June 18, 2025
Galatians 5 ESV
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Discussion Questions:
Dear brethren, I know that there are many different ways to divide chapters 5 and 6 and there are many things to talk about in these chapters. But our objective during this study is to get an overview of what chapter 5 is about.
I see in this chapter that Paul is contrasting three ways of living:
1) living under the Law (which the Gentile Galatians are starting to adopt)
2) living under the flesh (which the false teachers are saying will result if the Galatians don’t put themselves under the Law
3) living under the Spirit (which Paul is urging the Galatians to continue doing)
So, for our discussion questions, we would like to explore these three ways of living:
Verses 1-12: What is the inevitable result of living under the Law?
Verses 13-21: What is the inevitable result of living under the flesh?
Verses 22–26: What is the inevitable result of living under the Spirit?
Discussion Summary:
Verses 1-12: Christians living under the Law are unable to keep it fully and would be condemned by sin. Jesus’ forgiveness of sin would not be the central feature of their lives. Instead, keeping from sin by obedience to the law would be the central feature of their lives.
Paul also reminds the Galatians that he did “preach” circumcision when he had Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:3), but it was not to replace the cross. Rather it was done as an aid to gospel preaching to Jewish people.
Verses 13-21: Christians who are still living after the flesh are not confined by outward laws or rules that are agreed upon. The result is that each person’s idea becomes a law unto themselves giving everyone a reason to argue. Love is easily forgotten.
Verses 22-26: Christians who live under the Spirit are liberated from both the Law and the flesh. The spirit will compel them to develop characteristics that are Christ-like. These Christians will imitate Christ’s sacrifice of himself and will give up their preferences in the interests of others. They will become a positive influence in the lives of other Christians.
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