SLIDES

The Letter to the Galatians

Part 19

(Galatians 5:1-9)

Introduction

In 1865 the bloodiest war in the History of the United States of America came to an end.  The unprecedented violence of battles such as Shiloh, Antietam, Stones River, and Gettysburg shocked citizens and international observers alike.  Nearly as many men died in captivity during the Civil War as were killed in the whole of the Vietnam War.  Hundreds of thousands died of disease.  Roughly 2% of the population, an estimated 620,000 men, lost their lives in the line of duty.  Taken as a percentage of today's population, the toll would have risen as high as 6 million people.

As a result of the war, a president was also assassinated.

At that time an amendment to the Constitution was signed into law. Once-enslaved men, women, and children were now legally freed by a document called the Emancipation Proclamation. Yet amazingly, some continued living in fear and squalor as though it had never happened. In a context of hard-earned freedom, slaves chose to remain as slaves.

For approximately 2000 years Jews have been given the opportunity to be set free from the Mosaic Law and have been given the opportunity to be set free from the paganism. However, for different reasons, some Gentiles were choosing to leave the slavery of paganism and to put themselves under the directives and authority of the Mosaic Covenant which means they continued to be enslaved.

In our lesson today, Paul is trying to persuade those in the churches of Galatia who were thinking about following the teachings of the Judaizers concerning circumcision to be justified and saved and then keeping the other Mosaic Laws for sanctification purposes. Of course, these were Gentiles who were coming out from under the slavery to paganism and then they wanted to begin being slaves to the Mosaic Law. At the same time, Paul is also talking to the Judaizers in hopes of getting their attention so they will stop teaching heresy.

IV. Practical: A Defense of Christian Liberty (5:1–6:10)

In chapters 1-4 Paul defended his authority to be an Apostle and the doctrine of justification by faith. Now Paul will focus his attention on defending liberty in Christ or what some would call Christian liberty. As we shall see, living under the authority of liberty in Christ is much different than living under the Mosaic Law. Living under the authority of the New Covenant is living with the power and leading of the Holy Spirit for a life of service for Christ. The Holy Spirit is a major theme in chapters 5 & 6.

A. A life apart from Law (5:1–12)

Galatians 5:1

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Verse 1 both summarizes chapter 4 about bondage and freedom and introduces chapter 5. We usually talk about Jesus as our great Savior. In Galatians 1-4 we discussed Jesus being the Great Justifier. In chapter 5 we will begin to see Jesus as our great Liberator. Jesus, by His sacrificial death, has liberated Jews from bondage to the Mosaic Covenant, Gentiles from bondage to paganism, and both from sin.

As a result of Jesus liberating Jews and Gentiles, Paul implores the believers in the churches in Galatia to continue to stand firm in the freedom in Christ. These are believers who have thus far not bought into the teachings of the Judaizers about being obedient to the Mosaic Covenant. Paul wanted them to continue standing firm against the teachings of the Judaizers. The Jewish believers were free from the Mosaic Covenant and Gentiles were free from the trappings of paganism. The last time we discussed standing firm was when Paul implored the Ephesians to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Paul also implored the believers in the churches of Galatia not to put themselves in the position again to a yoke of slavery. The picture Paul is painting a picture here is that of two animals who have a frame joined on their heads or necks that is used to control working animals for working together. Here is thinking about someone being yoked to the Mosaic Covenant. Being yoked is being enslaved. Paul is imploring them not to be enslaved again to the Mosaic Law and or to pagan practices.

Galatians 5:2

 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

Paul used the word “behold” to get their attention because verses 2-4 were to be taken to heart. He wanted them to seriously pay attention to what he is about to write what he had to say was a matter of spiritual life or spiritual death. Paul may have used his name again to stress to them that he was an Apostle called and sent by God, Himself, to preach the Gospel given directly by God and to represent Him.

He told the men in verse 2 that if they went through the rite of circumcision as Gentiles, then the result would not be good. Paul warned them not to do it because there would be negative consequences. First, if they did follow through with it, Christ would not help them, aid them, benefit them, or be of any use to them.

Paul was trying to affirm to them again with all seriousness that receiving circumcision would not benefit them. Circumcision was required to be performed on Jewish males eight days old. After Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, there were Pharisees who were teaching that a Gentile, before he could be saved, was required to be circumcised. We were this before the Council of Jerusalem convened by the Pharisees.

Acts 15:1

Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.

Even though the Council of Jerusalem ruled that circumcision was not a requirement for Gentile believers, some the Pharisees and some of their disciples, who called themselves believers in Jesus, continued to teach that circumcision was required for justification. They also were disregarding the results of the Jerusalem Council. The second consequence is found in verse 3.

Galatians 5:3 - And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.

I testify it is stronger and more forceful than I have told you before. I testify means “to attest and ratify as truth.” He is stressing it again to emphasize the importance of what he is about to say. He wants to make sure that they totally understand that when one is circumcised that they are under the authority of all of the Mosaic Law. They are obligated to and responsible for observing all of the 613 commandments. They would have no choice in the matter. In verse four Paul explained the other negative consequence.

Galatians 5:4

You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

Let’s approach this verse in a different manner. Let’s first discuss the middle phrase.

you who are seeking to be justified by law

There were Gentiles in the congregations in Galatia who were following the Judaizers teaching that one must be circumcised to be justified. There were those Gentiles who had already been circumcised to be justified. That’s why Paul said they were continually seeking to be justified by the circumcision they had already participated in. They continued to seek it, but they would never reach that goal.

You have been severed from Christ

Paul has already stated two negative results of being circumcised for their goal of being justified. One, Christ is no benefit to them. Two, they are obligated to keep all 613 commandments. In verse four he presents two more negative results. The third one is that a man person who receives circumcision to be justified is severed from Christ. Those who seek justification by the Law are rendered inactive in relation to Him. Since they had already gone through with the act of being circumcised, they had already been severed or separated from Christ for these verb have been severed is in the past tense. These men have been estranged from Christ. This must be taken at face value: Since those who seek justification in the Law have been estranged from Christ—the one whom God raised from the dead, the one who gave himself for their sins, the one who will rescue believers from this present evil age, the one who is the only means for justification. Receiving circumcision, the Galatians would have been saying that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was insufficient either to save them, justification them, or to sanctify them. It is God’s grace that is a stake.

Estrangement from Jesus means separation from the one and only salvation there is, with a sure result of condemnation. There is no possibility for any dual attachment, on the one hand to Christ and on the other to the Law or anything else.

you have fallen from grace.

The fourth negative result is that they have fallen from grace. Again, fallen is in the past tense. Fallen from grace has already occurred. This phrase parallels the former phrase but describes this judgment in a slightly different way. The verb “to fall,” here has the sense losing status or possession. The grace seen here is the Grace that is specifically found in Christ’s death and resurrection as it is proclaimed in Paul’s apostolic ministry. Those who seek to be justified by the Law have fallen away from the only means of salvation available to them. Again, we return to the core of what we have discussed from Galatians chapter one - salvation and justification are by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone - never, ever through the Mosaic Law or anything else.

Galatians 5:5  - For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.

In verse 5 we see a contrast to verses 3 & 4. The Gentile men who were seeking justification by the Law have been severed from Christ and have fallen from His grace. In verse 5 Paul shifts his thoughts to believers who have trusted in Christ for salvation and justification. In this verse Paul begins to stress the importance of living by the Spirit which is a major theme in chapter 5.

We have discussed several times that when we trust Christ as Savior, we are declared righteous or justified in God’s sight. But there is more to come in that realm. But by faith, we trust God to deliver what He has promised. By means of the Holy Spirit, through faith, we await the day with hope or a confident expectation that we will receive our ultimate or complete glorification. This glorified state will be our ultimate separation from sin, our becoming holy in every regard as seen in 1 John 3:2.

We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

I just talked about that through the Holy Spirit, by faith, we as believers are to wait for the hope of righteousness. We have a glorious future ahead of us. The next prophetic event is the Rapture. Either at death or at the Rapture, whichever comes first, we are going to be with Jesus forever. If we die before the Rapture, we will receive our resurrected body at the Rapture. If the Rapture occurs before we die, we will receive our Resurrected body then. As the song says, “One day He’s coming, O glorious Day.” Regardless of when we die or the Rapture occurs, we will spend seven or more years in heaven without pain, suffering, tears, disappointment, hate, etc. After the second coming, we are going to spend 52,000 weeks ruling and reigning with Jesus in the Messianic Kingdom which will like being in the Garden of Eden before sin.

I’m saying this to challenge you to study what the Bible teaches about future events. Like I said a few minutes ago, we have a glorious future ahead of us. As we get older day by day and as our physical problems and pains increase, I think studying what a glorious future we have with Jesus in heaven and in the Messianic Kingdom will give us hope and comfort. In verse 6 Paul contrasts faith and circumcision again.

Galatians 5:6 - For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

The reason we are to wait for the hope of righteous by faith is because we are united with Jesus. Faith is all that matters. It really does not matter if one is circumcised or not because it means nothing when it comes to justification, salvation, or sanctification. Circumcision has no value whatsoever under the New Covenant. Faith is the only requirement. As a matter of fact, faith working through love is all that matters.

Faith working through love indicates the method through which faith works. Faith in Christ generates love and through love the believer becomes godly which is shown in his conduct.

There is a difference between living in the flesh and living by faith is that our lives become characterized not by laws, but by love. The essential fuel for a flesh-oriented life is works; for a Christ-centered life, it’s faith expressing itself in love. James similarly emphasizes that true faith manifests itself through good deeds done out of genuine concern for others. Though faith and law are mutually exclusive, faith and love are inseparable essentials in a truly grace-based, Spirit-empowered life.

Galatians 5:7-8 - 7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you.

Paul begins with a word picture taken from the world of athletics. At the start of the marathon of the Christian life, “were running well. But along the way they had been hindered from fully “obeying the truth.” Instead of believing that justification was by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. They had bought into the false teaching of the Judaizers that justification includes obedience to the Mosaic Law. Along the path, somebody had interrupted their stride, causing them to stumble and fall. The Judaizers had placed an obstacle in their path, tripped them up, and stopped their positive progress. The next verse is interesting. Paul will go from an athletic endeavor to the kitchen to prepare bread for baking.

Galatians 5:9 -A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.

Before I tie the meaning of this verse to the lesson, let’s discuss the process of preparing bread for baking in Paul’s day. In preparing bread for baking, one must first have a starter ball of bread from the last loaf of bread that was baked. A bread starter consists of flour and water fermented with yeast. It is basically a yeast ball. This piece of dough is mixed with the new dough and permeates the dough and causes the bread to rise.

So, verse nine is a proverb in which the leaven represents the Judaizers whose false teaching was in the process of spreading and permeating the congregations in Galatia. Paul was comparing this process of yeast spreading though bread so that the congregations in Galatia would be aware of the need to excommunicate the troublemakers.