Stand Firm in Freedom
Study note
Paul issues a ringing declaration of freedom in Christ and warns that accepting circumcision as a requirement for salvation obligates a person to keep the entire law and cuts them off from grace. He affirms that what matters is not external ritual but faith expressing itself through love. He expresses confidence in the Galatians while pronouncing judgment on those who are troubling them. The image of a little yeast working through the whole batch warns that even a small compromise with legalism can corrupt the entire gospel message.
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Listen to me carefully. I, Paul, am telling you: if you go get circumcised to earn God's approval, then Christ will not help you at all. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 I want to make this very clear. Anyone who gets circumcised is then responsible to obey every rule in the whole law. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 If you try to get right with God through the law, you have cut yourself off from Christ. You have walked away from grace. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
5 But we are different. Through the Spirit and by faith, we wait eagerly for the hope of being made right with God. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6 When you are connected to Jesus Christ, being circumcised or not being circumcised does not matter at all. The only thing that counts is faith that shows itself through love. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
7 You were doing so well! Who got in your way and stopped you from following the truth? Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
8 That kind of pressure does not come from the God who called you. This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
9 Remember, just a tiny bit of yeast works its way through the whole batch of bread dough. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
10 I trust the Lord that you will not end up thinking differently. But the person stirring up trouble among you will face God's judgment, no matter who he is. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
11 Brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that circumcision is necessary, why would people still be attacking me? If I preached that, the cross would not bother anyone. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
12 As for those troublemakers, I wish they would go all the way and cut themselves off completely! I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
The Flesh and the Spirit
Study note
Paul clarifies that Christian freedom is not a license for self-indulgence but a call to serve one another in love, which fulfills the entire law. He describes the ongoing conflict between the flesh and the Spirit, then provides a catalogue of the works of the flesh -- including sexual immorality, idolatry, hatred, and jealousy -- contrasted with the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions, and Paul calls believers to keep in step with the Spirit.
13 You were called to be free, brothers and sisters. Do not use your freedom as an excuse to follow your selfish desires. Instead, use your freedom to serve each other with love. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 The entire law can be summed up in one sentence: "Love your neighbor the same way you love yourself." For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if you keep attacking and tearing each other apart, watch out. You will end up destroying each other. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 So I say this: let the Spirit guide your life, and you will not give in to what your selfish nature wants. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 Your selfish nature wants the opposite of what the Spirit wants, and the Spirit wants the opposite of what your selfish nature wants. These two are at war with each other, which is why you cannot do whatever you feel like doing. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But when the Spirit is leading you, you are not under the control of the law. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 It is easy to spot what comes from our selfish nature. There is sexual sin, impurity, and shameless behavior. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 worshiping false gods, witchcraft, hatred, fighting, jealousy, angry explosions, selfish scheming, taking sides, and twisting the truth, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 envy, murder, getting drunk, wild partying, and other things just like these. I am warning you just like I did before: people who keep living this way will not be part of God's kingdom. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law that says you cannot have these things! Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 People who belong to Jesus Christ have nailed their selfish nature to the cross. They gave up all its cravings and desires. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 Since the Spirit gives us life, let us follow the Spirit's lead. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 We should not chase after empty praise or try to make each other jealous or pick fights with each other. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.