Transcript Galatians 5 - Livonia Online Bible Class Library
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Galatians 5
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Strategy of Galatians 5
• • • •
1-6
We have been freed from the limits & restrictions of the Law – don’t go back!
7-12
Don’t put up with the trouble makers who try to persuade you to go back
13-15
Use your liberty to Love – even the Law aimed at that!
16-26
Walk in the Spirit & show it by treating each other with the fruit of the spirit
Freedom:
Gal 5:1 (2:4)
• • • • •
1Cor 10:29
Paul’s liberty to eat (2 Cor 3:17 – “unveiled face”)
James 1:25
perfect law of liberty (2:12)
1 Pet 2:16
don’t misuse liberty (2 Pt 2:19)
John 8:32-36
Truth will make you free
Rom 8:2
free from the law of sin and death (see 6:7, 18, 22) [
Law of the Spirit of life
=
perfect Law of Liberty
]
What is this Freedom?
The Law
• • • • •
Free from the daily rituals
– Sacrifices, washings, etc
Free from the restrictions of the law
– We can help out on the Sabbath
Free from legalism
– Our decisions now based on what’s best for people
Free from slavery to Sin Free to serve God & others in love Me
Circumcision
• • First given to Abraham (Gen 17) – He will be
father of many nations
(v.5) – Sarah will be
mother of nations
(v.16)
Lesson:
something in flesh that must be cut off (evil desires of our bodies) • Incorporated into the Law of Moses
Mistakenly used by Jews to glory in their flesh and make them feel better than other people
Fallen from Grace
• Try to be justified by law • Depend on the works of flesh • Debtors to keep the whole law • Estranged from Christ • Cast out like Hagar (4:30)
Saw salvation as something earned from the bottom up, not as given from the top down!
Saved by Grace Valley of Sin & Death In Bondage to Law Falling from Grace
Faith working through Love
“Working”
–
“energeo” –
“energized”
• • • • •
1 Cor 12:6
Same God who the manifestation of the Spirit works in all through
Gal 2:8
He who effectively worked for Peter
Gal 3:5
works He who supplies the Spirit to you and miracles
Eph 1:11
predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things
Eph 1:20
which He worked raised him from the dead in Christ when He
Faith energized through Love
• • • Faith will cause us to be energized in God’s service (James 2:18-26; Heb 11) • The work we do will be guided by love – love for God and love for each other
“through love serve one another”
(Gal 5:13)
Rituals will not save anyone!
Faith is the power that will turn us into children of God
Why is faith energized by love more powerful than law
• Encourages us to do things for the right reasons • Leads to greater obedience to God • Leads to serving one another in love
Law encourages obedience to rituals Faith energized by love will promote obedience to God, which leads to loving service to each other
Both Law and Faith do lead to obedience
To rituals
To God
Law To God Faith
Problems with man’s use of God’s law
• We can develop an attitude of thinking that we can earn our salvation • Laws can become unintended limits – we only do what the laws demand • Many times when we hear laws, our minds try to find ways around them
It’s very clear in children!
How does this apply today?
In Families, Ecclesias & Job
– Read and discuss the Bible together – Discuss the work of angels in our lives – Accept what God gives us – Trust He knows what we need – Serve one another in love – Learn to rejoice and be excited for good things happening to others
How do we know if we are living by rituals or by faith?
• Do we stress a ritual more than the principles it is supposed to teach us?
• Do we depend on rituals to save us?
• Do we serve one another through love?
• Do we make decisions based on what’s best for those who need help, or simply uphold the rules?
• Do we judge ourselves, or each other?
• Do we bite and devour one another?
• Do we display the fruit of the Spirit?
• Do we only attend classes because they are “official” ecclesial activities?
What ordinances are we still required to keep?
• Baptism • Bread & wine • Veils • Prayer • Bible reading
Any others we try to slip in ???
There is no value in the ritual itself.
we can run well and then mess up!
• • •
V.7
someone hindered them from obeying the Truth
V.8
this persuasion not of God
V.9
bad influences are like leaven – spread through the whole lump
Warning: we can be influenced to turn away from God’s truth!
Some claimed Paul taught circumcision is required! (v. 11)
They misquoted and misrepresented Paul!
Always best to go direct to source He had Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:1-3) So what is Paul’s proof that he doesn’t preach that circumcision is required?
He still suffered persecution by Judaisers because he did not require circumcision –
the offense of the cross
What caused the Galatians to backslide?
• V.7 Who hindered you?
• V.8 This persuasion • V.9 A little leaven • V.10 He who troubles you
Leaven (yeast)
• Just takes a little to spread throughout the dough • Once in the dough, it’s nearly impossible to get it out
A little leaven leavens the whole lump (Gal 5:9)
• Possibly a short proverb • Use again in 1 Cor 5:6 • Note the difference: – Gal 5:9 is about doctrine – 1 Cor 5:6 is about immorality
Paul’s play on “circumcision” Galatians 5:12
I could wish that those who trouble you would even
cut themselves off!
Philippians 3:1-3 (RSV)
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not irksome to me, and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evil-workers, look out for
those who mutilate the flesh .
3
For we are the true circumcision,
in spirit, and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh.
who worship God
• • •
V.6
V.13
V.14
Love:
the ultimate motivation!
Faith working through love Through love serve one another Even the law said:
“love your neighbor as yourself”
Love never fails (1Cor 13:8) Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us (Eph 5:2) If God so loved us, we ought to love one another (1Jn 4:11)
“Love your neighbor” (Lev 19)
• • • • • Quoted by Jesus –
Mat 19:19
– linked to 10 commandments –
Mat 22:39; Lk 10:27
– On these 2 hang all the law & prophets. Good Samarian parable.
Rom 13:8-10 James 2:8 Lev 19:18
fulfills the law, sums it up fulfill the royal law Don’t take vengeance, don’t bear a `` grudge!
Lev 19:2
“you shall be holy”, “I am Yahweh your God” (3,4,10,11,14,16,18, 25,28,30,31,32,34,36,37)
What happens when law & ordinances motivate us?
• We focus on the ordinances and outward appearance • We compete with each other by rituals • We compare ourselves with each other • We lose our love for each other • We bite and devour one another • We end up consumed by one another
Walk in the Spirit
(16)
• • • • •
Ezek 36:27
walk in God’s statutes
Rom 8:1-14
set minds on the Spirit
2 Cor 12:18
walk in the same steps
Gal 5:25
if we live in the Spirit
1 Jn 1:7
Same as John’s “walk in the light ”
This is our offense and defense against the works of the flesh!
Led by the Spirit
(v18)
Same Greek words used in:
• • •
Luke 4:1
Jesus led by the Spirit
Rom 8:14 Gal 5:18
these are the Sons of God not under law
The Spirit is our Shepherd
All a Work of the Spirit
• • • • • • • •
4:29
Isaac born according to Spirit
5:5 5:16
we wait through the Spirit walk in the Spirit
5:17 5:18 5:22
flesh lusts against the Spirit we must be led by the Spirit fruit of the Spirit
5:25
if we live in the spirit, we must also walk in the Spirit!
6:8
if sow to the Spirit, reap eternal life
It’s all of God, not of ourselves!
Works of the Flesh
• Adultery • Fornication • Uncleanness • Licentiousness • Jealousies • Outbursts of wrath • Selfish ambitions • Envy • Murders • Dissensions • Heresies • Drunkenness • Revelries
Those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God
Fruit of the Spirit
• Fruit is the reproductive method by which the tree spreads • Takes time for tree to develop fruit – Heb 12:11 later – chastening yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness • Fruit determined by the type of tree! Won’t get gentleness & faithfulness from tree of flesh • It’s the Spirit’s fruit! Not ours!
Fruit of the Spirit
Love Joy Goodness Faithfulness Peace Gentleness Patience Self-control Kindness
We need to work on them all!
Against such there is no Law
The Law cannot restrict these!
Those who are Christ’s…
what do they do?
• Crucified the flesh (Paul – 2:20; 6:14) • United with him in a death like his (Rom 6:5-6) • You died….Put to death what is earthly in you (Col 3:3, 5) • Died with Christ from the basic principles of the world (Col 2:20) • Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts • Leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps (1 Pet 2:21)
“Those who are Christ’s”
what does it mean?
• • •
3:27 3:29
have put on Christ are Abraham’s seed, heirs
Rom 13:14
put on Christ, make no provision for flesh
Those who are Christ’s have joined him in his war with Sin and been adopted into God’s family
If we live in the Spirit
• If we get the benefits of the spirit (3:5), then our way of life must be in agreement with the way of the Spirit • Cannot be conceited, provoking one another, envying one another – Think too highly of ourselves – Pick on the specks in the eyes of others – Jealous of others