Galatians 5
Galatians 5 is divided into two main parts. First, from verses 1 to 12, a discussion of freedom and the law emphasizes that Christians should live not by works of the law, but in the freedom of the gospel. Next, from verses 13 to 26, a life lived according to the Holy Spirit is addressed. In this section, by contrasting the desires of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit, it makes clear that true freedom is not a license for indulgence, but a life of serving one another in love.
1verseStand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
2verseBehold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.
3verseYes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4verseYou are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.
5verseFor we through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.
6verseFor in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision amounts to anything, but faith working through love.
7verseYou were running well! Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth?
8verseThis persuasion is not from him who calls you.
9verseA little yeast grows through the whole lump.
10verseI have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11verseBut I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.
12verseI wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off.
13verseFor you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.
14verseFor the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
15verseBut if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another.
16verseBut I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17verseFor the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.
18verseBut if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19verseNow the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,
20verseidolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,
21verseenvy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.
22verseBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,
23versegentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24verseThose who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
25verseIf we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.
26verseLet’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.
The Key Message of This Chapter
In Galatians 5, the author tells us that although Christians have been freed from the yoke of the law and have found freedom, we should not use that freedom to fulfill our own desires; instead, serve one another through love. In addition, it clearly contrasts human weakness (works of the flesh) with the Spirit’s guidance (the fruit of the Spirit), and introduces a changed life that appears when we live by faith and follow the Spirit’s leading.
The Fruit of the Spirit and the Works of the Flesh
| Works of the flesh | The fruit of the Spirit |
|---|---|
| sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, envy, drunkenness, and so on | love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control |
Paul examines two specific directions in life. By contrasting the self-centered life shaped by one’s nature (works of the flesh) with the life that appears when one is led by the Spirit (the fruit of the Spirit), it helps believers check their identity and direction in life.
Points to Ponder
- What freedom and joy am I enjoying within the gospel?
- In my life, can I look back and see whether the fruit of the Spirit, not the works of the flesh, is bearing fruit?
- Are there specific practices through which I serve the community and my neighbors “in love”?
Try Applying It to Yourself
Today, I should examine what fruit is being produced in my life, and I need to bring it about through concrete acts of love that care for others without using freedom in a self-centered way. Each day, I will ask for the Spirit’s help and dream of a life where the fruit of the Spirit is abundantly produced.
