Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage ( Galatians 5:1 ). The apostle expressly reasons on Abraham, as they were always anxious to cite Abraham, the father of circumcision. By this he plainly means free from law. Basil called it "grief at your neighbours good fortune." Such was the serious but necessary import of Peter's act. Very particularly was it marked by the manner of his call, that his apostleship had no connection with either the world or the flesh. But it was true from the first. Such is the secret of true power. Don't marvel when I say, 'You've got to be born again.'" Nor had he conferred even then with flesh and blood; his mission as well as conversion and call were alike independent of it. Even so we, when we were children," etc. Very powerful words for those who would seek justification through the law, through rules, through keeping rules, through keeping ordinances. Law is gone and grace ensures forgiveness anyway." The writer ( Galatians 1:1-2a ) i. Paul, the Apostle ( Galatians 1: 1 ) ii. That is to say, the covenant that was made between God and Abraham had reference to the seed which was coming, symbolized by Isaac, but really looking onward to Christ. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ." His theology always ran one danger. For he comes to another and most cogent argument. It's just, you know, too difficult. Paul reminded Christians: " You must love your neighbour as yourself." it has a, perhaps, a naivet about it in that it does trust.You know I've been burned so many times by trusting men, but I pray, "God, never make me jaundiced." "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" ( John 4:24 ). The contents of the greeting ( Galatians 1:3a ) ii. But if ye bite and devour one another In other words: "You have gained liberty through Christ, i.e., You are above all laws as far as conscience is concerned. Paul cautioned both sides to love one another or they would consume each other. Liberty comes first, mark; power and love afterwards. These words are used by him emphatically; for he did not merely say Bite, which denotes an angry person, but likewise, Devour, which denotes one who persists in wickedness. There is no approach to a vaunt about his dignity. The apostle's discerning eye at once judged by Christ and by that gospel which he had learned from Him. At the same time it is shown to be, not what it might seem, a negative power only, but along with it is the new creation into which grace forms us. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? He does not deny that others preached it; but if so, they preached the same truth. 4 You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. That it is His sacrifice for your sins that brings you redemption and the forgiveness of sins. You know, you can look down and see the Channel Islands. The oneness of the saints with Christ Himself is, as we all familiarly know, clearly intimated. It is the liberty not to do those things which the flesh once forced me to do. But the son of the slave girl was born in the ordinary human way, whereas the son of the free woman was born through a promise. Nothing can be more conclusive than this disproof of the fleshly pretensions that were connected with Jerusalem, and were brought in under cover of Abraham, but really to the subversion of the gospel. If God had been a man, he would have wiped out this world long ago; but he has that patience which bears with all our sinning and will not cast us off. I have not. Mark it well. First, we must guard it, especially from those who would pressure us to follow the law. "I through the law am dead to the law." "Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. Abraham never. Now, as a means of engaging them to the one and preserving them from the other of these, he here cautions them against being desirous of vain-glory, or giving way to an undue affectation of the esteem and applause of men, because this, if it were indulged, would certainly lead them to provoke one another and to envy one another. Monarchy is government by one, and began in the interests of efficiency, for government by committees has always had its drawbacks. If that is the purpose, you're thinking that it's going to make you righteous before God, you think it's going to make you acceptable before God, Paul said, "Christ will profit you nothing," if that's your mental attitude towards your circumcision. Christian baptism, contrariwise, supposes man dead; and the only death that can deliver man out of his own death is the death of Christ. Glory, the glory of man is indeed empty; it's vain. In verse 17 it is written, "In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore." Both sides of the dispute are guilty. From the beginning Hagar had been inclined to triumph over Sarah, because barrenness was a sore shame to a woman; there was an atmosphere charged with trouble. Galatians 5:15. You see, I don't always do the things that I would. the Christian dooms himself to such hard labour instead of resting in the faith of Christ, whom has he to blame? It is the quality, not so much of the jealous, but rather of the embittered mind. another; I'm still His child. Don't be entangled again with rules, regulations, a yoke of bondage. I am not at all worried about anything you will come to believe by just simply reading your Bible. beasts of prey falling upon and devouring one another: for wolves The most illuminating thing about it is that it is commonly used in the New Testament of the attitude of God towards men ( Romans 2:4; Romans 9:22; 1 Timothy 1:16; 1 Peter 3:20). Now you've got to defend it against the challenges and so you've got to start making up or taking positions that are thoroughly unscriptural in order to defend your position." . He is governed by principles by which he lives. Having begun in the spirit, you did all right in the beginning, but. Don't revive him. And in the fifteenth chapter of Acts, we read how that Peter stood up and told the brethren how that the Lord had called him to go to the Gentiles to the house of Cornelius. Tender and comprehensive as Christianity is, it is also the most exclusive thing that can be. 19 the acts of the the acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and sinful nature debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits I mean, you never get it from reading the Bible and waiting upon God. ", But, he adds, faith is come (that is, the testimony to be believed by man now, or the gospel). How blessed, and how all-important for our souls! He visits Arabia and Damascus once more. All of the law is fulfilled. It is eritheia ( G2052) and originally meant the work of a hired labourer (erithos). "We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 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 may 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." Or am I righteous by my simple faith in Jesus Christ? (i) Peshat, its simple or literal meaning. We celebrated that today in the observance of the Lord's Supper. Now, in the fifteenth chapter of the book of Acts, when this same issue had arisen in the church in Antioch, when certain of the brethren came down from Jerusalem and were hassling the Gentile saints in Antioch and said, "You can't be saved unless you are circumcised and keep the law of Moses," Paul and Barnabas and others from Antioch took these brothers right back to Jerusalem, because they came unto the pretense of, "We have the authority of the Jerusalem church to declare these things." It had tainted among others the Galatians; for although, in point of fact, what had converted them was the heavenly testimony of the apostle Paul, nevertheless they had in time become acquainted with Christians who had not been so favoured, perhaps from the churches in Judea. He was bound to do what he ought; but, in point of fact, all was a failure, and could be nothing else, because man was a sinner. Or are you inclined toward the easy-going yieldingness of Peter? He fully allows that the Lord was both made of a woman and made under the law; but what was the ultimate object in view! But when I do fail, the Spirit is right there, and that's why I know I'm a child of God. For God considers the poor; He has regard to the simple; He has children in His eye. another; having reference to their controversies about the law But in truth the Lord "gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: to whom be glory for ever and ever. 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 a husband." Well, they thought that they had me convinced to their way of thinking. And this leads to another point, the relation of the law to the promises. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Love is the sum of the whole law; as love to God comprises the duties of the first table, so love to our neighbour those of the second. (a) It means being submissive to the will of God ( Matthew 5:5; Matthew 11:29; Matthew 21:5). Is it against the promise of God? Galatians 5:22-23 THE END (GOAL) IS GROWING FAITH IS LOVE 2 Peter 1:5-7 PAUL'S GREAT DESCRIPTION OF LOVE 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 BOTH GOD & LOVE INCLUDE Joy Peace Forbearance Kindness Faithfulness Gentleness Self-control Faith Goodness Knowledge Self-control Perseverance Godliness Mutual affection Patient Kind Truth Protection Trust Hope Perseverance And devour one another - As wild beasts do. "Be as I am." There is no comparison of countless seed; there is not an allusion to the sand of the sea, or to the stars of the sky. "The things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. It was an offence in the eyes of the Jewish Christians, and perhaps specially of the Christians that Judaize, that the apostle had been so little at Jerusalem that his intercourse was so scanty with the twelve. The names of the different forms of government are suggestive. Take heed that ye be not consumed - As wild beasts contend sometimes until both are slain. divided against itself, can stand long, so no religious one; and But if ye bite and devour one another: Such actions are the opposite of loving their neighbor as they ought. It was a very unusual circumstance. The apostle stands to the truth preached and received. During the Medieval period it was depicted as "Joachim and Anne Meeting at the Golden Gate", meaning Mary's conception through the chaste kiss of her parents at the Golden Gate in Jerusalem; [64] the 14th and 15th centuries were the heyday for this scene, after which it was gradually replaced by more allegorical depictions featuring an adult Mary. This is indeed strong language for you who want to live after the flesh. But it is not so. But the apostle here does not reason about the matter. I call your attention particularly to this, brethren, that an act apparently so simple as Peter's ceasing to eat with the Gentiles had such a solemn character in the eye of the apostle Paul, that he considered it a question of the truth of the gospel. Let us never confound the two. For as the first epistle had put down man in every form, and more particularly man as an expression of the world in its pride, so the second epistle breathes the comfort of God's restoring grace, and is characterized therefore by the strongest emotions of the heart; for he ardently loved these saints. "Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood." But he goes deeply. And your spirit being alive, again you can experience fellowship with God, the joy, the blessing of fellowshipping with God.So, "walk in the Spirit." Such is the reasoning in which the apostle uses this very remarkable prophecy. Usually in the New Testament eirene ( G1515) stands for the Hebrew shalowm ( H7965) and means not just freedom from trouble but everything that makes for a man's highest good. The apostle does not say, if grievous And here we may observe that as sin is called the work of the flesh, because the flesh, or corrupt nature, is the principle that moves and excites men to it, so grace is said to be the fruit of the Spirit, because it wholly proceeds from the Spirit, as the fruit does from the root: and whereas before the apostle had chiefly specified those works of the flesh which were not only hurtful to men themselves but tended to make them so to one another, so here he chiefly takes notice of those fruits of the Spirit which had a tendency to make Christians agreeable one to another, as well as easy to themselves; and this was very suitable to the caution or exhortation he had before given (Galatians 5:13; Galatians 5:13), that they should not use their liberty as an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Galatians 5:1-15 Inductive Bible Study Notes - Teaching Guide With Questions Outline I. Christ has set us free (1-6) II. Up to the destruction of Jerusalem it was law; but now, under Christianity, Jerusalem, being rebellious and scorning promise like Ishmael, is cast out and has nothing. The other part remains, and must be accomplished in its own day, when Israel's heart turns to the Lord. There was no doubt or difficulty on this head in these early days. To this the apostle endeavours to persuade these Christians, and there are two considerations which he sets before them for this purpose:-- (1.) We must set ourselves in good earnest both to mortify the deeds of the body, and to walk in newness of life. Why did He do that? "Thy seed ( i.e., the numerous seed) shall possess the gate of his enemies." Galatians 5:15 - John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible BUT IF YE BITE AND DEVOUR ONE ANOTHER,.. "So then," says he, "they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." It was not merely that his apostleship was doubted God's magnifying of His own Son was set at naught. (14) An exhortation to the duties of charity, by the profit that follows from it, because no men proved worse for themselves than they that hate one another. Acts 15:1, 5 ). Exhortation to Stedfastness; Persuasives to Stedfastness. occasioned great contentions, and threatened them with divisions, I would [wish that] they were even cut off which trouble you ( Galatians 5:12 ). And we can all see how exactly the phrase falls in with the words of our Lord given in the Acts of the Apostles; for the wonderful truth burst upon the apostle's ear from the beginning, in the Saviour's call to him from heaven. We don't understand that word too much. After all their vapouring about the law, they were biting and devouring one another. He had derived the gospel that he preached from the Lord, and not from any of his fellow-servants who had been engaged in the work before him. We're about one degree off, but we hope to correct this in flight or something." The prosperity doctrines of the gnostic heresy of the early church. One of the encouragements, as we know, which God furnished to Abraham was, that he should have a seed like the sand of the sea, and like the stars of the sky. It had nothing whatever to do even with the Lord Himself, in the days of His flesh, when acting as minister of the circumcision in the land of Judea. Note, 1. You're talking nonsense. "We had ten thousand souls saved last week. So all of these things fall under the category of works of the flesh, but the "fruit of the Spirit," fruit is singular. You can't do anything to buy forgiveness. The apostle specifies the works of the flesh, which must be watched against and mortified, and the fruits of the Spirit, which must be cherished and brought forth (Galatians 5:19; Galatians 5:19, c.) and by specifying particulars he further illustrates what he is here upon. In the epistle to the Ephesians we shall find that the apostle claims a still higher character for all ministry. But immediately after this it is added, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. All this is counted a great, wise, and sensible help to devotion. ", Mark how nicely every word was suited to deal with their souls. So, love is the fulfilling of the law. or dogs to worry sheep is not strange; but for sheep to distress The long lapse of time ought to have guarded men from mixing up the law with the promise, and thus from the appearance of annulling the promise by the law, for this would be most dishonouring to God. Selfishness in the end does not exalt a man; it destroys him. Others are sins against ourselves, such as drunkenness and revellings; and he concludes the catalogue with an et cetera, and gives fair warning to all to take care of them, as they hope to see the face of God with comfort. The new creation is a present blessing that the soul already enjoys. it had a resurrection-source, instead of being from Christ on earth, and in relation to the work God was doing when He sent His Son here below. You open the door for a little error, and it will soon magnify because you see, as you've opened the door for this error, then as you are challenged on the flaws of the error, you're going to have to develop further doctrines to cover or further concepts to cover, and pretty soon, you're going to be way out in left field.There is a group called Jesus Only, and they believe that Jesus is the Father, He is the Son, He is the Holy Spirit. It was not that they communicated to him the gospel they had learned from Jesus here below, but he communicated to them that gospel he was in the habit of preaching among the Gentiles. Be assured that it is the same simplicity of faith which enters into both these things now. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like ( Galatians 5:21 ): So, the such like covers a lot of things. The "Israel of God," I apprehend, would mean, that the only part of Israel whom God owns now consists of those that really are of faith those that .received Jesus. This passage, however, indicates they are having disputes. "Well, yeah, I read that book but, you know, God showed it to me." You were running well. 5:1 Tell me this--you who want to be subject to the law, you listen to it being read to you, don't you? The gospel had given him to sanction in his ways and words the overthrow of the partition wall. That is just another way of saying that the essence of Christianity is not law but a personal relationship to Jesus Christ. If he had preached the full truth of the gospel, he insists that they had received it. Was our schoolmaster unto Christ, you know, too difficult a man ; it 's just you. 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