Galatians
Chapter 5
Memory
verses for this week: 2 Pet
3:13 Nevertheless we,
according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness..
Introduction:
Last week in Chapter Four, we found Paul urged the
people to stand strong in the doctrine of Grace, rather than turning
back to the law. He
used Isaac and Ishmael as examples of sons born under two systems,
with Isaac being a song of faith typifying grace.
Ishmael was born of the bondwoman and represented the law.
I.
Christian Liberty
Gal 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath
made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Paul
declares that when one is saved he is delivered from the yoke of the
law and is set free by Christ.
This teaching of course was exactly what Christ had taught in
His personal ministry.
John
8:32 And ye shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
2
Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit
of the Lord is, there is liberty.
There
is no freedom in this world like the freedom we have in Jesus
Christ. America is a
great country, perhaps the best in the world.
But people here want to have personal freedoms.
There is no freedom that can match with the freedom we have
when we know Jesus as Lord and Savior.
When we are saved, we are not under the law.
And praise God, we don’t have to do the things of the law
to be saved, nor to keep our salvation.
J.
Vernon McGee had this to say about grace.
He
is saying here that not only are we saved by faith rather than by
law, but law is not to be the rule of life for the believer. We are
not to live by law at all. The law principle is not the rule for
Christian living. Paul is saying that since we have been saved by
grace we are to continue on in this way of living. Grace supplies
the indwelling and filling of the Spirit to enable us to live on a
higher plane than law demanded. This all is our portion when we
trust Christ as Savior. It is in Christ that we receive
everything—salvation and sanctification. Don’t tell me I need to
seek a second blessing. When I came to Christ, I got everything I
needed. Paul tells me that I have been blessed with all spiritual
blessings in Christ Jesus. Let’s believe Him and start trusting.
Let’s stop trying some legal system or rote of rules. We have a liberty in Christ.
[1]
John
Gill in his study of Galatians, said this about verse 1.
There is the liberty of grace, and the
liberty of glory; the former of these is here meant, and lies in a
freedom from sin; not from the indwelling of it, but from the
dominion, guilt, and damning power of it; from the captivity and
tyranny of Satan, though not from his temptations and insults; from
the law, the ceremonial law, as an handwriting of ordinances, a
rigid severe schoolmaster, and a middle wall of partition, and from
all its burdensome rites and institutions; from the moral law as a
covenant of works, and as administered by Moses; and from the curse
and condemnation of it, its bondage and rigorous exaction, and from
all expectation of life and righteousness by the deeds of it;
but not from obedience to it, as held forth by Christ, and as a rule
of walk and conversation; and from the judicial law..
II.
Fallen
from Grace
Gal 5:2
Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised,
Christ shall profit you nothing.
Gal 5:3
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he
is a debtor to do the whole law.
Gal 5:4
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are
justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Paul
warns the church that if a person seeks salvation by circumcision
and law, Christ is of no value to that person.
In the early days of the church, some taught that you had to
be circumcised and follow the rules of the law in order to be saved.
Acts
15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the
brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of
Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Philippians
3:3 For we are the
circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ
Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
True
believers worship God in the spirit and have no confidence in the
flesh. In Verse
4, Paul says that those who were trying to be justified by the law
had fallen from the liberty of grace.
He is not implying that they had lost their salvation, for
they had never truly been saved if they sought justification by
fulfilling the law.
Galatians
3:11 But that no man is
justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The
just shall live by faith.
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not
justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by
the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the
works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
III.
Faith is What Counts
Gal 5:5
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness
by faith.
Gal 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing,
nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
As
was taught in Acts, circumcision has nothing to do with salvation.
It is wholly of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
IV.
The Heresy Preached in the Churches of Galatia
Gal 5:7
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey
the truth?
Gal 5:8
This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
Gal 5:9
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
Gal 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.
The
Galatians had gotten off to a good start in the Christian way of
life, but someone hindered them.
It was those that preached false doctrine and heresy that
hindered them.
And in verse 8 he says clearly that this was not from God.
We need to keep our eyes open, and be careful of anyone who
might hinder our obeying the truth.
2
Timothy 2:23 But
foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender
strifes.
Titus 3:8
This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou
affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be
careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable
unto men. 9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and
contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable
and vain. 10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second
admonition reject; 11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and
sinneth, being condemned of himself.
Verse
9 tells us that just a little false doctrine can crush a spiritual
church. So we need to
beware of the little “foxes” that can destroy the walls.
Jesus had clear teachings to avoid the doctrine of the
Pharisees. Looking good
on the outside is nothing compared to having a pure heart before
God.
Matthew
16:6 Then Jesus said unto
them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the
Sadducees. 7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is
because we have taken no bread. 8 Which when Jesus perceived, he
said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among
yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? 9 Do ye not yet
understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand,
and how many baskets ye took up? 10 Neither the seven loaves of the
four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 11 How is it that ye
do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that
ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the
Sadducees? 12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware
of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of
the Sadducees.
Revelation
2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there
them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a
stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things
sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15 So hast thou
also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I
hate.
God
loves righteous things, but false doctrine is something he hates.
Brother Dan brought a message last week on the 7 things God
hates. And a
false witness that spreads lies is one of those things. Teaching false doctrine is teaching a lie.
We should be men and women that speak the truth with
conviction. This church
in Pergamos had taught
the doctrine of the Nicolaitans… something God hated.
God hates all false doctrine.
In verse 10, Paul pronounces judgement on the false preachers
who were leading them astray from the truth.
Luke
6:39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into
the ditch?
Gal 5:11
And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet
suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
Gal 5:12
I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
Paul
denies preaching circumcision like the false teachers had done.
He asks why would he suffer persecution if he was one of the
false prophets. The
true believers and true preachers are the ones the world is against.
Paul is so against these false teachers that he wishes they
were totally cutoff (dead) rather than troubling the church.
V.
How A Christian Ought To
Live
Gal 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.
Gal 5:14
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Gal 5:15
But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be
not consumed one of another.
Gal 5:16
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil
the lust of the flesh.
We
find that we are free from the law but we are to serve one another
in love. That means
following God in love and in truth, and keeping his commandments.
Jesus said that is how you know the true disciples.
John 15:10
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even
as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
John 15:11
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain
in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 15:12
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have
loved you.
The
first and most important commandment is to love God first. And the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great
commandment. Matthew 22:39 And
the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself.
When
we walk in fellowship with the Spirit of God, we will not fulfil the
lust of the flesh. But
to do this is hard. Each
day, we have to die to our physical man and renew our minds in the
spiritual.
Gal 5:17
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.
Gal 5:18
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Paul
describes this warfare that goes on between the two natures. A lot of people don’t even know we are in a battle, much
less walking in the spirit. We
have to guard our minds and our thoughts that we may walk worthy of
our calling.
2 Cor 10:3
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the
flesh:
2 Cor 10:4
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2 Cor 10:5
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth
itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Cor 10:6
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when
your obedience is fulfilled.
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if
so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified
together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed
in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for
the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made
subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath
subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also
shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious
liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole
creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the
firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For
we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a
man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we
see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
VI.
The Works of the Flesh
Gal 5:19
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,
strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21
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.
Sin
is something that God can not stand.
And we that are in the flesh battle these things of the
flesh. Those in the
flesh can not please God. The
work of the flesh is not pleasing in God’s sight.
Romans 8:8 So
then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Praise
the Lord that when we got saved, we are no longer ‘in the flesh’
in regards to our spiritual man.
We are alive and perfect before God because of Jesus Christ.
Romans
8:1 There
is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
VII.
Fruit
of the Spirit
Gal 5:22 But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness,
temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that
are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
It is interesting that the
verse says the ‘fruit’ of the spirit versus ‘fruits.’
All of these things should be things we are known to have and
possess. Perhaps
the hardest two are the last two… meekness and temperance.
Do you show a meek and gentle spirit?
Are you able to show total control all of the time?
That is a gift of God when we can and do have these
attributes.
When the apostles needed help
in the church, they told the people to seek out men full of the Holy
Ghost. That does
not necessarily mean someone emotional, but it means someone that is
walking in the direction of the Lord.
Acts
6:3 Wherefore,
brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of
the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
If you want to have the fruit
of the spirit in your life, you must first be saved, and after that
be walking in the Spirit. That
takes crucifying the lusts of the flesh.
Romans 8:6 For to be
carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and
peace. 7 Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the
law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But
ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit
of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,
he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is
dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of
righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from
the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall
also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Colossians
3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are
above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your
affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also
appear with him in glory. 5
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;
fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence,
and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Gal 5:25 If we live in
the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:26 Let us not be
desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
When we live in
the Spirit, we should walk in it also.
We are commanded to walk in newness of life, and to feed the
new spiritual man with the word of God.
Romans 6:4 Therefore
we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ
was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we
also should walk in newness of life.
1 Peter 2:2 As newborn
babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow
thereby:
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Prov 4:18
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