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Christians can often fail to realise that salvation in Christ brings about a revolution with life-changing and lifelong consequences.  Conversion is the necessary starting point, but it must be followed by transformation of every aspect of life.  Too often the lives of Christians seem to be little different from those of others.  When we are saved, nothing remains the same.  We now consider Galatians 5:19-26 Keep in step with the Spirit

1. Rejecting fleshly works

Paul expands on the contrast between the influence of the Spirit and of the flesh.  We need to understand that the ‘flesh’ is our old sinful nature, not just its bodily element.  It is the corruption of the soul/spirit that issues in sinful actions.  The list of sins that Paul provides includes some that are not necessarily visible outwardly in bodily actions.  Although the old nature has been put to death (‘crucified’, v24), and is no longer our master, old ways, habits and desires can be deeply ingrained and still exercise a damaging influence.  Paul provides a wide-ranging list that includes sexual sins (such as ‘impurity’), corruptions of true religion (‘idolatry’), corruption of relationships (‘hatred’) and the indulgence of our appetites (‘drunkenness’).  His conclusion: ‘I warn you…that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God’.  We all fall from time to time, but a lifestyle like this discredits any profession of faith.

2. Bearing godly fruit

It is not sufficient to get rid of sinful conduct.  It must be replaced by godly fruit – ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ (v22).  Note ‘fruit’ is singular – the parts are interrelated and form a unity.  Fundamental to understanding the fruit is the fact that it is the fruit ‘of the Spirit’ – the result of his ministry.  His power enables fruit-bearing (see 2 Corinthians 3:18).  It is vital to see that the fruit of the Spirit is the character of Christ.  It is into his image that we are being transformed.  He exemplifies love, joy and all the other elements of the fruit.  He provides the goal and standard of our living.  None of this denies our responsibility to seek godly fruit, using the means of grace that the Lord provides.  Note Hebrews 12:14 ‘Make every effort…to be holy’.  There is no excuse for laziness or carelessness.

3. Pursuing transformed living

            (i). Definitive change: ‘Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh’ (v24).  The old nature is dead and, united to Christ, we have a new nature, imperfect, but undergoing sanctification.  Romans 6:11 shows how we are to view ourselves as both alive and dead.

            (ii). Consistent walking: ‘Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit’ (v25).  Here is the responsibility of believers to live consistently by the power of the Spirit.  Paul uses military language – maintaining the ranks on a march.  We live out what we are in union with Christ by the power of the Spirit (Philippians 2:12).

            (iii). Healthy relationships: The fruit of the Spirit is to be seen in relationships within the covenant community: ‘Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other’ (v26).  Instead love (v22) should govern believers’ relationships, a witness to the world.

Every army preparing for battle needs clear instructions.  Every organisation needs a clear idea of its goals and methods.  If these are lacking the result is confusion and nothing worthwhile will be achieved.  The church is no different in this respect.  It must know what it is meant to be doing.  There are all kinds of voices giving conflicting advice, yet there need not be confusion.  The Lord has spelled out the church’s task clearly in his Word.  We consider Matthew 28:6 Go and make disciples.

1. The great claim

The weakness of the disciples is evident here – ‘some doubted’ (v17), even in the presence of the risen Christ.  He begins with the greatest possible claim: ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me’ (v18).  All power and the right to use it have been committed to Christ.  That is a truth calculated to put heart into wavering disciples.  As the eternal Son he had all authority in eternity, but now he receives authority as the God-man, the Messiah who has accomplished redemption and has risen in victory.  Note Philippians 2:9 ‘Therefore God exalted him’.  There is no limit to the authority, not even the self-imposed limits on the use of his power during his earthly ministry.  All of creation comes under his authority.  Note passages such as Colossians 2:10, Romans 14:9, 1 Peter 3:22.  His authority extends over enemies who will finally be placed under the feet of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:25).  It should thrill the heart of a Christian to contemplate the authority of the risen Lord.

2. The great commission

The Lord’s command in Matthew 10:5 not to go to the Gentiles was a temporary restriction.  God’s purpose was always that salvation would be proclaimed throughout the world (Isaiah 49:6).  The church must have a vision for the world.  The church is to be outward looking and outward going.  We are not to wait for lost sheep to wander in – they must be sought.  Note – ‘make disciples’ – more than the initial point of conversion is in view.  The aim is to bring sinners into the fellowship of the church.  Two elements are mentioned:

            Baptising – the sign of entrance into covenant fellowship, united to the triune God.  Thus evangelism is set in the context of the church, and converts are not left alone.

            Teaching them to observe everything the Lord has taught.  We seek disciples, not just converts.  The church is to be the communicator of the Lord’s truth.  We are also to seek that the truth is lived – head knowledge is not enough.  Note ‘therefore’ – because Christ has supreme authority, we can have confidence that disciples will be made.

3. The great comfort

Christ promises ‘I am with you always’ (v20), a precious promise to those engaged in the work of the Kingdom.  It is Christ himself who is with his people.  Life flows to us from him (John 15:1ff).  He is present by the Holy Spirit (John 14:16,18).  Thus we have ongoing fellowship with the Lord and the certainty that we will have whatever we need to obey his commission (Philippians 4:19).  He is present ‘to the very end of the age’ – history has a goal, the fulfilment of God’s plan of salvation, and so the outcome is certain.

Prof Stephen Neilly

Prof Stephen Neilly

Are you often frustrated by your lack of progress in the Christian life?  Do you find yourself falling to temptation?  Do you find within you a tension between what, as a Christian, you want to do (and know you should do) and what you actually do?  As Paul deals with issues of law and grace he explains why the Christian’s life is often like this.  We now consider Galatians 5:13-18 Living by the Spirit

1. A compromise

In contrast to the bondage brought by the legalists, Paul makes the clear assertion: ‘you, my brothers, were called to be free’ (v13).  This is God’s call to freedom from the burden of depending on law-keeping in order to be right with him, a self-imposed, impossible task.  But there is the danger of falling into the opposite error – the church has always had to combat not only legalism, but also antinomianism, the idea that the law of God has no place in the life of a Christian.  Paul understands the threat that it poses: its claim to be ‘free’ often becomes an excuse for the sinful indulgence of various desires.  Thus he says, ‘Do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature (lit. ‘the flesh’)’.  After conversion old sinful habits and desires still exercise an influence.  Although ‘our old sinful self was crucified [with Christ]’ (Romans 6:6), we may continue to indulge sinful desires whilst claiming freedom from God’s law.  Antinomianism is in fact a compromise with sin, bringing bondage.

2. A command

The reception of salvation makes profound demands on believers, hence v14 ‘The entire law is summed up in a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself’.  This is one of the two commands Jesus cites in Matthew 22:37-40.  Love of neighbour is set out in the law (Leviticus 19:18).  Paul is setting out the true nature and place of God’s law in Christian living.  For the Christian law-keeping is not a means of establishing a right standing with God, but a means of expressing that right standing.  ‘The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love’ (v6).  It is the fruit of grace.  Love for the Lord flows into love for neighbour.  The danger of a failure to love is highlighted: ‘If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other’ (v15).  A lack of love is profoundly destructive in a congregation.

3. A conflict

The basic dynamic of the Christian life is stated in v16 ‘So, I say, live (lit. ‘walk’) by the Spirit’.  Note two dimensions of such a way of living:

            (i). walk: this underlines our responsibility to engage in God-centred living.  This is in harmony with many biblical commands, such as 1 Peter 1:16 ‘Be holy because I am holy’.

            (ii). by the Spirit: he gives the desire and strength we lack.  God’s work, by the Spirit, is to transform us into the likeness of the Saviour – 2 Corinthians 3:18

            The result – ‘you will not gratify the desires of the flesh’.  The remaining habits and desires of the old nature are in conflict with the work of the Spirit (v17).  Although the old may frustrate the new, there is good news: we are ‘not under law’ – no works-righteousness.

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.