The Book Of Galatians Chapter 5 Part 2 Living A "By Faith" Life In Christ.

The law cannot save because we still commit sins.

Galatians 5:1-4  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2)  Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3)  For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4)  Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 

After rebuking those who departed from faith in Christ, Paul continued to make a sharp contrast between the works of the flesh and the works the of spirit.

He gave us clear instruction from God on how we can live a life that honors our Lord. 

He depicted in detail the vile nature of our flesh in order to lead us to Christ, to the cross and to the grace of God.

The works of our flesh or old man are set in contrast to the fruit of the Spirit of God working in and through us.

Rich spiritual blessings from God are received by faith in Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5:5-6  For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6)  For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. 

Paul speaks to all those who have believed in Christ, along with the brethren with him who were Jewish. 

He includes Gentiles who by faith believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul did not look for nor expect heaven and happiness through circumcision, or any of the works of the law. 

Christ appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus and Paul was converted to Christ. 

Through his conversion to Christ the apostle learned that the righteousness of Christ is received by faith, not by law keeping. 

The Holy Spirit of God comes to live in our hearts by faith in Christ. 

By faith we learn about the love of God for us, and His readiness to save all who turn to Jesus Christ with repentant faith.

Justified, regenerated, and filled with the love of God by faith in Christ.

Romans 5:1-5  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2)  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3)  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4)  And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5)  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Paul is telling the Galatians the same truth that he shared with the Roman Christians.

Here are some of the infinitely wonderful spiritual blessings that each believer in Christ receives by faith.

By faith we are justified by God in heaven. 

This is a forensic legal act of God that declares us innocent of all sin and free from all the penalty of sin. 

God the Father is the righteous Judge and He declares that a repentant sinner who by faith calls upon Christ for salvation declares that person justified.

By faith we have access to the grace in which we stand forgiven and justified by God.

By faith we rejoice in the hope God gave us.

Because of this blessed hope we can rejoice in trials, testing or tribulation that we experience because we know God is going to use them to mature our faith.

Satan seeks to destroy, distract or derail each Christian. He would take us out if he could. 

Knowing by faith that God will use all circumstances in life for our good.

Romans 8:26-28  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27)  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28)  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

God knows all of this but he has already decreed he will work all things out for our good, including trials, tests and enemy attacks.

By faith the Spirit of God helps our infirmity which is not knowing how to pray as we ought to pray. 

By faith we know that the Spirit of God always makes intercession for us with unutterable groanings. 

Thus, by faith we know that all things work together for our good according to God's will so that we can endure testing and trial because we know He will do some good thing in us. 

By faith the love of God is shed abroad in us by the Holy Ghost who lives in each believer's heart. 

Remember the words "shed abroad" were used to describe a river overflowing its banks during heavy spring rains. 

The words "by faith" are used 37 times in the New Testament because Jesus Christ has come and is the literal fulfillment of the sacrifices and ceremonies of the law.

Thus, Paul stressed these "in Christ" "by faith" realities to the churches in Galatia so that they would not be led astray by false teachers. 

The Galatians began well but were derailed by false teaching. 

Galatians 5:7  Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 

By faith they began to run the Christian race. They embraced and held fast, and were zealously for the Gospel of Christ.

The grace of God was evident in their lives and the Galatians were diligent in the discharge of spiritual duties. 

They served with cheerfulness and without weariness in the ways of Christ. 

They stayed on the paths of truth and holiness. They did start running the faith race well.

Paul confronts their spiritual error. He demanded to know the person(s) who hindered their walk of faith.

The apostles and other faithful men did all in their power to help the Galatians get off to a good start in their walk with Christ.

The idea of hindering is connected with changing the direction of a ship that is sailing or of beating back an attacker.

Someone actively hindered the Galatians from obeying gospel truth. God would hold that person accountable for leading His redeemed people astray.

A treacherous deception led them astray into spiritual error.

Galatians 5:8  This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 

Paul and Christ's other apostles never said or did anything that could cause the Galatians to abandon grace for works, and embrace circumcision instead of following Christ. 

The word "persuasion" refers to a treacherous deception meant to lead people into spiritual error.

Faith in Christ called them out of bondage and into glorious liberty. 

Faith in Christ called them out of the heavy yoke of law keeping and constant failure. 

Faith in Christ called them to be under the yoke of Christ which is virtuous and pleasant. 

Faith in Christ led them to find rest for their souls that they might cheerfully love and serve God.

Leaven pictures the hidden, corrupting influence of sin.

Galatians 5:9  A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 

This picture of leaven is an old expression aptly applied to those who receive the smallest dose of false doctrine. 

The Galatians may have said that “It is a small thing, and should not be made a subject of serious controversy, whether we be circumcised or not.” 

Within the grand scope of God's redemptive plan, circumcision might seem a very small thing to some. 

However, scripture teaches that every man who is circumcised is a debtor to do the whole law (See Galatians 5:3).

Thus, circumcision leads to total perversion just as a little portion of leaven, mixed in a batch of dough, soon permeates the whole lump.

Leaven (yeast) is mixed in with dough and spreads evenly throughout the whole batch. Leaven pictures the unseen, hidden corruption of sin at work in us.

It may start small but it keeps spreading until it permeates us, causing us to sin (See Leviticus 2:11; 6:17; Matthew 16:6-12; Luke 12:1; 1 Corinthians 5:8). 

Paul trusted God's Word to bring them back but false teachers face judgment.

Galatians 5:10  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. 

Paul was confident that God would use the letter His Spirit guided Paul to write to bring the Galatians back from the abyss of apostasy. 

He trusted the Lord to speak to their hearts and bring a heavy conviction for the sin of circumcision and law keeping.

The apostle then levied a strong apostolic warning to the ones propagating false teaching. 

The false teacher who sowed doubtful disputations and troubled the repose of the whole Church, shall bear his judgment. 

This expresses the certainty that the false teacher shall meet with the punishment he deserves for sowing his tares among God’s wheat. 

The modern church is not immune from similar challenges. 

It is popular in some churches to see how closely they can align with a political or social agenda. 

We are called to make disciples of every nation, teaching them to obey Christ's commands. 

We are not called to advance a political agenda or to push some social cause. 

It is popular among some Christians to see if they can get away with loving the Lord and loving the world. 

Colossians 3:1-2  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2)  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

We are explicitly commanded to "love not the world, nor the things of the world" and to "Set your affection on things above" where Christ is enthroned (See 1 John 2:15-17). 

We must continue to go to our Bible, and read it with the intent to understand what God is saying.

Then, we must determine in our mind to obey what God says.

This is the blessed life. This is the happy and fulfilled life that God has for us until He calls us home.

May our Lord give us understanding in all these things, that we might cling to His Word and live by what He says to us. 

Bob