Ralph Porter

© 2003

    The weirdest things happen when your life is committed to serving God. You have the privilege of receiving an occasional flash of insight--when you least expect it--that you know didn't come from you! In the midst of a counseling situation, you're not sure how to respond, so you quietly pray, asking God for help and He responds by giving you that "flash of insight." Sometimes I find myself saying, "Where'd that come from?!!" "Who said that?!!"

    Usually that kind of insight comes to me in the shower. Helen has learned to be concerned when I come out of the shower with a certain look on my face that says: "New discovery!" She cautiously inquires what brilliant new insight I've come up with this time! How is it going to impact the rest of her life?

    Sometimes the flash of insight awakens you from a sound sleep in the middle of the night. That's the way it usually comes when it has to do with a sermon idea. You wake up with an idea that you can't turn off; you know it didn't come from you; but you know you have to do something about it.

    I had one of those flashes of insight about this week's message. I woke up with an outline for this passage that I'd never seen before. When I went back and examined the passage again, it fits perfectly! So I assumed I had better pay attention to it.

    Paul has been presenting the doctrinal basis of his view: those who are justified by faith are free from the slavery of the law. Due to this truth, returning to the old slavery doesn't make sense! We have become adult sons. Therefore, we don't need the supervision of a "pedagogue." Why should we go back and submit to one now?

    Having established the doctrinal basis for this message, Paul shows the relationship of this doctrinal truth to our practical daily living. He shows how our liberty and our daily conduct relate to one another.

    His main thought is especially appropriate for Thanksgiving weekend:

WE ARE FREE!

    THEREFORE, WE OUGHT TO STAND FIRM IN OUR LIBERTY.

    WE OUGHT NOT TO ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE ENSLAVED AGAIN!   1-12

CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO SYSTEMS   5:1-6

    Paul applies the doctrinal truth he has just presented to the issue that stirred up the discussion in the first place. The first practical matter is related to circumcision. That was the immediate problem the Galatians were quarreling over.

    The Judaizers were pressing in on them. They said that in order to please God, we have to live according to what God has established. Therefore, we must be circumcised. The problem isn't circumcision itself (5:6). The problem is what circumcision represents: the whole legal system. Why would we want to get circumcised now? We would do it if we thought it's the way to obtain some kind of merit in God's sight. That's what the Judaizers and their followers thought. The problem is that this system tries to please God and gain God's favor, by means of works.

    The idea Paul underlines is that these two systems contradict each other. One denies the other. They can't both be true! Either we please God by walking by faith--in the power of the Spirit--or we earn our way by our own efforts. You can't have it both ways! No one is able to sanctify himself by law. Anyone who tries to walk according to law ends up condemned; not even saved people can fulfill it. Therefore, it's futile to try to walk with God on the basis of the law or somebody's list of rules.

    The details of this passage are often misinterpreted because Paul's main point isn't understood. In fact, it is frequently interpreted in such a way that it contradicts the very idea Paul has been trying to tell us. Law says I have to do something to merit God's blessing. Grace says I can't do anything to merit God's blessing; it all depends on Him. The two statements are mutually contradictory. If I accept one, I automatically reject the other!

Summary   5:1

         "Christ has truly set us free! Therefore, stand firm in that freedom!

            Don't allow yourselves to be enslaved all over again!"

    Paul explains the relationship between this doctrine and our practice. The fundamental principle is that Christ freed us so that we might enjoy liberty. Therefore, the logical application is that we shouldn't go back and submit again to the yoke of slavery. We should remain firm.

    Previously the Galatians were slaves under a pagan system (4:8). Now, If we go back again under legalism--even Jewish legalism!--we're still going back into slavery. We ought not to give in to this temptation. We should remain firm in Christ

Negative focus: Alienation by law   5:2-4

    Anyone who tries to live by law becomes obliged to keep the whole thing. We couldn't keep the law before we were saved; we can't do it now either. When we set up the law as the standard, all we do is demonstrate that we are still sinners.

    Paul introduces four implications of following a legalistic system of trying to live by the rules. He warns us not to submit to another legalistic system because to extent that we do so, we pull away from the benefits that are already ours in Christ.

    1. If I try to make myself worthy of God's blessing, Christ becomes useless to me   5:2

        "Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, 

    Christ will be of no value to you at all."

    Christ's death wasn't just another means by which we earn a few more points! He died, because I am incapable of earning points with God. If I were capable of earning points myself, the death of Christ wouldn't be necessary! In that case it wouldn't help. So why should He die?

    My efforts to establish my own righteousness make a public statement that I don't need Christ, or that I can't trust Him to do it all for me. Christ's death is thereby made meaningless and useless.

    2. If I try to make myself worthy of God's blessing, I'm obligated to obey the whole law   5:3

        "Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is 

    obligated to obey the whole law."

    Circumcision was considered the entry way to become part of God's people under the law. If we enter under the law system, we have to keep all of it. It's like the immigration laws that make us citizens of this country. When I obey those laws and become a citizen, I become obligated to obey the other laws of our country! As a citizen I have to obey the whole legal system that governs this country. That's the way it is with circumcision also. If you become part of the people of God by way of the legalistic system, you have to obey all the rules.

    3. If I try to make myself worthy of God's blessing, I'm separated from Christ   5:4a

        "You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ 

    . . . ."

    When I cling to law and depend on it, I pull away from Christ and His work on my behalf. My attempt to try to establish my own righteousness separates me from His righteousness.

    4. If I try to make myself worthy of God's blessing, I have "fallen from grace"   5:4b

        "You who are trying to be justified by law . . . have fallen away from grace."

    This statement cannot mean what many people claim it means: that we can lose our salvation. This whole passage affirms the opposite conclusion! Paul is denying that anything I do can affect my salvation or my personal relationship with God. If I could disobey God and "fall from grace", then my salvation becomes dependent on works. "Falling from grace" refers to the system. When I try to place myself under law, I move away from grace! You can't have it both ways. You either come to God by law or by grace!

Positive focus: Justification by faith   5:5-6

        "But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for 

    which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision 

    has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through 

    love."

    For people who are in Christ, obedience to the law has no value because we are saved by faith. The same contrast exists concerning our walk with God that exists concerning our salvation. Those who want to perfect themselves by means of their own efforts fail. Those who accept the work of the Spirit by faith grow.

    Focusing on positive side: we're waiting for the hope of righteousness, both in a practical and an absolute sense; by the Spirit, not by the flesh; by faith, not by the law (5:5). This faith isn't demonstrated through legalistic efforts, but through works of love (5:6).

    In summary, circumcision represents the legalistic system--the system of trying to obtain merit in God's sight by works. This system contradicts salvation by faith. When you accept one, you annul the other. When we trust Christ, we base our status before God on His work and annul any effort on our own part to draw near to God. When we exert our efforts to fulfill human standards to draw near to God, we base our status before God on our works and annul the work of Christ on our behalf.

REJECTION BY THE LEGALISTS   5:7-12

    Paul uses hard words to describe the Judaizers. He addresses the true nature of their doctrine and the reasons behind their departure from the truth.

The nature of their teaching   5:7

         "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying 

    the truth?"

    The teaching which has distracted them is a hindrance to running the race. The marathon they've been running has been converted into an obstacle course. Their teaching concerning trying to use our works to gain God's blessing places obstacles to their progress in the race of the Christian life.

The source of their teaching   5:8

        "That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you."

    This teaching didn't come from God! The God who called them to run the race would not have placed obstacles in their path to hinder them from running that race. It doesn't make sense to call them to run and then to put obstacles in their way. The God who called them to faith in Christ, doesn't contradict Himself by calling them into another legalistic system.

The danger of their teaching   5:9

         "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough."

    An old proverb helps understand the risk of allowing the legalists to penetrate our midst: "A little leaven leavens the whole lump!" The proverb could have two possible meanings, both of which are true. A few false teachers in our midst will contaminate everyone! Further, just a little bit of false teaching ruins whole doctrinal system. We can't try to make room for the legalists to present their views. It will only lead to confusion!

The judgment their teaching brings   5:10

        "I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who 

    is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be."

    Paul has confidence, that we won't fall into the trap the false teachers have prepared for us. Those who place that trap before them will be judged by God. They will experience the punishment God has prepared for them. He doesn't expect his readers to follow in their footsteps and receive that judgment.

Their twisting of his teaching   5:11

        "Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? 

    In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished."

    Apparently the legalistic teachers are accusing Paul of not being consistent concerning circumcision and the law. This may be a reaction to observing that Paul acts like a Jew when he's with the Jews, and like a Gentile when he's among Gentiles (1 Co. 7; 9; Acts 16). However, if he's still teaching circumcision when he's with the Jews, then why are they still persecuting him? The truth is that Paul never supports a legalistic system neither for salvation, nor for walking with God; neither before Jews, nor Gentiles.

The logical consequences of their teaching   5:12

        "As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate

    themselves!"

    Paul uses strong words, but perhaps not quite as strong as it appears. "I wish they would"--though a possible translation--isn't the normal meaning of his expression. It normally introduces the logical consequence of a previous statement. Paul's statement seems to compare the Jewish practice with the religious practices of the sect of Cybel, known in the region around Galatia. They practiced castration as a way to demonstrate their religious devotion. This would be a work of the flesh taken to the extreme of pagan religious perversion.

    Paul may be saying, "if you want a system of legalistic works to please God, why stop with circumcision? Why not take it to its logical conclusion? Do like the pagans who want to earn God's blessing for themselves." The seriousness of the issue causes Paul to use very strong language. He uses such strong language that we often skip over this verse in public reading of Scripture. He wants us to understand how serious the implications of legalism are!

    People often get confused by Paul's tolerance of people who disagreed with him. Paul had a lot of patience with those who opposed him personally (Phil 1). However, he had no patience for those who try to add works to obtain God's blessing, either in salvation or in their walk with God (5:12; Phil. 3:2; Gal. 1:6-9)! He exhorts us to condemn such false teachers and reject their message.

WE ARE FREE!

    NOT TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT,

    BUT TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER!   13-15

    We ought to enjoy our liberty, but our liberty is subject to love! Whenever we teach salvation by faith alone, eternal security, or freedom from the law, someone always comes along to protest. They say, "if we teach this in our church, some people are going to get the idea that they can do anything they want to; they will get out of control."

    Throughout first five chapters of Galatians, Paul repeats emphatically that we are saved by faith alone. Submission to law enslaves us; it never obtains divine blessing. We've been saved so we can enjoy true liberty. He hasn't wanted any confusion to come in by mixing it with other ideas.

    Now he wants to clarify a possible misconception of the truth. When people think of "liberty", we're inclined to equate it with anarchy. We think of how we can "have things our way." We think that we can do whatever we want. We think, "No one can tell me what to do!" "I'm free! I can do whatever I please!"

    Paul's theology shows us that everyone is a slave to something! He demonstrates repeatedly that there are three kinds of slavery. Some people are slaves to sin. That's a universal slavery--involuntary and terrible. We're all born in that condition. We remain in it until we trust Christ and He frees us from that bondage to sin. Some people are slaves to law or to a legal system. That slavery is established by our personal choice. It's a voluntarily form of slavery, but one that many people choose. It's still a burden that always ends up in condemnation.

    Some people have been freed from bondage to sin and from slavery to a legalistic system but become voluntary slaves, committed to serve others, whether God or other people. This form of slavery leads to contentment. That's the choice Paul encourages us to make. Everyone is going to be a slave to something! Although it sounds contradictory, this final form of slavery is the only one that enables us to enjoy true liberty.

TRUE LIBERTY PRODUCES SERVICE TO OTHERS   5:13

        "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom 

    to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love."

    Authentic Christian liberty is never intended to be a beachhead to satisfy my own selfish desires. True Christian liberty is the liberty to volunteer for slave service. Romans 6 indicates that now I am free to be God's slave. Galatians 5 adds that now I can be a slave to others. True liberty produces slavery to God and to others.

    When we are truly free, we can give ourselves in love, whole heartedly, for the good of others. Martin Luther said: "The Christian is owner, totally free and subject to no one. While at the same time, a Christian is a slave, totally indebted and subject to everyone." That's the kind of liberty combined with slavery that Paul calls us to.

TRUE LIBERTY IS MOTIVATED BY LOVE   5:14

        "The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbor as 

    yourself.'"

    Paul demonstrates that there are two signs that will identify what kind of slavery we have chosen. The sign of legalism, and of obedience to the law is circumcision. That's the sign the Judaizers have adopted. A better choice for those who have been freed from bondage to sin and to legalism is the sign of walking by faith: love.

    We are slaves of a new law. We are to be controlled by the law of love. If we fulfill the requirements of this law, no one will be able to judge us! We have liberty, but we are to use it with love for God and for one another.

THE ALTERNATIVE TO TRUE LIBERTY IS SELF-DESTRUCTION   5:15

         "If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be 

    destroyed by each other."

    People who try to have their own way all the time, and who always want to do whatever they want, end up with nothing. The verbs used refer to the actions of animals. Wild beasts devour and swallow their victims. They fight to get more and to have whatever they want. They end up destroying one another. This isn't liberty; this is self-destruction.

    God's children aren't to use our liberty this way. Our Savior gave up His rights in order to die for us. When we follow His example of love, we're able to give up our rights! Paul gave up his rights for the good of everyone else (5:13; 1 Cor. 9:19). We too should learn to be everyone's slave. We ought to serve one another in love.

HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE?

    According to Paul's practical teaching in this passage, what principles ought to control our lives as God's mature children? What standards should we follow to glorify God and edify our brothers and sisters in Christ? Identify two or three things you ought to do this week to demonstrate that you have been freed from bondage to sin and to legalism, and that you are now free to serve God and others?

    What's the difference between this kind of service and legalism? Make a plan to do whatever God wants you to do. Remember that this isn't about keeping a list of rules! This is about allowing the Spirit of God to control our life and produce His fruit in us, so that He lives out His life through us in service to God and to one another. In what way could you celebrate your liberty by serving someone else this week?