Imagine a prisoner who has received a pardon who leaves prison to begin a new life but who, in a short time, returns to prison. Being in prison for him removes the pressure of making decisions and choices – there is a kind of security in being bound by prison rules. That may be very hard to understand, yet spiritually that is what the Galatians are doing. We now consider Galatians 5:1-12 Stand firm in freedom
1. The blessing of freedom
Paul begins with a bold assertion: ‘It is for freedom that Christ has set you free’ (v1). This follows on from 4:31 ‘we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman’. Christianity is a religion of freedom. In our unsaved condition we need freedom from many things, but here it seems to be freedom from the law, as Paul has argued earlier in the letter. Through faith in Christ we are freed from the necessity of perfect obedience to God’s law for salvation, a requirement we cannot meet. We are also freed from the condemnation of the broken law since ‘Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law’ (3:13). True freedom is possible through Christ ‘becoming a curse for us’. The prospects before believers are glorious: ‘by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope’.
2. The burden of circumcision
Paul ensures that the erring Galatians realise the full implications of departure from the gospel of God’s free grace: ‘if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you’ (v2). The two paths of salvation are incompatible, and in fact relying on law-keeping leads away from God. In v3 Paul makes clear that a choice for law means a choice for perfect obedience – ‘required to obey the whole law’ – relying entirely on works. Adding anything to faith in Christ actually removes Christ from a place in salvation. ‘A Christ supplemented is a Christ supplanted’ (William Hendriksen). Faith and works, Christ and law, cannot be combined. Since true freedom is the result of faith in Christ and the justification he confers, ‘Stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened by a yoke of slavery’ (v1). To turn back forfeits the blessing of freedom Christ gives. Why should we make the grave mistake of turning from the Son of God as our sufficient Saviour?
3. The battle with enemies
Paul’s tone is gentler than earlier in the letter. Despite the danger in which the Galatians find themselves, there is a note of optimism in Paul’s statement, ‘You were running a good race’ (v7). If they were on the right path, the Lord will not allow his work of grace to fail. There is a real battle: ‘Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?’ (v7). This is the work of the Judaizers, it is not God’s doing – ‘That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you’ (v8). The efforts of the Judaizers are like ‘yeast’ (v9), damaging and spreading corruption. Paul had faced opposition – he was accused of ‘preaching circumcision’ – perhaps an accusation of hypocrisy when he circumcised the half-Gentile Timothy (Acts 16:3). His response is vigorous (v10,12). But ‘I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view’ (v10) – God’s work of grace cannot fail.