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Liberty,
Not Libertinism Our working theme of Galatians: “Grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as taught in Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone” CHARTING THE COURSE FOR THIS STUDY Ø Irony and Imprecation (5:7-12) Ø Liberty is not Libertinism (5:13-26)
“The struggle to preserve this freedom, wrought by Yahweh and bound to
him, played a repeated and significant role in the message of the prophets
who developed it in their own particular ways (Isa. 1:23; 10:1-4; Jer. 7:5f.;
Amos 2:6f.; 4:1ff.; 5:7, 11ff.; Micah 3:1-3; 7:3; cf. G. von Rad, Old
Testament Theology, II, 80 ff.)…The promise is given to those that are
bound that the Messiah will come “to proclaim liberty to the captives and the
opening of the prison to those that are bound” (Isa. 61:1)” (NIDNTT 1:717). Was circumcision of any benefit in the Old Covenant?
(v.2; cf. Romans 3:1,2) What are the four consequences of receiving circumcision as a means of righteousness? (5:2-4) Question 30 of the Heidelberg Catechism[1] Do such then believe
in Jesus the only Saviour, who seek their salvation and welfare of saints, of
themselves, or anywhere else? They do not; for though they boast of him in words, yet in deeds they deny Jesus the only deliverer and Saviour;( 1 Cor.1:13, 30, 31; Gal. 5:4) for one of these two things must be true, that either Jesus is not a complete Saviour; or that they, who by a true faith receive this Saviour, must find all things in him necessary to their salvation.( Heb. 12:2; Isa. 9:6; Col. 1:19, 20; Col. 2:10; 1 John 1:7, 16) What does it mean to wait by faith for the hope of righteousness? (v.5; see Matthew 25:31-40; Luke 18:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:10) Is circumcision inherently wrong? (5:6; 1 Corinthians 7:19) If living under law is not the pathway of righteousness then what is? (5:5-6) faith working through love (v.6) – It seems to me that this is similar to Paul’s phrase “obedience of faith” which opens and closes Romans (Romans 1:5; 16:26; cf. Romans 15:18-19). “Quite literally, it [Galatians 5:6] could be rendered: neither circumcision nor uncircumcision ‘are powerful’ (or ‘avail’) for anything. At issue are two rival sources of power…” (Garlington, 244). II.
IRONY AND IMPRECATION (5:7-12) According to the Jewish Feast of Passover, what was to be done with all leaven? (v.9; Exodus 12:19-20) Why might Paul have been accused of preaching circumcision? (v.11; see 1 Cor.9:20; cr. Acts 16:3) According to the Mosaic Law, what was the relationship of the castrated to the Temple? (Galatians 5:12 with Deuteronomy 23:1) “This [self-mutilation and cutting off the male organ of procreation] is not some arbitrary barbaric suggestion but has the distinct purpose of excluding the Law party from a legitimate place in the hospitable community: the Law regulated that castration excluded one from the assembly of Yahweh (Deut.23:1; cf. Lev.21:20)” (Hans Boersma, Violence, Hospitality, and the Cross [Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006], 93). III.
LIBERTY IS NOT LIBERTINISM
(5:13-26) flesh (v.13) – “‘Flesh’ denotes not merely the bodily passions and lusts, nor even strictly speaking a ‘lower nature’ contrasted with a ‘higher nature’ in a person, but rather the human individual in his or her sin and depravity apart from the redeeming grace of God and the sanctifying work of the Spirit” (Fung, 244). “‘The flesh’ is…a general name for that mode of thinking and feeling which is natural to man so long as he continues a stranger to the regenerating power of Divine influence; and “the affections and lusts” are just those dispositions and desires which naturally grow out of this frame of thought and affection” (John Brown, 309). The weakness of the flesh [Gal.5:17; cf. Rom.8:3] is demonstrated in two ways: (1) its pursuit of sin [Gal.5:17,24; 6:8]; (2) its impotence to make sinners righteous. The antithesis between flesh and Spirit is the antithesis between works of the Law and faith working through love. Paul’s striking emphasis in Galatians 5 is that is that apart from faith in Christ law (works righteousness) leads to lawlessness (flesh)! Only the Spirit can produce fruit. What is the irony of the Judaizers going back to the
law and biting and devouring others? (v.15) walk by the Spirit (v.16) – In this context, Paul distinguishes between walking by the Spirit and living by the Spirit, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (v.25). What is the distinction between “walking” and “living”? To “live by the Spirit” means that by grace alone, through faith alone and in Christ alone we have been raised to new and resurrected life. To “live by the Spirit” is to be justified and the recipient of abundant and eternal life (cf. John 10:10). To “walk by the Spirit” is the freedom and enabling power to bear the fruit of the Spirit (vv.22-23). Where does the believer acquire the freedom and
ability to live according to the law of Christ? NOTE: The law cannot empower us in our sanctification, only the Holy Spirit can empower us to holiness (cf. Galatians 2:20; 3:1-5). The Spirit’s empowerment leads the Christian to walk in holiness according to the Law of Jesus Christ (which differs from the Law of Moses but it not contrary to it [see Matthew 5:17-20; Galatians 5:14 with Leviticus 19:18; Ephesians 6:1-3//Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16]) (Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Isaiah 35:8; Hebrews 8:10). “But this is the covenant which I will
make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will
put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be
their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jeremiah 31:33) “Moreover, I will give you a new heart
and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from
your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. “A highway will be there, a roadway, And
it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for him who walks that way, And fools will not wander on it.”
(Isaiah 35:8) “For this is the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the
Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their
hearts. And I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” (Hebrews 8:10) flesh and Spirit (v.16) – Galatians is an epistle of many antitheses between Paul’s Gospel and the false Gospel of the Judaizers: Law/Grace (2:21; 5:4); blessing/curse (3:3-14); son/slave (4:1-20); slave/free, Sarah/Hagar, slave woman versus free woman (4:21-5:1); liberty/bondage (2:4; 5:1); Jew/Gentile (3:28-29); boasting in flesh/boasting in cross (6:13,14). The contrast between flesh and Spirit is another contrast between the Gospel of justification by grace alone through faith alone AGAINST the false Gospel of justification by works (cf. Gal.2:16; 3:5,8,11,12,24; 5:4). What Paul is doing in Galatians 5 is demonstrating that his Gospel leads to the fruit of the Spirit while the works righteousness of the Judaizers leads to lawlessness and libertinism. The Judaizers Gospel of circumcision is a religion of the flesh in the worst sense of the term.
Ø
We are no longer held in bondage under
the elemental things of the world (Gal.4:3) immorality (v.19; see Mark 7:14-23 with Lev.10:10,11) (porneía) – includes adultery, incest, prostitution, homosexuality, and bestiality, “This Greek word and its cognates as used by Paul denote any kind of illegitimate—extramarital and unnatural—sexual intercourse or relationship.” (D.F. Wright, “Sexuality, Sexual Ethics”; Dictionary of Paul and his letters, 871). “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality (porneía)” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). “In nothing did early Christianity so thoroughly revolutionize the ethical standards of the pagan world as in regard to sexual relationships” (quoted in Garlington, An Exposition of Galatians, 270). impurity (v.19) – moral corruption “But immorality or any impurity or greed must
not even be named among you, as is proper among saints” (Ephesians 5:3) “For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:7) sensuality (v.19) (see 2 Peter 2:17-22) (aselgeia) – behavior without moral restraint, that which shocks public decency; to live like a stray dog. “and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men” (2 Peter 2:7) idolatry (v.20) – the worship of idols/images. “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14) sorcery (v.20; see Exodus 7:11,22; 8:7,18) – the use of magic, often involving drugs and the casting of spells upon people/witchcraft (NIV). In the first century abortions were made of different potions and may therefore be condemned in this verse. enmities (v.20) – hostile feelings or actions toward another (see Luke 23:12; Ephesians 2:14,16) “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him. “If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall refrain from leaving it to him, you shall surely release it with him. (Exodus 23:4-5) “Many Christians in this country have for some time been vigilant about the dangers of certain (primarily sexually related) practices; however, we have been blind to a whole host of other equally dangerous ones. It’s as if we have become so fixated on a particular kind of weed in our garden that we fail even to see the others; we simply wander through our garden being sure to uproot this one particular variety” (Philip Kenneson, Life on the Vine, p.29). strife (v.20) – quarreling, contentiousness, discord. The Greek words for strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger and disputes also occurs in the same order in 2 Corinthians 12:20, “For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances.” “For I have been informed concerning you, my
brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you” (1 Corinthians 1:11) jealousy (v.20) –There is a good kind of jealousy (cf. Exodus 20:5; 34:14; John 2:17) and a sinful jealousy. The good jealousy seeks purity and holiness. The sinful jealousy of which Paul is talking about here is a kind of resentment. It is a selfish and passionate commitment to oneself to the detriment of another. It’s an unhealthy rivalry (1 Cor.3:3,4). The Greek words for strife (ἔρις) and jealousy (ζῆλος) are also paired in Romans 13:13 and 1 Corinthians 3:3. for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife
among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your
heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. outbursts of anger (v.20) – anger is an expression of love. On the positive side, anger can be an expression of our love for God or our love for our neighbor. Anger becomes sinful when it is an expression of self-love. “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.” (Proverbs 16:32) disputes (v.20) – Aristotle used this Greek word for disputes to denote a self-seeking pursuit of political office by unfair means – something to remember as the presidential race heats up (Aristotle, Politica. 5, 3 p. 1302b, 4; 1303a, 14). Here Paul most likely uses the word with the idea of selfish ambition or a “party spirit.” This would have been especially relevant to the situation in the churches of Galatia as the Judaizers were trying to draw followers after themselves and away from the true Gospel. “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility
of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Philippians
2:3) “For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may
find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you
wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders,
gossip, arrogance, disturbances” (2 Corinthians 12:20) dissensions (v.20) – that which causes a separation into different groups. The Judaizers were dividing the church into circumcised/uncircumcised. “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” (Romans 16:17) factions (v.20) – different parties or opposing schools; sectarianism. That which causes a “we versus they” mentality within/among churches. For, in the first place, when you come together
as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. envying (v.21) – can be a sorrow at what others possess. “For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.” (Titus 3:3) drunkenness (v.21) – “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be
filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18) “But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.” (1 Corinthians 5:11) carousing (v.21) – originally this Greek word was a reference to the festal procession in honor of the Greek god Dionysus.[2] The closest American equivalent would be Mardi Gras or Spring Break. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and
drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and
jealousy. 14 But put on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its
lusts. (Romans 13:13-14) Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the
flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered
in the flesh has ceased from sin, |
