In our previous study of Galatians 5, we examined Paul’s strong opposition to the Judaizers and religious leaders who sought to mix the gospel with Jewish traditions and practices. Paul made it clear that outward religious observances, particularly circumcision, should not be imposed upon believers as requirements for salvation. Abraham himself was counted righteous because he believed God before circumcision was given as a token of the covenant
We also considered how the same problem can arise when the outward sign is given greater importance than the message to which it points. Whether considering circumcision, the Sabbath, the law, or the cross, we must be careful not to allow human traditions, cultural practices, rituals, or personal interpretations to take the place of the message revealed in Scripture.
The Galatians had begun well, but false teachers had hindered them by introducing outward religious requirements into the gospel. Paul therefore stood firmly in defence of salvation by faith and warned them against returning to dependence upon the law.
This brings us to another important question: If believers are not to depend upon the law for salvation or the Christian life, how then should they live after salvation?
This is where our study now continues. After strongly opposing legalism and confronting the Judaizers and false teachers, Paul turns our attention to Christian liberty, walking in the Spirit, and loving one another. The freedom we have received is not an opportunity to live carelessly, but a life in which we are to be led by the Holy Spirit and, through love, serve one another.
I hope that by the end of this lesson, we will better understand what it means to walk in the Spirit and love one another, while realizing the depth of Christ’s love for us. Can you recall, either from Scripture or personal experience, an occasion when someone lived wrongly or misused something because they failed to recognize its true purpose?
I recall an experience from my university days when a roommate of mine lived carelessly and miserably simply because he thought that the university was a place of freedom where one could live however one wanted. He failed to recognize that the university was an institution meant to help develop one’s potential for personal development and for the development of one’s country.
This experience of mine is not unusual. The Galatian church faced a similar problem. The believers in the Galatian churches also thought that they could live however they wanted. Therefore, legalism was introduced into the church in an attempt to curb immorality and unholy living. This created division within the church, as the legalists insisted on combining law and grace as the basis of salvation.
Upon studying Galatians 5:13–26, I began to contemplate why the churches of Galatia listened to these false teachers of the law of Israel. It was because they did not understand how to live their lives after salvation. They were ignorant of the work of the Holy Spirit and His transforming power. Galatians 5:13 states: “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another". It is one thing to serve the Lord through the law and another thing to serve Him through the Holy Spirit. The teaching that circumcision had to be added to perfect salvation was not scriptural but a subtlety of the devil that nearly flooded the churches. Paul stood firmly against this teaching, defending salvation by faith alone and grace alone. Paul emphasized that the law itself is not bad, but its wrongful application is. God did not give the law as a prescription for eternal life but for the healthy living of the Israelites after their exit from Egypt.
Paul therefore pointed out two divine ways of living the Christian or spiritual life:
1. Walking in the Spirit.
2. Having divine love for one another.
“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
(Galatians 3:3). No amount of good works through the law can lead to the rehabilitation of our flesh for salvation. As stated in Romans 3: “By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight". Having established that the law cannot justify or perfect the believer, we can now consider some of the effects of walking in the Spirit through the following Scriptures:
Ephesians 5:17–18
Colossians 3:16–25
Romans 8:1–2
2 Corinthians 4:16–18
From these passages, we can clearly recognize that the Christian life is not merely a life of observing carnal commandments. Rather, it involves the continual study of Scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who is in us and by whom we are sealed after salvation as a source of power for the Christian life.
Living in the constant study of the Word, not compulsively but willingly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is termed living by the filling of the Spirit. This gradually enables us not only to grow in doctrine but also to walk in the steps of Christ.
The transformation of our lives is therefore not based on rules, the tenets of missions, or the law. Rather, it comes through the filling of the Holy Spirit, by whom we are indwelt after salvation, as biblical doctrines are constantly and progressively assimilated into our souls.
As believers, Paul entreats us to be led by the Spirit until Christ’s second coming, when there will be the salvation of both creation and our bodies. As we are led by the Spirit, our sinful self, which is in constant conflict with our new man, is subdued and prevented from gaining the upper hand. This, in turn, leads to the bearing of the fruit of the Spirit, enhancing spiritual maturity and the growth of the kingdom.
While salvation is instantaneous, our Christian life remains progressive through the constant study of the Word. “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law"(Galatians 5:18). So, brethren, we can deduce from what we have studied above that adding the law, through which circumcision is introduced alongside faith as a basis for salvation, is not supported by Scripture. Neither is the law the basis for living our Christian lives.
“And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God"
(Romans 12:2).
As we study the Scriptures under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, our minds and hearts gradually become aligned with Christ, enhancing our spiritual growth and enabling us to live fruitful spiritual lives. Thank you so very much for your time, and God bless you.