Galatians 5:13-26

 Galatians 5:13-26

One of the challenges we all face is how can we be good without rules to tell us what is good and evil? Legalists of every age have used this challenge to argue for strict adherence to the code of conduct they propose. Two points must be made. First, neither Paul nor the Christian faith will ever argue that behavior is unimportant. In fact, Christian behavior ought to be of the highest quality and holiness. But there is no sense in which salvation can be achieved by the merit of good works. Second, Paul will show that the power to overcome evil comes from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes not through the law but by the grace of Christ. No law, neither Mosaic nor any current form of rule-keeping, can compare to the Holy Spirit’s power to overcome sin.

No one can doubt the power of our carnal and sinful nature. It is like an irresistible itch that, when scratched, becomes more intense, grows larger, and spreads. Every person that has tried has found that against sin ‘willpower’ is helpless. All the rules and laws and proclamations of how evil something is will not reduce its attraction one bit. Often we will engage in sin, pamper it, and make arrangements for it without actually planning or thinking about it. All the while knowing it is evil because the rules tell us so. Never doubt that our flesh will triumph over law in one way or another. The works of the flesh will show up in various forms. Even as one form of evil is defeated, another will surface.

But when we are filled with the Spirit, the terms of the struggle change. We will still have to make an effort to cooperate with God’s Spirit, and He will produce in us the fruit of the Spirit. It is incredibly important to see that it is the Spirit producing the fruit and not us. There is no merit of our own. He is the one making it happen. And while the law is ineffective at changing hearts or behaviors, no law opposes or could oppose the fruit of the Spirit. All the promises of the Judaizers for a better faith proved hollow, capable of neither right standing with God nor producing genuinely better behavior. The faith we have in Christ is neither a license to sin nor lower morals; rather, it is the power to be and to do right by the Spirit.

“Lord, produce in me the fruit of the Spirit. AMEN”

Galatians 5:1-12

Galatians 5:1-12

Paul begins to summarize his arguments in this passage showing that without Christ we are without hope. Verse 1 would be better attached to the last verse of chapter 4. Galatians 5:1 has often been taken out of context and used as a political proof text, for political sermons, about political freedom. This is not at all a political or national freedom of which Paul speaks. In Christ we are free but in keeping the law a person is a slave to the law. So what does it mean to return to the law?

First the redemptive work of Christ is set-aside in an attempt to be saved by the law. Second it means that accepting one part of the law a person must also keep the entire law. If there is anything less than perfect obedience to every part and aspect of the Law then the law does not save, it only condemns. Third, those who have decided to return to the law as their hope of salvation have severed themselves from Christ. The word severed here means to make it inert or powerless. If we want to be justified by keeping the law we have taken ourselves out of the realm where Christ has any impact or influence. What a terrible state to have fallen from grace.

Paul also put circumcision in its place. For those who trust in Christ, the reality of circumcision or non-circumcision is of no effect. This distress about circumcision didn’t come from Christ. Nor did it come from Paul. If Paul still taught circumcision, he would not be persecuted by the Jews and would have protection from Roman pressure as well. No, this business didn’t come from Christ or Paul. Ultimately this attempt to crossbreed Christianity and Judaism would fail. In verse 12 Paul makes a strong and somewhat humorous point, suggesting the Judaizers should castrate themselves. Since they seem to be so interested in surgery on men’s private parts, they ought to take it to the next level. In doing so they would keep themselves from reproducing literally as well as metaphorically. There were numerous cults that practiced castration of their priests. Perhaps to Judaizers, with all the talk about circumcision, they should prove their commitment is just as strong. Paul here shows us that sometimes we can teach by making fun of dumb ideas.

“Lord, forbid that I would attempt to justify myself by good works. AMEN”