In my opinion, this is the best chapter in Galatians. Let me tell you why
First of all, it’s because Paul comes right to the point and identifies the false teaching. Secondly, it’s because he shares how the Holy Spirit and our original nature are in conflict. Third, because he offers hope for transformation. Paul reminds us that we are loved, and we can be loving, that we are adopted as royalty, and we can act accordingly with the help that God himself has made available for us.
Let’s break it down:
5:1 Slavery to the law is what the last several devotionals were about. You are either forgiven because of what Christ did, or you aren’t. If you think you need more than Jesus (ie: some extra activity, deed) to be saved, you diminish his sacrifice.
5:2-6 The doctrine the false teachers are proclaiming is that you must be circumcised to be God’s children. Now, that made perfect sense up until Jesus died for our sins. Now, circumcision might be a good idea, but it has nothing to do with salvation anymore. It used to, it doesn’t now.
5:7-12 apparently Paul is pretty upset about what these other teachers are saying. They must be telling the young church that Paul himself is teaching circumcision (probably to get them to do it). Paul is frustrated because the church is surrendering their freedom in Christ to become slaves to law (that’s going backwards) and because he’s being misrepresented. It must be hard to see a church that you planted and cared for teeter on the brink of legalism. Paul expresses that by wishing the false teachers would “emasculate” themselves. Yikes. Don’t get on Pauls’ bad side.
5:13-14 Enormously important concept: we are free from the Law so that we can serve one another. And we serve one another out of love. The law was based on fear, and compliance. The new covenant is based on love and serving others.
5:15 When we get it wrong, there are conflicts within the church. If we see “biting and devouring” what we need is a reminder of God’s love for us, and a replenishment of that love in our hearts. Rules and guidelines can never fix a heart issue.
5:16 Key verse. If we follow the Spirit, we WILL NOT be doing what our sinful nature wants. I cannot overemphasize this point. If the Spirit controls our lives, we will not be sinning. Paul expects the believer to live above sin. Come on now…. this is good stuff!
5:17-26 Paul spells out the difference between the two natures, reminds us that they are always fighting one another. I have personally seen some victories over the sinful nature…even to the point that I thought it was gone…only to find out that it has deeper roots than I imagined. However, I can testify to the fact that The Holy Spirit will answer our prayer for victory over our original nature. If you ask in all seriousness, He will act. Not only does the sinful nature shrink or disappear, but the fruit of the Spirit becomes more evident in our lives.
That reminds me: don’t pray for patience without asking God to deliver you from whatever is pushing patience out of your soul. Maybe it’s selfishness, or envy or pride. But when you pray to be filled with the Spirit, you should also pray that whatever is in there now would be flushed out. “Flushed” is a good word for sin.
praying that God would completely flush my original nature, and fill me with himself,
PR