Chapter 5

Verse 1— “Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.” First of all, what does it means to be free in the sense of this verse? a. It means to be free from the penalty of sin. That is the plan of salvation, phase one. What the Lord Jesus Christ did for us in phase one: dying for our sins, becoming our substitute, and taking our place, frees us from the penalty of sin and makes it possible for us to live with God forever and ever; b. Freedom from the power of the sin nature. This, of course refers to phase two. W now have the freedom and are given the means whereby we can serve God in time and whereby we can exercise the supernatural way of life; c. Freedom in phase three which is freedom from the presence of sin and the freedom to enjoy all that goes with living with God forever.

The basis of all freedom is grace. Legalism is never the basis for freedom. God has provided for us in phase one: Christ died for our sins. God has provided for us in phase two: the coming of the Holy Spirit. God has provided for us in phase three: the resurrection bodies and living in His presence. All of these things have been provided for us in toto, we can’t add anything to them and we can’t take anything from them. So the principle with which we start this passage: we are saved by grace, therefore we should live by grace and die by grace.

The emphasis in chapter five is living by grace. In verses 1-6 we have the hindrance to phase one, or falling from grace.

Verse 1 — The first two are words “Stand fast.” The present tense means to keep on standing fast. The imperative mood means it is an order. The word means to make a permanent stand or to hold one’s ground permanently, and eventually it came to mean to stand on a principle. And, of course, the principle of doctrine here is grace. So, “Make a permanent stand therefore on the principle of liberty” would be a good translation. The word “liberty” is dative of advantage in the Greek, and it is to our advantage to have liberty or freedom as believers.

We have to understand, however, what is meant by liberty. Liberty does not mean the kind of life that we live. That isn’t liberty at all. It means the method by which we live it. If you live your life by grace then you are in the sphere of liberty and freedom. If you live your life by legalism and the energy of the flesh then you are far from liberty, you are in bondage, you are in slavery while you live.

“Keep on making a permanent stand therefore” — therefore in view of the arguments advanced in chapter four — “in the liberty which is to our advantage wherewith Christ has made us free.” The word means to set free. This is an aorist tense: point of time, divorced from time and perpetuated forever. Christ has once and for all made us free. Christ doesn’t make us free for a few days and then we go back into bondage; Christ makes us free once and for all, permanently. Remember that the Greek word means to set one free.

From what are we set free in context? We are set free from many things but as far as our context, the previous four chapters, we are free from the law in two ways: freedom from the law in the matter of salvation and freedom from the law in the matter of a way of life. The law is not the way of life for the Christian and the law is not the way of salvation for the Christian. This is confirmed by Romans 10:4 — “Christ is the end of the law for all who believe.” Or, anticipating Galatians 5:18 — “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law,” or verse 23 — “against such there is no law.”

So when it says, “and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage” it means do not go back to any principle of legalism; any principle of salvation by works, or spirituality by works. This is exactly what has happened to the Galatians. They have become entangled in the yoke of bondage. The rest of the passage deals with how we receive freedom from the entanglement of the law or freedom from any principle of legalism. Any legalism always brings glory to self but never to the Lord; grace brings glory to the Lord. The yoke of bondage does not have a definite article in this verse and it should be translated “with a yoke of bondage.” The absence of the definite article in the Greek draws emphasis to the noun. It gives more emphasis than the definite article would, just the opposite of English. Specifically the yoke of bondage is salvation by circumcision, which is a part of the law.

Verses 2 and 3, after this warning, Paul begins to draw some parallels with phase one. He starts in by showing them the futility of salvation by works. Verse 2 — circumcision is not a part of the plan of salvation; verse 3 — circumcision places the individual under bondage to the law.

Verse 2 — “Behold, I Paul say unto you.” The word ‘say’ is present linear aktionsart which means, If I were there I would repeat it over and over again; “that if ye be circumcised” — ‘if’ is a third class condition indicating that there own volition must be involved. Maybe they will and maybe they won’t be circumcised. Several things about “if ye be circumcised.” It is a present tense which means you will do it right now for a reason — legalistic reason. The subjunctive mood means you don’t have to be circumcised — it is potential, maybe you will and maybe you won’t. The passive voice means that the Galatians will receive something which is not grace. They will receive circumcision, the rite of circumcision. This is something which can be received but is not grace at all; “Christ shall profit you nothing” — ‘profit’ means future tense from the point that you were circumcised. In other words, as long as you refrain from circumcision even though you are tempted to do it for salvation, you have a different picture. But from the moment that you submit to circumcision Christ will profit you nothing — future from that point. The word ‘profit’ means to aid, benefit or help. The work of the Lord Jesus Christ is His work, it is efficacious, it propitiated the Father, it is complete in itself, nothing can be added to it. When you do something, like submitting to circumcision, then you have neutralised the possibility of the work of Christ helping you. So the principle then: circumcision or keeping the law is not a part of the salvation package. As a matter of fact it hinders the possibility of salvation.

Where you have the word “circumcision” in Galatians you can usually today substitute any principle of salvation by works. Probably one of the most common is the idea of being saved by baptism, often called the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. But it doesn’t even have to be that, it can be joining a church for salvation, walking down an aisle for salvation, raising your hand for salvation, changing your wicked ways for salvation, and many other things. Any principle of legalism in salvation, any principle of works, is the concept. It just so happens that the Galatian weakness at this time is to submit to circumcision for salvation. Not only does the work of Christ profit nothing but in addition to that you go back into bondage to the Mosaic law.

Verse 3 — “For I testify [witness] again,” present tense: I keep on pounding this point home; “to every man” — to every one of you, literally; “that,” a result clause; “is circumcised, that he is a debtor.” Here is the result of being circumcised. He keeps on being a debtor, present linear aktionsart; “to do” — and this is a change. He is a debtor, but ‘to do’ is a change of tense to the aorist. It is an aorist infinitive and it means at various points of time, once you become a slave to the law, at any moment the law can command you to do something and you must do it. Or the law says you mustn’t do this, and you must not do it. This emphasises the fact that you are always in slavery and the law at different points of time will have you doing different things in order to remind you that you are a slave. Instead of standing fast in freedom you are constantly running around and doing the bidding of the law. The law is your master, not the Lord. This is the gist of this change of tense to do “the whole law.” The whole law means simply James 2:10: if you offend in one point you are guilty of all. So the work of Christ on the cross is profitless if you try to do anything for it. Now this means that salvation can come in one of three ways. The first possibility is that man can do it. That’s negative, no one can ever be saved by his works — Titus 3:5. The second possibility is that man and God can each have a part in it. This also is negative, because if man can have anything to do with it then it is no longer grace. The third possibility is the God must do it, and this is positive. Salvation must be by God alone and that is salvation by grace. This same principle applies to spirituality. If man does anything for spirituality then it is not spirituality, it is the operation of the energy of the flesh.

Verse 4 — what does it means to fall from grace? First of all it does not refer to a believer. No believer can fall from grace. Only an unbeliever can fall from grace. As a matter of fact, every time that an unbeliever tries to be saved by works he is falling from grace.

“Christ” — emphatic position in the Greek: Christ and only Christ; “is become of no effect unto you.” The only one who can save you is Christ, and Christ has become of no effect to you when you try to be saved by works. “Is become” is not quite the correct translation. The word “Christ” has in front of it a preposition, a preposition of ultimate source — a)po, and it should be translated “from” and it means ultimate source. This preposition, therefore, gives us a little different meaning as far as this first phrase is concerned: “Apart from Christ you have become useless [or unproductive].” The passive voice means that you have received uselessness as the principle for your life — “those of you who are justified by the law.” The moment a person tries to be justified by the law he separates himself from Christ, the ultimate source of salvation. He has therefore made his entire life and everything connected with it, not matter how fine it may be from the human viewpoint, one hundred per cent useless. Life only becomes useful as of the moment of regeneration and the principle of uselessness pervades until that point. The moment a person seeks to be justified from the law he cuts off any possibility of justification by faith in Christ.

Then, “are justified” is in the present tense, not in the aorist as you might expect — “by the law.” The present tense is used here to show that justification by the law is a process. We would translate this present tense, “you are in the process of being justified by the law.” Justification by works is a process, and you keep on working and you keep on doing. You somehow hope that the doing is effective enough to get you to the “pearly gates.” But the whole thing, of course, is useless. But the principle of the present tense is simply this: When you seek to be justified by the law it is an endless process and as the previous phrase indicates it is also a useless process — “by the law” is literally “in the sphere of the law.” It is the sphere chosen by the individual.

So how is this described in this sentence? “Ye are fallen from grace.” Who is fallen from grace? The person who chooses the law is cut off from Christ as the source of salvation, therefore they have fallen away from the only hope for salvation. This is talking about a person who is choosing a system of works for salvation. Falling from grace describes the unbeliever who is trying to be saved by keeping the law or any other works system. It is never a term which can describe a Christian. Falling from grace is trying to be justified by works.

Verses 5 & 6, by way of contrast: the believer’s hope is contrasted with the unbeliever’s hopelessness.

Verse 5 — the believer’s hope. “For we” — who are believers, in contrast to the ones who have fallen from grace by trying to be saved by keeping the law; “through the Spirit” — instrumental case” through the instrumentality of the Holy Spirit; “wait.” The word ‘wait’ is preceded by the phrase ‘by faith.’ It occurs in the KJV at the end of verse 5. It is out of place. The Greek puts it this way: “For we through the instrumentality of the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.” ‘By faith’ precedes ‘wait.’ Why? Because waiting is the expression of faith, or waiting is the perpetuation of faith [“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength”]. ‘Wait’ is present tense, linear aktionsart — ‘keep on waiting.’ Middle voice: the subject is benefited by the action of the verb, we are benefited by such waiting, Isaiah 40:31. It means to eagerly await, to wait in an intense fashion. It is to our benefit to wait on the Lord’ Stand still and watch the deliverance of the Lord” is the principle; “for the hope of righteousness.” This is a genitive of apposition and it should be translated “the hope which is righteousness,” not the hope of righteousness.” What does that mean? The hope refers to that moment when we will receive our resurrection bodies. That is why the Rapture of the Church is called the hope. This is what we call the doctrine of ultimate sanctification.

The believer is already justified while the legalist is still trying. That is the concept here. The believer has been justified in a point of time, he has accepted Christ, believed in Christ. He has been justified by faith in Christ, not by works. Therefore he is not hustling around any more trying to work for salvation, he is just waiting for what God is going to do for us. He is waiting for a perfect body, a resurrection body.

Verse 6 — “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but [by way of contrast] faith which keeps on working by love.”

“In Jesus Christ” is positional truth. We wait in union with Christ. The moment we receive Christ as saviour we enter into union with Him. Here is where we do our waiting. “Neither circumcision.” This is how they are trying to be saved; “nor uncircumcision” — “availeth” means to be strong physically, to be overpowering. The law and circumcision do not have the strength or the power to produce salvation, or in the Christian way of life, spirituality; “but” — by way of contrast, “faith” — the only non-meritorious system of perception; “which worketh by love.” The word ‘worketh’ means to operate or to communicate energy and efficiency, and faith communicates energy and efficiency by means of divine love. God loves us. Therefore He communicates power and energy and whatever we need. He provides it, that is what this means. God’s love provides what we cannot earn and what we do not deserve. Therefore, in verses 1-6, legalism is a hindrance to salvation.

In verse 7-15 we have a hindrance to phase two, or the broken stride. The unbeliever is said to fall from grace; the believer who is operating on legalism is said to have a broken stride. Here is someone who is serving the Lord in grace, and then all of a sudden his stride is broken and his effectiveness is neutralised.

Verse 7 — “Ye did run,” imperfect linear aktionsart which means something that kept on happening in past time, in the past. Paul is referring to the believers now; “well” should be ‘commendably.’ Then this sudden break in: “Who did hinder you?” The word ‘hinder’ is a very technical athletic term from the ancient world. It was originally used of a runner. In order to get a good runner out of the way he would run up alongside of him and bump him or use other means to break his stride. To run well means to be filled with the Spirit, it means to be occupied with Christ, it means to know and apply doctrine. In other words, it means to utilise the divine operating assets to the Christian way of life — operation grace. When Paul left the Galatians they were running beautifully. Then what happened? Paul left, the legalists came in, and the legalists broke their stride; “who,” relative pronoun suggesting that someone broke in on them, “who did hinder?”

The word “that” introduces a result clause: “that ye should not obey the truth?” The middle voice here is a reflexive middle — “you yourselves did not obey the truth.” Your stride is broken; you are not obeying the truth. Disobedience to God’s Word means broken stride. The present tense means that this has been going on for sometime now. The result of a broken stride means you are not obeying the truth.

Verse 8 — legalism is not a part of phase two of the plan of God, the Christian way of life. “This persuasion” — this is a noun plus a definite article to indicate that the noun is to be identified with the hindering of the present verse. “This persuasion” is literally, ‘the persuasion.’ In other words, going back to the previous verse. They were persuaded that they must be circumcised, etc. — “not of him that calleth you” — no verb “cometh” here. “Not of him” — God the Father, the author of the divine plan; “who calleth you” — ‘calleth’ means to elect. Every person who receives Christ as saviour shares the election of Christ, therefore he is not only elected with Christ [in Christ] he has a purpose now. The purpose of Christ is the purpose of every believer, and legalism hinders this purpose — “This persuasion not of the one who has elected you.” This doesn’t come from God.

The seven points in the doctrine of election (Review).

1. Christ is elected from eternity past — Isaiah 42:1.

2. This election takes place in the doctrine of divine decrees — 1 Peter 1:2; Ephesians 1:4.

3. Election is the present as well as the future possession of every believer — Colossians 3:12.

4. Every believer shares the election of Jesus Christ — Romans 8:28-33.

5. Election takes place at the moment we accept Christ as saviour — 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 1:9,24,26,28.

6. Election is the foundation of the Church (universal not local) — 1 Thessalonians 1:4.

7. Election has a purpose in phase two. It has eternal repercussions but it also has a purpose in time. This purpose is to represent Jesus Christ on earth during His absence from the earth.

Verse 9 — legalism hinders phase two. This legalism is described as leaven. Remember that in the Bible leaven always represents something that is evil, never anything that is good — Exodus 12:8, 15, 19; 13:7; 34:25. There are five different kinds of leaven in the New Testament and each time it connotes evil. In Mark 8:15 we have the leaven of Herod, which is worldliness. In Matthew 16:6 we have the leaven of the Saduccees, which is rationalism or the human viewpoint. In Mark 8:15 and Luke 12:1 we have the leaven of the Pharisees, which is religion. In 1 Corinthians 5:6,7 we have the leaven of the Corinthians, which is licentiousness. In Galatians 5:9 we have the leaven of Galatianism, which is legalism.

“A little leaven leavens the entire lump.” “Leaveneth” is the present indicative active, it keeps on leavening until the entire lump is leavened. When you get a local church with a little legalism in it you soon have everyone becoming legalistic. When you find a group of Christians where one person gets legalistic and that is spread, then everyone gets that way, and you have the most miserable, horrible, phony situation that could ever exist — religiosity and hypocrisy and all the rest of it. This is exactly what happened to the Galatians. They opened the door and let a little leaven in: salvation by circumcision and now the whole lump is leavened, and they are in very bad shape.

Verse 10 — Paul has confidence but not in these people as it appears in this verse. He didn’t have confidence in people, he knew too much about people. Paul had confidence in the Word, he knew a great deal about the Word. When Paul mentions confidence here he has confidence that these Galatians will respond to the Word, to the teaching of doctrine, and this situation will be rectified.

“I have confidence” — perfect tense: I have confidence in the past with the result that I keep on having confidence; “in you through the Lord” is literally, ‘in the sphere of the Lord.’ He doesn’t have confidence in them, he has confidence in the Lord with reference to them. This sentence is not correctly translated, but when you get the correct translation his confidence is in the Lord with reference to the Galatians. And what is his confidence in the Lord with reference to the Galatians? — “that,” a result clause; “ye will be none other wise minded” — future tense, which means after you hear this epistle. ‘None otherwise’ means none of the same kind of mind, which you’ve had in the past. Your mind will be changed, in other words. The Galatians will hold different convictions from that which they hold at the present time, namely legalism. Then when they change their mind, notice the next thing that will happen — “for he that troubleth you shall bare his judgment, whosoever he is.” So their attitude will change toward doctrine with the result that their attitude will change toward the legalists, with the result that the legalists will be ostracised — one thing the legalists can’t stand! The legalist wants to be courted, he can’t stand to be ostracised. “He who troubleth” is the legalist, the Judaiser; “he shall bare his judgment,” and the judgment is separation or ostracism. In other words, if a little leaven is thrown into the lump and everything eventually is in danger of being leavened, what has to happen to the leaven to save what is left of the lump? You have to perform an operation. You have to get the leaven out.

Verse 11 — “And I, brethren, if” — introducing a second class condition; “I yet preach circumcision [and I do not].” He has to use the ‘if’ here, there has to be a supposition in order to show how the legalists hate him; “why do I yet suffer persecution?” What is he saying? Every day the legalists snipe at me in the Galatian cities. If I really preached circumcision they wouldn’t snipe at me, they wouldn’t hate me, they wouldn’t fight me. If I really did preach circumcision, and I really don’t, why do these Judaisers keep maligning me? He said, if it were true that I did preach this false doctrine — salvation by circumcision; “then is the offense of the cross ceased.” This means rendered null and void. It is in the perfect tense: rendered null and void with the result that it stands useless or powerless. What is Paul saying here? He is saying that as long as the Judaisers keep maligning me and criticising me you can count on it that I am preaching the truth. It is when they shut up and stop criticising me that you had better look out. Then you had better examine my doctrine once again! As long as I stick to the truth, they are going to criticise me.

There is another principle here. Nothing can be added to faith for salvation without destroying the power of the cross to save. The work of Christ must be appropriated by faith, apart from human works, and when you put any works in you destroy the power of the cross to save.

Verse 12 — Paul’s sarcasm. This is the harshest piece of sarcasm in the Bible. It is also, to our way of thinking, a little bit on the vulgar side. And yet it really isn’t because you must remember that the whole background is salvation by circumcision. Paul expresses his true feeling toward circumcision and those who content that you must be saved by being circumcised.

“I would” — a strong interjection in the Greek which means “oh that” or “would that.” It is a strong desire; “they,” the legalists, the Judaisers; “were even cut off which trouble you.” The words “cut off” is in the middle voice, reflexive middle. It is in the future tense which means as of the moment you absorb this information. It is in the indicative mood means to emasculate or to castrate. Now what has he said? He has said that the Judaisers have not gone far enough with their works! The Galatians understood this exactly. In the Galatian cities under heathenism the heathen priests, often as the great sacrifice for salvation, would practice emasculation. So, why don’t these Judaisers go all the way with their salvation? Why don’t they carry it out to its logical conclusion and practice emasculation? And why don’t you Galatians who have only gone a little way with this thing go all the way with them and then take a good look at where works takes you. You just can’t beat Paul’s sarcasm here.

Verse 13 — freedom from the law does not mean license. “For, brethren ye have been called into liberty.” Notice that phrase ‘you have been called’ — doctrine of election. God has a purpose for you — aorist passive indicative. In the passive voice the subject receives the action of the verb, you received election by grace. You have been called into liberty for the purpose of liberty, freedom — “unto liberty,” This is a preposition, e)pi, which usually means ‘upon.’ But when this preposition is followed by the dative case it means for the purpose of, and that is the structure here: “you have been called for the purpose of freedom.” God’s election of you at the point of salvation is for your freedom. God calls you for freedom, and therefore what is this freedom? It is freedom and liberty to serve the Lord. Think of the thousands of people in this world who aren’t serving God — at least they think they are — and they are not born again. No one can serve God unless he is regenerate, unless he is a believer. What is the liberty in which we need to stand fast? The principle of serving the Lord, representing Him, being His ambassador.

“only not liberty for an occasion of the flesh [not free to serve the dictates of the sin nature]” — we are now free to serve God in spite of having a sin nature; “but by means of love keep on serving one another.” Love here is the filling of the Spirit. ‘Keep on serving’ is a present active imperative — ‘one another’ means one another of the same kind. We can only help other believers by means of the filling of the Spirit.

The Mosaic law cannot be fulfilled by keeping the law, the Mosaic law can only be fulfilled by the filling of the Spirit. The Mosaic law had been begging for centuries for the human race to keep it. No one ever could until Jesus Christ came into the world, minus the old sin nature, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He kept the law perfectly and as a result the Holy Spirit not only controlled His life but produced nine characteristics which become the character of Christ.

Now, we are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and have the same Holy Spirit. We have an old sin nature, a soul and a spirit, and we cannot keep the law by keeping the law, we can only keep the law by being filled with the Spirit. So we are not required to keep the law, we are required to be filled with the Spirit. The Christian way of life is a supernatural way of life which demands a supernatural means of execution. Furthermore, anything the unbeliever can do it not the Christian way of life.

We are getting into that part of Galatians which deals with the problem of legalism is phase two, or the problem the attempt to superimpose on the Christian way of life human effort, energy of the flesh activity. Again, the same principle that we have in salvation is true. In salvation it is what Christ did for me, not what I did for Him. In the Christian way of life it is what the Holy Spirit does for me, not what I do for Him.

Verse 14 — “For all the law,” the Mosaic law, “is fulfilled,” perfect tense. The law was fulfilled in the past with the result that it keeps on being fulfilled forever. However the law is to be fulfilled here it is something which is permanent. The passive voice means the law receives fulfilling, the law cannot fulfill itself. It was not fulfilled by any member of the human race, except one, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The doctrine of the Mosaic law

1. The Mosaic law is divided into three parts. Codex #1 is the commandments, the moral code — Exodus 20. The purpose of Codex # 1 is to demonstrate that man is bankrupt. Codex # 2 is generally called the ordinances. This is the spiritual code or the shadow Christology of Israel. The ordinances include the tabernacle, its construction and furniture; the feast days — the Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, etc.; it includes the Levitical offerings and the modus operandi of the Levitical priesthood. In other words, Codex #2 as Hebrews 10:1 says, were shadows pointing toward and revealing Christ. In Codex # 1 man is bankrupt and need help from God. In Codex #2 God provides help in the person of Messiah, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has provided for man everything necessary for man to have fellowship with God. Then there is Codex # 3 called the judgments or the social code, and this is God’s protection for those who will trust in Him.

2. The law was given to Israel only — Exodus 19:3; Leviticus 26:46; Romans 3:19. The law was specifically not given to Gentiles — Deuteronomy 4:8; Romans 2:12-14.

3. Christians and the Church are specifically not under the law. Whatever the modus operandi for Christianity it is not the Mosaic law — Acts 15:5, 24; Romans 6:14; Galatians 2:19.

Why isn’t Christianity specifically under the law? We profit from the law. For example, we learn that we are sinners from the law. We learn much about the person and the work of Christ from the law. But when it comes to the Christian way of life — a supernatural way of life and it demands a supernatural way of execution — we are specifically not under the law because (Matthew 5:17) Christ fulfilled the law. He fulfilled Codex # 1 by keeping it perfectly; He fulfilled Codex # 2 by dying on the cross, by resurrection and ascension; He fulfilled Codex # 3 by keeping it perfectly. Therefore Christ is the end of the law for all who believe — Romans 10:4. Once a person believes in Christ the law no longer has any jurisdiction over him. However, this does not mean lawlessness; it does not imply or infer antinomianism; but we are not under the jurisdiction of the Mosaic law. Because the Mosaic law is now abrogated we are not lawless. We have a new law — Romans 8:2-4. The new law is phase two, the Christian way of life: the filling of the Spirit.

4. If the Mosaic law is abrogated, set aside, what is the present purpose of the law? The law must continue to have purpose, and it does. The purpose of the law is stated in Romans 3:20, 28; Galatians 3:23,24; 1 Timothy 1:9,10. The last reference tells us that the Mosaic law is for the unbeliever, to teach him that he is a sinner, that he is bankrupt, that he needs a saviour. So the present purpose of the Mosaic law is to teach man that he is -R at best, that he is bankrupt and needs a saviour; and at the same time to teach man that God is perfect, and that there is a gap between perfection and relative righteousness, and this gap can only be bridged by the person of Jesus Christ.

5. What are the limitations of the Mosaic law? a. The law cannot justify — Galatians 2:16; 3:10; Romans 3:28; b. The law cannot give life — Galatians 3:21; c. The law cannot provide the Holy Spirit — Galatians 3:2; b. The law cannot produce miracles — Galatians 3:5.

6. The filling of the Spirit fulfills the Mosaic law. It is the only way it can be done by mankind, and it can only be done by regenerate mankind because only regenerate mankind is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. So in order to fulfill the Mosaic law you must be filled with the Spirit. Believers do not fulfill the Mosaic law when they are controlled by the old sin nature.

“For all the law is fulfilled” — fulfilled in the past with the result that it keeps on being fulfilled — “in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love they neighbour as thyself.” This is what stumbled the rich young ruler. If you are really going to fulfill the Mosaic — and you can’t do it in the flesh, of course — you must love your neighbour as yourself. This means to love all of your neighbours, not some neighbours. This is humanly impossible and it emphasises the fact that only the Holy Spirit can produce this. In loving others as yourself you begin with a mental attitude because love is a mental attitude. The Christian way of life is a supernatural way of life. God the Holy Spirit, when He controls your life, produces a mental attitude — “the fruit of the Spirit is love,” for example. The law is fulfilled by the filling of the Spirit, mentioned here under the term “love.” The verb here is divine love, where God is the subject of a motivating factor.

Verse 15 — legalism can only produce defeat. “But if” — ‘if’ introduces a first class condition: if an it is true. This is what the Galatians are actually doing; “you bite and devour one another” — ‘bite’ is present indicative active, you keep on biting each other. While these people are not literally biting each other they are doing it with their minds. They have a mind that is filled with hatred, jealousy, antagonism bitterness and frustration. This is where the biting comes in, they snipe at each other. This word not only means to bite but it means to scheme — ‘one another.’ There are two kinds of ‘another’ in the Greek: another of a different kind; another of the same kind. This Greek word means another of the same kind. You are biting and devouring another of the same kind, another believer. The worst people in the world are believers out of fellowship, and the worst believers out of fellowship are the legalists; the person with the phony front and the tabooistic concepts, the one who is proud of his behaviour pattern and who has never even bothered to check his mind. Christianity is not only a supernatural way of life but Christianity always starts on the inside and then the outside.

“take heed” [beware] — present active imperative; keep on taking heed; “that,” result clause, “ye be not consumed [taken in completely] one of another.” ‘One of another’ is literally one under another; under the authority of another.

Verse 16 — “This I say then — we have a contrast between verse 15, ‘if’ — first class condition. In verse 18 is the contrast to that: ‘but if’. In verse 15 — ‘If ye bite and devour one another [and you do]’; in verse 18 — ‘If ye are led by the Spirit’.

“This I say then” — ‘then’ means ‘in conclusion’; “Walk.” Four things about the verb to walk: it is present tense — keep on doing it; it is imperative mood, an order; it is the active voice: you do it; in walking you always put one foot in front of the other. Walking depends upon balance and stability. Balance and stability comes through the filling of the Spirit. Everyone walks the same way. This does not mean they have the same gait or the same style, but that they follow the same principle. Everyone is filled with the Spirit in exactly the same way, though there are many different gaits, styles. However, they go through the same principle, it just manifests itself in different ways. All are filled with the Spirit in exactly the same way but there will be different manifestations of it once they are filled.

There are nine different walks in the New Testament

1. “Walk in the newness of life” — Romans 6:4. This means that we walk into a supernatural life.

2. “Walk worthy of the vocation” — Ephesians 4:1. Your vocation is to represent Christ.

3. “Walk worthy of the Lord” — Colossians 1:10. This is walking from the standpoint of results.

4. “Walking honestly as in the day” — Romans 13:13. This is the result of being filled with the Spirit.

5. “Walk in good works” — Ephesians 2:10. Our walk should result in production.

6. “Walk by faith” — 2 Corinthians 5:7. This is the operation of the faith-rest technique.

7. “Walk in love” — Ephesians 5:2. This is the filling of the Spirit producing impact.

8. “Walk in the Spirit” — Galatians 5:16.

9. “Walk in wisdom” — Colossians 4:5. Live the Christian life with the application of doctrine to experience.

In our context, “walk in the Spirit” is in the instrumental case in the Greek. We walk by means of the Spirit. We shift our weight with perfect balance by means of the Spirit. We are stabilised in our forward movement by the Spirit. As a result, “ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” The flesh refers to the old sin nature.

Verse 16 — “I keep on saying then.” The word ‘then’ is a particle of conclusion. As a result of previously examining their problems here is the solution to the Christian way of life. I have demonstrated, Paul says by this particle, that up until now you have not lived the Christian way of life; you have been living in legalism, in Judaism; you have accepted a substitute for divine dynamics — “Walk” — move forward on balance. We move forward in the Christian way of life through the stability provided by the Spirit-filled life; “in the Spirit,” an instrumental case in the Greek. The Holy Spirit is the means of walking in the Christian way of life; “and ye shall not fulfill” — a complete change of picture now; “the lust.” Lust refers to any strong desire which is incompatible with divine revelation and operation phase two [the Christian way of life]. There are strong desires which are compatible and these are called in the English language “desire” in contrast to the word “lust” which is a non-bona fide desire. The word “lust” is the primary activity of the old sin nature.

The doctrine of the old sin nature

1. The principle of nomenclature. The old sin nature is called different things in different parts of scripture — e.g. ‘flesh’, as in Galatians 5:16 and context, and John 3:6. Another alias for the old sin nature is “natural man” — 1 Corinthians 2:14. Much more commonly used is the words “old man” — Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9. Another common word is “carnal” — Romans 7:14; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. Last but not least is the word “heart.” Sometimes the word ‘heart’ refers simply to the frontal lobe. The ‘heart’ never refers to the organ of the heart unless when the context plainly dictates a physiological reference. So while the word ‘heart’ to us denotes an organ of the body it is found in both the Old and New Testament scriptures connoting everything but the physiological organ. It connotes primarily the mind. However, there are a few references where the heart refers to the old sin nature, as in Jeremiah 17:9.

2. The origin of the old sin nature — Psalm 51:5. The old sin nature is passed down through the father in procreation. David is saying that everyone is born with an old sin nature and that is why he had sinned. So the source of the old sin nature is physical birth. See also John 8:44.

3. The characteristics of the old sin nature. The old sin nature is incurable — Jeremiah 17:9; the old sin nature is unchangeable — Jeremiah 13:23; the old sin nature is described as having nothing good — Romans 7:18; it is called not pleasing to God — Romans 8:7,8; it is unprofitable — John 6:63.

4. The believer does not lose the old sin nature at the moment of salvation. We do not lose the old sin nature until death or resurrection, whichever takes place first. The doctrine of ultimate sanctification means the doctrine of having once and for all shaken the old sin nature. But we keep on having it until then — 1 John 1:8,10.

5. The believer has victory over the old sin nature in phase two — Galatians 5:16.

Verse 17 — a description of the inner conflict and why we must walk by means of the Spirit. The word ‘flesh’ is the old sin nature; ‘lusteth’ means to be antagonistic toward. “The flesh is antagonistic against the Spirit.” The Spirit is a reference to the Holy Spirit. Now we understand something. There is a battle on the inside of us, a war going on. The two warring parties are mutually exclusive: the Holy Spirit and the old sin nature, called in this passage ‘the flesh’. They are warring one against the other. The Holy Spirit and the old sin nature cannot both control the life at the same time. If the Holy Spirit controls the life He controls all of it; if the old sin nature controls the life, the old sin nature controls all of it. This is the principle of spirituality as an absolute. Relativity exists in Christian experience but relativity has to do with growth or retrogression.

“against the Spirit” — the word ‘against’ is a preposition which means in opposition to, in hostility to the Spirit — “and the Spirit against the flesh [the Spirit in hostility to the old sin nature].” The desires of the Holy Spirit and the desires of the old sin nature are not the same, they cannot both control the life at the same time; it must be one or the other. The success of the Holy Spirit depends on the filling of the Spirit which comes by means of rebound — 1 John 1:9. The success of the old sin nature comes by grieving or quenching the Spirit, which is carnality. Therefore we have the phrase, “these” — the Holy Spirit and the old sin nature — “are contrary,” a military term which means they have lined up face to face in open conflict; “are in open conflict one with the other: so that; ‘so that’ introduces a result clause: “you cannot do” — present active subjunctive. Present tense: you cannot keep on doing; active voice: you do the doing; subjunctive mood: volition is involved in this doing; “the things” — the Greek says ‘these things’; “that you would” — ‘that’ is not that at all, it is a third class condition; “if you desire to” is actually what it says — maybe you desire to do them and maybe you don’t.

Verse 18 — we have a new law. In Romans 8:2-4 we have a slight amplification: “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” — the new law. The Holy Spirit is the source of the new law, a law which gives life for phase two. This law also has a position which gives it permanence: “in Christ Jesus”; “hath once and for all made me free from the law of sin and death” — Mosaic law; “For what the (Mosaic) law could not do” — it was limited; “in that it was weak through the flesh [old sin nature]” — the Mosaic law was on the outside, the old sin nature is on the inside of man; “God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for a sin offering, once and for all condemned sin in the flesh.” In other words, this has been taken care of at the cross. “That” — introducing a purpose clause, “the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us.” You can’t keep the law by keeping the law, you can only keep the law by being filled with the Spirit; “who walk not after the flesh” — not according to the standard of the old sin nature; “but according to the Holy Spirit.”

In Galatians 5:18 we have a first class condition to introduce the verse. “But if” [and it is true] ye be led of the Spirit” — this means that this is what God intends, and since He intends it He puts it in a first class condition: the reality of being led by the Spirit. Being led by the Spirit is not some esoteric, abstruse phase or facet of mysticism, something which only a few attain, and a very select few; this is the normal Christian life. Walking is normal to mankind, and just as it is normal for us to walk in the human realm it is normal for us to be filled with the Spirit in the spiritual realm. When you are filled with the Spirit you are led by the Spirit — “if ye be led by the Spirit.” The word ‘led’ is a passive voice which means you receive it; you don’t earn it or deserve it; “ye are not under the law” — present indicative active: you keep on being out from under the law, or out from under the jurisdiction of the law. The preposition ‘under’ means to be under the authority of or under the jurisdiction of. You are not under the jurisdiction of he Mosaic law.

Principle: You are not under the jurisdiction of the Mosaic law when you are controlled by the Holy Spirit because the filling of the Spirit produces the righteousness of the law.

The old sin nature has a production and we should be able to recognise it. The filling of the Spirit has a production and we should be able to recognise it. By recognising these it gives us some clue as to which one controls our life, the Holy Spirit or the old sin nature.

Verse 19 — “Now the works [plural] of the flesh” — the flesh is the old sin nature. There are many activities of the old sin nature, therefore we have the word in the plural. The production of the flesh “are manifest”, they keep on being manifest. The word ‘manifest’ is a noun in the emphatic position, they are always manifest — “which are.” The word ‘the’ does not occur in the Greek, it should be “such a sort as these.” In other words, we have a typical list but not an exhaustive list. What we have before us is just a few of the categories of the production of the old sin nature. “Adultery”, which is construed here as illicit sexual relationship with one who is married; “fornication,” which is illicit sexual relationship with one who is not married; “uncleanness,” which is mental adultery; and “lasciviousness” which is the desire apart from the mental concept, referring to one who walks around in a sort of vacuum of desire with no particular object or objective in mind. That defines the four words.

Verse 20 — four categories of sin: sin toward God, sin toward self, sin toward others, and sin toward the Word. “Idolatry,” which is not simply putting up idols and worshipping them, but it refers to anything which is put in the image of God or in place of God and becomes a source of worship. Idols can be worshipped, people can be worshipped, inanimate nature can be worshipped. There are many forms of idolatry but it is basically a sin toward God.

The second category is sin toward self, and we have the word “witchcraft” representing this principle. It is the Greek word farmakeia. The word ‘witch’ in the Old Testament refers to a female medium, often demon possessed. The word ‘witchcraft’ as used in the New Testament refers to drug addiction, and that is the way it should be translated here. The category could be enlarged to many types of addiction today.

The third category is sins toward others. The first one is “hatred,” a mental attitude of personal animosity and personal hostility toward someone else. If you have any hatred in any corner of your mind toward any believer, then you are not walking in the Spirit. The word “variance” means when you get your feelings hurt and when you fight back at someone who apparently hates you or really hates you. The word should be translated ‘strife,’ ‘rivalry,’ or ‘discord.’ The word “emulations” is playing spiritual king of the mountains; you are envious of someone so you try to outdo them. “Wrath” means an emotional outburst, to get angry with people without a cause or without knowing the facts. It means to get mad by going off halfcocked. It means to blow your cork based upon an emotional reaction without having one shred of information. The word “strife” means organised factions where you bring your friends in. You complain to your friends and bring them in to get them on your side. Variance is personal antagonism and strife is group antagonism. Neither is condoned by the Word. “Seditions” means divisions among believers based on ignorance of doctrine. In other words, splits among believers which are not based upon doctrinal differences.

“Heresies” is the fourth category: sins toward the Word. The word ‘heresy’ means to hold an opinion which is in opposition to the Word of God. It means to deviate from a fixed course.

Verse 21 — two categories of sin: inner sin and outer sin. “Envyings” or jealousies refers to a mental attitude. Outer sins: “murders” — Exodus 20:13; “drunkenness,” always outlawed by the Word of God; “revellings,” which should be translated ‘night-clubbings’ or ‘nocturnal and riotous parties.’ This word was originally used with regard to drinking parties for the god Bacchus, the god of wine.

The next three words are very important — “and such like”, which is literally from the Greek, “and things like these.” In other words, we have a good start now. This is just the beginning, we have only scratched the surface but you get the idea; “of the which I tell you before” — I have warned you before, literally.

“as I have told you in time past” — again the word means to forewarn; “that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” The word “do” isn’t do, it means to practice — present active participle, linear aktionsart: they which keep on practicing shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Does this means that if they practice some sin mentioned here that they do not inherit the kingdom of God? The answer is no. It first of all means that not matter what you do in phase two when you get into phase three God is going to make it impossible under the eternal conditions of the kingdom of God to carry on in this manner. In other words, the doctrine of ultimate sanctification. We are not ultimately sanctified now. We have what is known as experiential sanctification which means any time that we are filled with the Spirit. But ultimately we will not have an old sin nature in a resurrection body and it will be impossible in phase three to commit sin. Without the old sin nature it is impossible to practice sin. There is another concept here as well and it comes from the idea of habitual practice. The word actually means habitual unrestrained practice. It is characteristic of an unbeliever and not characteristic of a believer. In other words, we get involved in things which characterise the unbeliever, and that confuses the issue of salvation. This passage in this phraseology of habitual unrestrained practice is identical with 1 John 3:9 where we have the same thing again, which appears to be translated in the English that you cannot sin and be saved, but it means exactly what we have here in Galatians. It does not mean what it appears to mean. So remember that as long as the believer has the old sin nature he is going to fail. If a believer practices the works of the flesh because the old sin nature controls his life then you cannot distinguish between a believer and an unbeliever experientially. The same thing is said in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. When you cannot distinguish the difference between a believer and an unbeliever then the believer is obviously not controlled by the Spirit.

So this emphasises the importance of the filling of the Spirit and that is the subject in verses 22, 23.

Verse 22 — “But,” conjunction of contrast; “the fruit” — singular, because it refers to the production of one person. This, again, is not the entire production of Christ but it is representative production. “Of the Spirit” is genitive of source: the fruit which has its source in the Holy Spirit. This fruit was first produced in the humanity of Christ and is now produced in us.

The doctrine of the sustaining ministry of the Holy Spirit

1. The ministry of the Spirit was prophesied in Isaiah 11:2,3; 42:1; 61:1,2. This was prophesied that the Holy Spirit would indwell the humanity of Christ.

2. The Holy Spirit was given without measure to Christ — John 3:34.

3. The Holy Spirit is mention in relation to the baptism of Christ — Matthew 3:16. This was to sustain Him during His earthly ministry which was to begin at that point.

4. The Holy Spirit had a part ion the ministry of our Lord — Matthew 12:17,18; Luke 4:14,15,18.

5. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is sustaining the person of Christ discontinued at a point on the cross. The Holy Spirit sustained Christ to the cross and on the cross until noon. But when was said to become dark and Jesus cried out, “Eloi Eloi Lama Sabactheni”, at the point the Holy Spirit left Him — Psalm 22:1 cf. Matthew 27:46.

6. The Holy Spirit had a part in the resurrection of Christ — Romans 8:11; 1 Peter 3:18.

There is a transitional concept here: “But the fruit of the Spirit” — ‘fruit’ is in the singular, referring to the person of Christ; “of the Spirit” is genitive of source; the Holy Spirit was the source of this production in the humanity of Christ. The transitional concept: Just as the Holy Spirit sustained the humanity of Christ during His earthly ministry, so the indwelling Holy Spirit will sustain the believer during the believer’s earthly ministry. The believer’s earthly ministry begins at the moment of salvation and continues until his death.

There are nine characteristics mentioned. This is not all that is produced but this gives us some idea. There are three categories of the production of the Spirit mentioned in context.

The first category is selfward or inward: love, joy and peace. All three of these are inside of man. Love is not something you do, love is something you think. Joy is not something you do, joy is something you think. Peace is not something you do, peace is something you think. All three of these are exactly the same in category, each has a slightly different emphasis. Love is a mental attitude. It may express itself in many ways but love is still a mental attitude. Love is like hate, it is what you think. Joy is inner mental happiness and peace is inner mental stability.

The next three are outward or neighbourward concepts: longsuffering, gentleness and goodness. These are directed toward other members of the human race. Longsuffering is steadfastness and patience toward others. It doesn’t means simply to put a cork on your temper, it means much more than that. It means stability of temper. Gentleness is the mental attitude of grace which expresses itself in kindness toward others. Gentleness can mean several things, it can mean saying the right thing at the right time, saying something that is encouraging or helpful. But there are times when gentleness means to keep your mouth shut if what you say is going to be injurious or slanderous. Gentleness can be a kind act or kind deed. The word “goodness” is an overt activity of grace toward someone else that stems from the mental attitude of grace. Goodness means to do something which comes from the motivation of grace and only from the motivation of grace. This word means to do something which is beneficial for someone else because of grace. They don’t earn it, they don’t deserve it, you still do it. Sometimes it takes a situation for these things to come out. They are latent, they are there, and they all come out every time that you are filled with the Spirit. These last three can only be brought out by your relationship with others. The first three are divorced from relationship with others, but the next three can only be expressed and can only come out in relationship with others. The latter three are stronger and more apparent as we grow from the standpoint of knowledge of the Word.

The last three are the Godward or upward three: faith, meekness, temperance. The word “faith” actually means faithfulness or the expression of faith — faith-rest in action really. The word “meekness” does not mean what most people try to make it mean, and that is self-effacement. It is a mental attitude of grace, a recognition of the principle of grace, thinking grace; it is realising grace, knowing grace. It is having no illusions about yourself and not dealing with the human race on the basis of merit. Meekness means to think, to understand before God that you’re not worth anything and neither is anyone else, that we are all here by the grace of God. The word “temperance” means self-control.

Notice: “against such” — when you have these things in operation, i.e. the filling of the Spirit — “there is no law.” That means the Mosaic law and all the rest of law, because when you are filled with the Spirit you are on a higher plain. You are executing a supernatural way of life by supernatural means. That is why Romans 10:4 says that the man who is saved is not under the law. Christ is the end of the law for all who believe. That is why the Mosaic law is not a part of the Christian way of life and that is why we have in Romans 8:2-4 we have the new law, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

Verse 24 — the victory of retroactive positional truth. “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh.” The key here is ‘have crucified.’ This is aorist tense and it refers to a point of time when we believed. At the moment we believed we have crucified the flesh. It is retroactive positional truth or identification with Christ in His death. The flesh is the old sin nature; “affections” — the passions and the lusts thereof. This is nothing more, nothing less than a fact for all believers. This is not something we do, this is something that was done for us by virtue of positional truth. By virtue of being in union with Christ this was done for us at the moment we believed. We are identified with Christ in His death, Christ died with reference to the old sin nature. That is the point of Romans 6: “Reckon yourselves to be dead unto sin”, you don’t try to crucify self because you can’t do it. You can only reckon and reckon means to apply the doctrine of positional truth to the situation.

Verse 25 — the victory of the Spirit-controlled life. “If we live in the Spirit” — first class condition; and we do, recognising the possibility and the probability. The present indicative active means we keep on living in the Spirit, ‘in the Spirit’ is again instrumental case and it should be translated, “If we keep on living by the instrumentality or by means of the Spirit” — “let us also walk,” but this time we don’t have the word ‘walk’ as we had in verse 16, this time it is ‘march’, “let us also march.” Present tense: keep on marching; active voice: we do the marching; subjunctive mood is potential, depending on whether you are filled with the Spirit or not. The word means to march or advance in a line of march toward the enemy. “In the Spirit” is again instrumental case. So of we live by the Spirit we advance, is what this verse is saying. If we live by the old sin nature we run, and we are whipped. How do we run and where are we whipped? What is the one great deterrent to being filled with the Spirit? Well that is the whole subject of Galatians — legalism.

Verse 26 — “Let us not be desirous of vainglory.” The Greek says, “Let us not be conceited boasters.” What does it mean to be a conceited boaster? Do it yourself spirituality, a do-it-yourself kit in the realm of spirituality. There is the negative side: “Stop becoming conceited boasters.” The Galatians are in the process. Why? Because by living under the law [legalism], by trying to be spiritual through the things they do they have moved away from advancing toward the enemy. You only advance toward the enemy by the filling of the Spirit. The Galatians are operating on the principle of spirituality by works.

There are two participles which follow and they refer to two different groups of Christians in the Galatian church. The first group are provoking one another as a result of not being filled with the Spirit. By provoking one another they challenge each other to fighting, they irritate one another. The present active participle means they keep on irritating one another. The word ‘another’ is another of the same kind and they are irritating each other as believers. The second characteristic is “envying one another” — the second group. This means jealousy.

So the principle with which Paul concludes this chapter: The only way to advance against the enemy and be successful is to advance in the Spirit, but you do not do it as long as you operate in the system of spirituality by works.