Welcome back! Glad
to have you here once again for more of our study of the New Testament and
this moving letter from Paul to the Galatians. Let’s read on as he leads
them back to the TRUTH of the New Testament.
Stand fast
(unwavering) in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be
entangled again with the burden of bondage. Listen, I Paul say to you, that
if you be circumcised (if you believe the Old Testament is the way to
salvation), Christ shall profit you nothing. For I attest again to everyone
that believes this, that he is obligated to obey the entire law. (Think of
the implications of this. That means you would have to follow everything in
the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy . . . perfectly . . . Or else!)
Christ is become
of no effect to you, whoever of you are justified (cleared of guilt, saved)
by the law. You have given up (forfeited, refused)
Grace.
Think about THAT
for a moment. On second thought, think about that every time we impose law
on others. Think about it every time you don’t accept someone because they
do something or have done something that you don’t approve of. (Haven’t we
all?) For that matter, we sometimes find it acceptable to shun people for
reasons that don’t even have anything to do with law or what we deem as
righteousness in a person. Here are some examples of both. We’re imposing
“law” on others when we judge them because: they smoke, they drink, they’re
old, they’re young, they’re not attractive, they’re too attractive, they
listen to “that” music, they’re divorced, they’re handicapped, they’re loud,
they’re shy, they’re too smart and they intimidate you, they’re not smart
enough for your standards, they’re a certain denomination, they’re a certain
nationality, they have a wart on their chin, oh my, the list is endless. But
is this really “law”? I dunno, it sure seems like the opposite of Grace.
Just a point to ponder.
Let’s get back now
to Paul’s message. For we, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of
righteousness by Faith. For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision is of any
use, nor uncircumcision, but Faith which operates by love. (There’s no love
in any of those personal “laws” above either.)
You did run well
(you were doing so good, striving forward in Faith). Who hindered you, that
you lost sight of the TRUTH? This persuasion (belief) doesn’t come from Him
(God) that calls you. A little leaven, leaveneth the whole lump. (A little
yeast, raises all the dough. A little bit of untruth can cause many to turn
away from the TRUTH,
Matthew 16:12).
I have confidence
in you through the Lord, that you will feel the same way, but whoever is
deceiving you shall pay for his guilt, whoever it is. And I brethren, if I
still believed in circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then is
the offense of the Cross ceased. I wish they were stopped who trouble you.
Because brethren, you have been called to liberty, only don’t use liberty as
an excuse to sin, but by love serve one another. For all the law is
fulfilled in one commandment, which is, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself. Matthew 22:39 (This is the new “law” or the New Testament.)
But if you bite
and devour one another, be careful that you don’t destroy one another.
(Remember again those personal “laws” we discussed earlier? Following those
could sure be considered biting and devouring one another.)
This I say then,
Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. The
flesh wars against the Spirit and the Spirit wars against the flesh, and
these are contrary to (opposite, against) one another so that you can’t do
the things that your flesh desires. But if you’re led by the Spirit, you’re
not under the law (speaking of the old “law” or the Old Testament).
Now, the works
(callings, results, products) of the flesh are plain, which are these,
adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness (lust), idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance (disagreement), emulations (jealousies), wrath,
strife, seditions (divisions), heresies (dissension), envying, murders,
drunkenness, revellings (wildness, rebellion), and similar things, of which
I tell you ahead of time, as I have in the past, that those who do such
things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), gentleness,
goodness, Faith, meekness, temperance (self control), against these such
things, there is no law. (This should explain clearly how the law is for the
lawless, being that there are laws against all the things mentioned that are
works of the flesh, but there are no laws against the things that are works
of the Spirit.)
And they that
belong to Christ, have crucified (put to death) the flesh, and it’s passions
and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let
us not desire pride, provoking one another, envying one another.
Paul knew that TRUTH was
the only things that could bring the Galatians back to the light, and he
gave them a very good case against the deception that had entered into their
churches. This may be a good time to examine your own personal “laws” and
veto them. Replace them with the new law that Jesus gave us . . . Love one
another.
Be sure to return soon
as we find out how Paul ends his letter to the Galatians, and we’ll share
his inspiring words together, next time in your Daily Bread.
