together produce peace, “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4 verse 7).  These first  qualities express the Godward aspect of the Christian life.

The next 3 express the manward aspect of the Christian life: longsuffering (courageous endurance without quitting), gentleness (kindness) and goodness (love in action).  The Christian who is longsuffering will not avenge himself or wish difficulties on those who oppose them.  He will be kind and gentle, even with the most offensive and will sow goodness where others sow evil.  Human nature can never do this on its own, only the Holy spirit can. 

The final 3 qualities are selfward: faith (faithfulness dependability); meekness (the right use of power and authority, power under control) and temperance (self control).  Meekness is not weakness.  Jesus said “I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11 verse 29) and Moses was “very meek” (Numbers 12 verse 3) yet no one could accuse either of them of being weak.  The meek Christian does not throw his weight around or assert himself.  Just as wisdom is the right use of knowledge, so meekness is the right use of authority and power.

It is possible for the old nature to counterfeit some of the fruit of the Spirit but the flesh can never produce the fruit of the Spirit.  One difference is this, when the Spirit produces fruit God gets the glory and the Christian is not conscious of his spirituality; but when the flesh is at work, the person is inwardly proud of himself and is pleased when others compliment him.  The work of the Spirit is to make us more like Christ for his glory, not for the praise of men.

The cultivation of the fruit is important.  Paul warns that there must be a right atmosphere before the fruit will grow (verses 25 and 26).  Just as fruit cannot grow in every climate so the fruit of the Spirit cannot grow in every individual’s life or in every church.

Fruit grows in a climate blessed with an abundance of the Spirit and the Word.  “Walk in the Spirit” (verse 25) means “keep in step with the Spirit” – not to run ahead and not to lag behind.  This involves the Word, prayer, worship, praise and fellowship with God’s people.  It also means “pulling out the weeds” so that the seed of the Word can take root and bear fruit.  The Judaisers were anxious for praise and “vain glory” and this led to competition and division.  Fruit can never grow in that kind of an atmosphere.

We must remember that this fruit is produced to be eaten, not to be admired and put on display.  People around us are starving for love, joy, peace and all the other graces of the Spirit.  When they find them in our lives, they know that we have something they lack.  We do not bear fruit for our own consumption; we bear fruit that others might be fed and helped that Christ might be glorified.  The flesh may manufacture “results” that bring praise to us, but the flesh cannot bear fruit that brings glory to God.  It takes patience, an atmosphere of the spirit, walking in the light, the seed of the word of God and a sincere desire to honour Christ.

In short, the secret is the Holy Spirit.  He alone can give us that “fifth freedom” – freedom from sin and self.  He enables us to fulfil the law of love, to overcome the flesh and to bear fruit.

Psalm 42

Notice who this Psalm is attributed to:

To the Chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah

This Psalm is an honest prayer from a discouraged saint!  Not some saint who is very happy at all.  In fact he is in the pit of despair.  And he wants his words set to music - the reference to the Chief Musician indicates he has handed these words over for this very purpose.  The term Maschil refers to a melody that requires great skill in execution - no much wonder because there is nothing upbeat here, it is all very depressing

The sons of Korah - a reference to the Levites from the family of Kohath found in 2 Chronicles 20 verse 19.  They had the specific task of singing and putting music to these words - I do not envy their task with these words!

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee O God.

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appear before God?

My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

Can you feel the deep need of the Psalmist in these words?  There is despair, discouragement and a feeling of distance from God's house.  The image is one of a deer longing to receive water.  Perhaps there has been a time of drought or maybe he is being pursued.  The Psalmist here longs to know God's presence in his life.  He needs God.  Sometimes in those moments when we feel everything is against us ... do we really want God to know about it?  What a lesson to learn from these words - this is the time we need God most!  From these verses we can see that the Psalmist really poured out his soul to God - not just once but over a prolonged period of time.  And as he poured out his soul he wept.  Even in those times of longing he realised that other people were mocking him.  They had good intentions in what they said, because they told him he needed to cling to God more but in the same breath they were questioning why he was not feeling God's nearness.  Perhaps they questioned his faith in God.

When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

Painful memories bring further discouragement to the Psalmist.  He looked back to the times when he was able to go to God's house with great joy and happiness in his soul.  That made him pour out his soul to God even more.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Now the Psalmist speaks to himself.  He questions the feelings he has.  He tells himself to hope in God but also to thank God for his presence even in this the lowest of times.   Three times these words are repeated not only in this Psalm but in the one following.  It feels like it is a chorus, a repetition to show what is going on deep down in the soul.

O my God, my soul is cast down within me, therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

Now we see the Psalmist bringing the need to God.  We see that the Psalmist is actually far from God's house at this moment in time.  He is trying to encourage himself to remember God even though he is not able to go into God's house at this moment in his life.  There is such a depth of longing in these verses.

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts, all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Such depth of sorrow is described in these words.  The trials of life to the Psamist are like the waves of the sea washing over him and he is desperately crying out for help.  In verse 1 we see the image of the deer looking for water and compared that with the Psalmist longing for God's presence in his life at this moment in time.  Now it seems as if he was plunging deep very quickly and could not lift himself up again.  He had a feeling of drowning in all this despair

Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime and in the night his song shall be with me and my prayer unto the God of my life.

Notice the repetition in this Psalm.  Just as his tears were all he knew both day and night now he says God's songs are with him in those times too.  That little word "yet" is a turning point.  Suddenly we see the Psalmist recognising and acknowledging God's goodness to him.

I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

For the Psalmist it felt as though God was taking his time, he was acting too slowly.  Gradually we see him returning to confidence - challenging himself and refocusing on God to help in this time of need.

But what happened?  This Psalm does not end with a "happy ever after", we don't know whether the Psalmist came back from this pit of despair - even the following Psalm continues in this same feeling of discouragement.  How can I apply these words to my life today?

I have been reading this book It's Ok to be Not Ok by Federico G Villanueva and he uses this Psalm in the opening couple of chapters.  He shows that sometimes we do have negative emotions as Christians.  He points out that a person who is close to God is not necessarily always joyful.  Sometimes a Christian cries.  Sometimes a Christian is downcast but ... we need to be honest and open with God in those times.  The Psalmist in these words is showing that he feels as though God has forgotten him.  That God has abandoned him but still he comes near to God.

In those times when it feels as though heaven is silent, that God is far away, we need to reassure ourselves that he is right there.  But it is important to tell God how we feel and to express our feelings of abandonment and hopelessness.  We need to be open and honest.  And it is in those times that we will feel God is nearer than he has ever been before.

Galatians 5 verses 1 to 12

 

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.  Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.  For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.  Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace.  For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.  For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.  Ye did run well, who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?  This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.  A little leaven leaventh the whole lump.  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.  And I brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.  I would they were even cut off which trouble you."

Galatians 5 verses 1 to 12

Feels like I am never going to finish Galatians but have arrived at chapter 5. From argument to application, from doctrinal to practical.

The Christian who lives by faith is not going to become a rebel - quite the contrary, he is going to experience the inner discipline of God that is far better than the outer discipline of man-made rules. No man could become a rebel who depends on God's grace, yields to God's Spirit, lives for others and seeks to glorify God. The legalistic is the one who eventually rebels because he is living in bondage, depending on the flesh, living for self and seeking the praise of men and not the glory of God.

Legalism seeks to change the old nature and make it obey the laws of God. The surrendered Christian who depends on the power of the Holy Spirit is not denying the law of God or rebelling against it. Rather the law of God is being fulfilled in him through the Spirit.

Notice the thought behind these last 2 chapters ...

I have been set free by Christ, I am no longer under bondage to the law.

But I need something or rather someone to control my life from within - the Holy Spirit.

Through the Spirit's love, I have a desire to live for others not for self.

This life of liberty is so wonderful I want to live it to the glory of God for he is the one making it possible.

I have been so convicted as I have looked at the whole idea of legalism in these chapters in Galatians. 

Consider the person who chooses to live under the idea of the law or a leader ...

If I obey these rules I will become a more spiritual person. I am an admirer of this leader so I now submit myself to his system.

I believe I have the strength to obey and improve myself. I do what I am told and measure up to the standards set for me.

I am making progress, I don't do some of the things I used to do. Other people compliment me on my obedience and discipline. I can see that I am better than others in my fellowship. How wonderful to be so spiritual.

If only others were like me. God is certainly fortunate that I am his. I have a desire to share this with others so they can be as I am. Our group is growing and we have a fine reputation. Too bad other groups are not as spiritual as we are.

All these steps can be clearly seen in our world - politically, educationally and dare I say it in religious and even Christian circles, yes even the churches we attend. I thought of myself and how easy it is to fall into this trap just by reading God's word, posting on social media. It is so very dangerous!

I love the apostle Paul's use of comparisons throughout the book of Galatians. In chapter 3 he has used the idea of a schoolmaster or guardian, something the Jewish families understood as they appointed them to look after sons in the home and with their education. Then he used the whole idea of a bond woman in relation to the story of Hagar and Sarah in chapter 4. Now he uses the image of a slave and bondage in chapter 5. 

In verse 1 he talks of "the yoke of bondage". Yoke represents slavery. Someone who has control over another. But equally it can refer to willing service and submission to someone else.

Immediately we can think of the Israelites in Exodus when they were under the slavery of the Egyptians. When God delivered them the yoke was broken. Similarly the farmer used a yoke to control and guide his oxen because they would not willingly serve if they were free.

Paul is saying to these believers - you lost your yoke of service to sin and put on Christ's yoke when you trusted Christ. But this is an easy yoke.  This frees us to fulfil his will. It does not enslave us as the law does. This yoke of Christ sets us free. Christ freed us on Calvary's tree. We no longer need the external force of law to keep us in God's will because we have the internal leading of the Holy Spirit of God. If we go back to the law we would be going back to a series of do's and don'ts. We would be like little children again.

No wonder Paul says "stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

I cannot believe I am only on verse 2 of chapter 5 but that last post on slavery and bondage is something that really resonates with me!

Now in verses 2 to 6 Paul focuses on the idea of a debtor and losing your wealth. Paul uses 3 phrases to describe what a Christian loses when he turns from grace to law ...

Christ shall profit you nothing vs 2

A debtor to do the whole law vs 3

Christ is become of no effect unto you vs 4

And the conclusion ... ye are fallen from grace vs 4.

Imagine being robbed of our spiritual wealth in Christ.

Remember the chorus ...

"I owed a debt I could not pay ..."

Jesus told a story of 2 debtors in Luke 7 - one owed 10 times more than the other, neither could pay but the creditor forgave them both.

No matter how much morality we have we still come short of the glory of God. God in his grace because of the work of his son Jesus on the cross is able to forgive sinners - no matter how large the debt is. When we accept Christ for ourselves we become spiritually rich. We have all we need to live the kind of Christian life God wants us to live. The Judaisers in this church thought they were missing something. They thought by practising the law they would be more spiritual. 

Paul makes it clear - nothing else can be added. To live by grace means to depend on God's abundant supply of every need. To live by the law means to depend on my own strength and getting by without God's supply.

Is Paul suggesting in Galatians 5 that these believers had lost their salvation? No it actually means "fallen out of the sphere of God's grace." You cannot mix law and grace. These believers had been bewitched by false teachers. They actually had robbed themselves of all the good things Jesus Christ could do for them.

In verses 5 and 6 Paul talks about this sphere of grace. When you live by grace you depend on the power of the Spirit but under the law you must depend on yourself and your own efforts. Faith works through love for God and love for others.

When a believer walks by faith he is depending on the Spirit of God, he lives in the sphere of God's grace and all his needs are provided. He experiences the riches of God's grace. And he has something to look forward to - Jesus shall return to make us like himself in perfect righteousness.

The believer who chooses legalism robs himself of spiritual liberty and spiritual wealth - he deliberately puts himself into bondage and bankruptcy.

I cannot begin to imagine losing all the wealth and riches God has given me through Christ. There is one word in verse 5 that lept out at me - it is the word hope. We can always have hope .... how many times have we not heard that expression. And what hope there is in Christ today! Sins forgiven, the Holy Spirit living within and one day a home in heaven. This is what I understand by riches in Christ.

In Galatians 5 verses 7 to 12 we see another image or comparison - a runner who loses their direction. This is an image that Paul uses a lot in scripture. His readers were familiar with the Olympic games and other Greek contests that included foot races. Paul never uses these images to tell people how to be saved. He is always talking to Christians about how to live the Christian life. A contestant in the games had to be a citizen before he could compete. We become citizens of heaven through faith in Christ, then God puts us on our course and we run to win the prize. We are not running to be saved, we run because we are already saved and want to fulfill God's will in our lives.

Paul says "ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?" In the races each runner was to stay in their lane but some cut in to try and put others off. This is what the Judaizers had done in this fellowship. They forced them to change direction and go on a spiritual detour. It was not God who did this because he had called them to run faithfully in the lane marked grace.

As I thought of this, my mind goes back to times in my Christian race when I have detoured off the path. People said things and I took things to heart, seeing them as personal attacks when in fact they were trying to get me out of the way of running to God's glory. It is sad to realise that these were believers in Christ who thought they were acting on behalf of Christ when really they were disguised as Satan's own army. And then my mind thought of those times when I did the same - put people off from running in their lane. What a challenge and rebuke these words are.

In Galatians 5 verse 9 Paul changes the comparison again - this time to cooking. Leaven is really yeast. In the Old Testament leaven is generally used a symbol of evil. Remember back to the first Passover night in Exodus when no yeast was allowed in the house. Paul used this same illustration in writing to the church in Corinth as a symbol of sin. Yeast is small but if left alone it grows and envelopes the entire loaf. The doctrine of the Judaisers was introduced to these believers in a small way but it grew and eventually took over.

The motives that encourage legalism are good but the methods are not scriptural.

It is not wrong to have standards in our churches but they don't make us spiritual. Nor are they evidence of spirituality. How easy it is to let it grow. It actually puffs up the dough - we can become "puffed up" and think ourselves more spiritual than someone else.

We have the responsibility (all of us) to watch for the signs of legalism. Paul.says "I am suffering persecution because I preach the cross but these false teachers are popular celebrities because they preach a religion that pampers the flesh and feeds the ego. Do they want to circumcise you? I wish that they were cut off."

Circumcision is only a physical operation since Christ's death and resurrection. Paul wished they were cut off so that they could not produce any more children of slavery.

The only way to become a winner is to purge out the leaven - the false doctrine that mixes law and grace and yield to the Spirit of God.

Warren Wiersbe's final thoughts from Galatians 5 verses 1 to 12.

"God's grace is sufficient for every demand of life. We are saved by grace and we serve by grace. Grace enables us to endure suffering. It is grace that strengthens us so that we can be victorious soldiers. Our God is the God of all grace and we can find grace to help in every need. As we read the Bible, which is "the word of his grace", the Spirit of grace reveal to us how rich we are in Christ."

Anna the Prophetess

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was of a great age and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity.  And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years , which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.  And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Luke 2 verses 36 to 38

The following extract is taken from The Lifestyle of a Watchman

by James W Goll  

We do not know very much about the widow Anna.  She is mentioned only once in the bible, in the story about Mary and Joseph bringing their newborn son, Jesus into the temple to perform the post-childbirth purification offering required by Jewish law.  She and a man named Simeon crossed paths with this family in important ways that day.

Anna had waited decades for that day, and because she never gave up, she was ready when it came.  She does not seem to have had any assurance as Simeon did, that she might actually see the Saviour with her own eyes.  However she maintained her watch, day after day, month after month, year after year, praying fervently that the Messiah would come to rescue the Jewish people.

The name "Anna" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Hannah, and it means "grace".  This woman was dedicated.  Anna may have been elderly but she was active, worshipping and praying in the temple around the clock and also fasting from food on a regular basis.  Apparently she had no family who could look after her; even after she became an octogenarian, she saw no reason to retire from what she had started to do decades earlier.

How could Anna have lived right within the temple?

Even the priests were restricted from setting up permanent housekeeping there and Anna was a widowed woman.  Probably she had a chamber in some of the living quarters that existed around the temple precincts, although nobody knows for sure.  

Luke's reference to "night and day" must mean she was inside the temple whenever the doors opened.  Every single day.  No holidays.  The temple was God's house and Anna wanted to live with him.

Remember Samuel in the Old Testament - it was probably his job to open those temple doors every day and Anna probably arrived each day as they were opened.

Anna had a burning passion; waiting for and interceding for the coming of the Messiah.  Her passion was both inspired and sustained by the Holy Spirit; otherwise she would never have continued faithfully for so long.

She had been living this life upward of 60 years - assuming she had married in her early teens as it was the custom in those days.  She had no children - she would never have been able to live like this if she had.

Anna's was not a meaningless existence.  In the temple surrounded by God's presence, her quiet demeanor was devoid of self-interest, her mind and heart filled with divinely inspired insights and vitality.  She was waiting for her long-expected Messiah.

Luke does not record what Anna said when she saw Jesus but he does say that she talked about this baby to everyone - why - because she was overjoyed.

Imagine that day starting out like any other.  Then she overheard something - just a few words but momentous ones.  There was a stirring in the temple on that bright sunshiny day.  Imagine Anna's heart racing as she recognised the manifest presence of God.

A man named Simeon, had taken a woman's 8 day old baby boy in his arms.  His aging voice thick with emotion, he uttered God-inspired words.  Could it be true?  The hope of Israel had arrived at last.

Simeon's prophecy came from one whose faith had matured through faithful waiting and watching.  He, like many good Jews, was longing for the deliverance of the nation of Israel.  Evidently God had revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he had laid his own eyes on this Messiah.

When Simeon saw that infant bundled in his mother's arms, his heart must have leaped.  His joyful prophetic proclamation contained a statement - "For mine eyes have seen thy salvation."

This baby - Simeon did not even know his name and he did not need to, he had seen the child with spiritual eyes for many long years and now he beheld the Promised One with natural eyes as well - God's gift of salvation.  The word had become flesh!

In other words to see this baby was to see God's salvation.

Simeon added that this salvation would bring pain.  Not everyone would welcome him with open arms - many would reject him and kill him.  To put your hope in Jesus, to identify fully with him, is an invitation to die to yourself - but out of the pain comes an unexpected gift of joy.

Everyone in that cluster of people - Simeon, Anna, Joseph and Mary - was acquainted with a lifestyle of sacrifice.  They were committed to waiting for the fulfilment of God's promises.  They were used to accepting the cost of sacrifice and faithfulness.  They were ready for the next level.  And they beheld his glory.

As they left each other, Simeon and Anna had completed their lifelong assignments.  They both showed prophetic intercession.

Anna had been praying for more than 60 years straight.  Imagine doing that!  We may grasp a general vision for being a watchman and we may shoulder a few prayer burdens when urgent needs flare up but we falter easily.  Only the rare prayer ministry has staying power.

Anna's focus was not on "doing ministry" or on God's promises as much as it was on the Lord himself.  Everything else was stripped away - husband, family, home.  She had discovered her watchman calling as she turned her heart, day and night, to the Author and Sustainer of life.  He was her goal, the prize she was reaching out to touch.

Anna spoke of her hope to those who would listen, but hers was not a public ministry.  She was a woman of the secret place, interceding in accord with God's purposes.

Anna's worshipful intercession was fueled by her prophetic senses.  When she turned her heart to God, she saw ...

A Deliverer, the Messiah, the hope of Israel.  She was one of a special task force of prophetic intercessors whom God had ordained for that generation.  They were the ones who were listening and watching for the Lord's appearing.  Anna was doubtless praying through those beloved prophetic promises of a coming Messiah.

The kind of praying Anna did was not without significant effort - even sacrifice - on her part.  

The life of God's watchmen can include sacrifice and times of solitude.  I am sure Anna felt alone and even in the dark at times.  Are we prepared to be like Anna and enter in to this kind of intercessory prayer?

Galatians 4 verses 19 - 31

GALATIANS 4 VERSES 19 TO 31

My little children of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.  I desire to be present with you now and to change my voice for I stand in doubt of you.  Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not know the law?  For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman.  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.  Which things are an allegory; for these are the two covenants the one from the mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage which is Agar.  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children.  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.  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.  Now we, brethren as Isaac was, are the children of promise.  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so is now.  Nevertheless what saith the scrpture?  Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

INSTAGRAM POSTING ON Galatians 4 verses 19 to 31

Paul accepts the challenge of using the law to prove that Christians are not under the law. He uses the familiar story of Ishmael and Isaac. Paul uses these real events as an allegory - a story that has a deeper meaning behind it. This means the story can be read on 2 levels - the literal and the symbolic.

Warren Wiersbe in his commentary splits this section in 3 - the historical facts, the spiritual truths and the practical blessings.

Ishmael was the son born to Abraham and his slave Hagar, Isaac was born to Sarah and Abraham. One born after the flesh and one conceived miraculously. 25 years after the original promise was given to Abraham but he became impatient in the meantime. Isaac represents faith and Sarah grace. He was born by grace through faith as we are if we have put our trust in Christ for saving faith. His name means laughter and salvation is an experience of joy to ourselves but also to those around us. He grew and was weaned - as Christians we need to grow and lay aside childish things. He was persecuted by Ishmael and as Christians we will face similar problems within ourselves as we tangle with the way we once were to what we are now - we have freedom in Christ. 

God began with Sarah not Hagar. In other words God began with grace. We see that in the Garden of Eden when man sinned. His covenant with Abraham was all of grace too. The law was added at a later stage.

Hagar was always a slave, giving birth to Ishmael did not change her position. Sarah was free from the start. The law was given to as a mirror to show man's sins and as a monitor to control man. Hagar was never meant to bear a child. This was all as a result of unbelief and impatience. The law cannot give life or righteousness or the gift of the Spirit or a spiritual inheritance which is ours through Jesus' blood shed on Calvary.

Notice that eventually Hagar and Ishmael were cast out by Abraham. It is impossible for law and grace to be together. God gave us his Son to give us liberty in Christ.

WARREN WIERSBE'S COMMENTARY

Since the Judaisers appealed to the law, Paul accepts that challenge and uses the law to prove that Christians are not under the law.  He takes the familiar story of Ishmael and Isaac and draws from its basic truths about the Christian relationship to the Law of Moses.

Paul uses these real events as an allegory - a narrative that has a deeper meaning behind it.  In an allegory persons and actions represent hidden meanings so that the narrative can be read on 2 levels: the literal and the symbolic.

1.  The Historical facts - verses 19 to 23

Genesis 12 to 21

At 75 Abraham was called by God to go to Canaan, God promises many descendants.  Sarah was barren.

At 85 Sarah becomes impatient and suggests Abraham marry Hagar her maid to try to have a son by her.

At 86 Hagar gets pregnant and Sarah gets jealous.  Sarah throws Hagar out.  The Lord intervenes, sends Hagar back and promises to take care of her and her son.  The son is born and is called Ishmael.

At 99 God speaks to Abraham and promises again he will have a son by Sarah and he is to be called Isaac.  Later God appears again and reaffirms the promise to Sarah.

At 100 a son is born.  Isaac's name means laughter.  His arrival causes a problem - Ishmael has a rival.

At 103 - it was customary for Jews to wean children at 3.  At this feast Ishmael mocks Isaac.  Hagar and Ishmael have to go - Abraham sends them away because the Lord tells him to.

2.  The Spiritual Truths - verses 24 - 29

The Old Covenant

Law, Hagar the Slave, Ishmael conceived after the flesh, earthly Jerusalem in bondage.

The New Covenant

Grace, Sarah the free woman, Isaac conceived miraculously, Heavenly Jerusalem which is free

2 births - the physical that makes us sinners and the spiritual that makes us children of God.

Isaac - born by God's power.  God waited 25 years before he granted Abraham and Sarah their son "born after the Spirit" verse 29.  The Christian is born of the Spirit - John 3 verses 1 to 7.  Isaac came through Abraham - he represents faith, Sarah represents grace.  He was born "by grace .... through faith" as is every Christian.

He brought joy - his name means laughter.  Salvation is an experience of joy, not only to the believer himself but also to those around him.

He grew and was weaned - Salvation is the beginning and not the ending.  After we were born we must grow.  Along with maturity comes weaning: we must lay aside "childish things".  Never become a man until it happens.

He was persecuted - Ishmael caused problems for Isaac just as our old nature causes us problems for us.  Ishmael created no problems in the home until Isaac was born just as our old nature creates no problems for us until the new nature enters when we yield to Christ.

Hagar versus Sarah = Law verses Grace

Ishmael versus Isaac = Flesh versus Spirit

The Judaisers taught the law made the believer more spiritual but Paul makes it clear that the law only releases the opposition of the flesh and a conflict within the believer ensues.  There was no law strong enough either to change or to control Ishmael but Isaac never needed any law.  It has well been said "The old nature knows no law and the new nature needs no law."

Paul is illustrating the contrasts between the Law and grace and is proving that the believer is not under the law but is under the loving freedom that comes through God's grace.

Hagar was Abraham's second wife - God didn't begin with Hagar; he began with Sarah.

God began with grace - in Eden God provided for Adam and Eve by grace - he provided coats of skin.  He did not give them laws to obey as a way of redemption, instead he gave them a grace and promise to believe - victorious Redeemer.

In relationship with Israel God first operated on the basis of grace not law.  His covenant with Abraham was all of grace because Abraham was in a deep sleep when the covenant was established.  When God delivered Israel from Egypt it was on the basis of grace and not law for law was not yet given.  Like Hagar the law was "added".  Hagar performed a function temporarily and then moved off scene just as the law performed a special function and then was taken away.

Hagar as a slave - 5 times Hagar is called "bondmaid" or "bondwoman".  Sarah was a free woman, her position was one of liberty but Hagar even though married to Abraham was still a servant. Likewise the law was given as a servant.  it served as a mirror to reveal men's sins and as a monitor to control men and ultimately lead them to Christ but the law was never meant to be a mother.

Hagar was not meant to bear a child - Abraham's marriage to Hagar was out of the will of God; it was the result of Sarah's and Abraham's unbelief and impatience.  Hagar was trying to do what only Sarah could do and failed.  The law cannot give life or righteousness or the gift of the Spirit or a spiritual inheritance.  

Isaac was born Abraham's heir but Ishmael could not share in this inheritance.  The Judaisers were trying to make Hagar a mother again while Paul was in spiritual travail for his converts that they might become more like Christ.  No amount of religion or legislation can give the dead sinner life.  Only Christ can do that through the Gospel.

Hagar gave birth to a slave - Ishmael was a "wild man" and even though he was a slave nobody could control him, including his mother.  Like Ishmael the old nature (the flesh) is at war with God and the law cannot change or control it.  By nature, the Spirit and the flesh are "contrary the one to the other" and no amount of religious activity is going to change the picture.  Whoever chooses Hagar (Law) for his mother is going to experience a bondage.  But whoever chooses Sarah (grace) for his mother is going to enjoy liberty in Christ.  God wants his children to be free.

Hagar was cast out - It was Sarah who gave the order.  "Cast out this bondwoman and her son" and God subsequently approved it.  Ishmael had been in the home for at least 17 years but his stay was not to be permanent, eventually he had to be cast out.  There was not room in the household for Hagar and Ishmael with Sarah and Isaac, one pair had to go.

It is impossible for law and grace, the flesh and the Spirit to compromise and stay together.  God did not ask Hagar and Ishmael to make occasional visits to the home, the break was permanent.  Th Judaisers in Paul's day - an in our own day - are trying to reconcile Sarah and Hagar and Isaac and Ishmael, such reconciliation is contrary to the Word of God.  It is impossible to mix law and grace, faith and works.  God's gift of righteousness and man's attempt to earn righteousness.

Hagar was not married again - God never gave the law to any other nation or people, including his church.  For the Judaisers to impose the law upon the Galatian Christians was to oppose the very plan of God.  In Paul's day the nation of israel was under bondage to the law while the Church was enjoying liberty under the gracious rule of the "Jerusalem which is above".  The Judaisers wanted to "wed" Mount Sinai and the heavenly mount Zion but to do this would be to deny what Jesus did on Mount Calvary.  Hagar is not to be married again.

From the human point of view, it might seem cruel that God should command Abraham to send away his own son Ishmael whom he loved very much.  But it was the only solution to the problem, for "the wild man" could never live with the child of promise.  In a deeper sense, however, think of what it cost God when he gave his Son to bear the curse of the law to set us free.  Abraham's broken heart meant Isaac's liberty: God's giving of his Son meant our liberty in Christ.

3.  The Practical Blessings - verses 30 and 31

We are the children of promise.  The covenant of grace is our spiritual mother.  The law and the old nature want to persecute us and bring us into bondage.  How are we to solve this problem?

We can try to change them - this must fail for we cannot change either the law or the old nature.  God didn't try to change Ishmael and Hagar either by force or by education, neither can you and I change the old nature and the law.

We can try to compromise with them - it didn't work in Abraham's house and neither will it work in our lives!  The Galatians were trying to effect such a compromise but it was only leading them gradually into bondage.

We can cast them out - what we are supposed to do.  Paul applies this to nation of Israel - verses 25 to 27, then he applies it to the individual Christian.  The nation of Israel had been in bondage under the law but this was a temporary thing, preparing them for the coming of Christ.  Now that Christ had come, the law had to go.  Jesus was a child of promise, born by the miraculous power of God.  Once he had come and died for the people the law had to go.

Israel - earthly Jerusalem, bondage, barren legalism

The Church - heavenly Jerusalem, freedom, fruitful grace

Sarah had been barren and she tried to become fruitful by having Abraham marry Hagar.  This failed and brought only trouble.  The law cannot give life or fruitfulness, legalism is barren.  For the early church to go back into bondage would mean barrenness and disobedience to the Word of God.  Because it held fast to grace it spread across the world to fruitfulness.

Legalism means worshiping standards and thinking we are spiritual because we obey them. It also means judging other believers on the basis of these standards.

The old nature loves legalism because it gives the chance to "look good".  For 17 years Ishmael caused no trouble but then isaac came along and there was conflict.  The Christian who claims to be spiritual because of what he doesn't do is only fooling himself.  The Judaisers were attractive, they carried credentials from religious authorities, high standards, careful what they ate and drank.  Effective in making converts and liked to advertise their accomplishments.  They had rules and standards to cover every aspect of life making it easy to know who was spiritual and who wasn't.  But they were leading people into bondage and defeat - and the people didn't know the difference!

The Christian is set free from the curse of the law and the control of the law.  It must be done!  To attempt to mix the law and grace is to attempt the impossible.  It makes for a frustrated barren life.  But to live by grace though faith gives one a free and fulfilling Christian life.

What is the secret? The Holy Spirit.  Now Paul is going to share this secret in the closing "practical" chapters of Galatians  We need to beware lest Hagar and Ishmael have crept back into our lives - if so cast them out!