Ep. 324. Galatians 5-6 | Far Be It From Me

EPISODE 324

FAR BE IT FROM ME: GALATIANS 5-6

"It is for freedom Christ has set us free." People often quote the opening line of Galatians Chapter Five without connecting it at all to the verses from Chapter Four. Remember what we have just read, "You are no longer a slave, but a son. Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. Present-day Jerusalem is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. Brothers, we are not children of the slave [law] but of the free woman [faith]." AND THEN WE COME TO THE NEXT LINE; "For freedom, Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." When people reduce the opening line of Chapter 5 to some sort of sentiment about the fourth of July or a political coup, we see how they have missed the grand, and better, point: that we are set free from slavery to the law and given freedom to find righteousness by faith rather than by our own works and efforts. After all, "In Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love."

If only we would walk by the Spirit rather than walk according to our own abilities, we would see that we are not under the law but under grace. There is no law against the work of the Spirit, so then we ought to rest in the Spirit rather than our own works.

Only those who want to brag about how great they are at keeping the law, press other people to do the law well. (again, this context is referring to circumcision) Law followers want to boast and brag about their ability to follow the law. However, faith people like to boast and brag about the cross of Jesus Christ and its saving power.

ADDITIONAL READING: Leviticus 19:18; Romans 7:15-18; Romans 8:1-2; 2 Corinthians 3:6-11