Verse 5:22–23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. The tendency here is to dissect these fruits one by one like we did with the works of the flesh. I could do that [& I might a little], but it misses the point. The works of the flesh are all about division, separation, and the like. The fruit of the spirit … Continue reading →
Verse 5:19–21 Now the deeds resulting from the flesh pursuing its desires are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery [drug use], enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, orgies [unrestrained parties], 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. Let’s start with a few word definitions: Sexual immortality: In many of the translations … Continue reading →
Galatians 5:7–8 You were doing so well until someone talked you out of obeying the truth. This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. We must always be careful who we listen to. Over the years my wife and I have spent countless hours correcting strange beliefs held by immature Christians. Note carefully, I do not see any hint here that Paul is calling these people heathens. What he is saying is that the result … Continue reading →
Verse 4:12a Brothers and sisters, I became like you, so I beg you to become like me. Paul had taken on Gentile cultural practices in order to minister to them effectively. Here he is asking those to whom he ministered to become like him spiritually. This entire little section seems to be about reminding the Galatians about the ties they have of friendship and love. The larger question is: How much are we to mimic our leaders? … Continue reading →
Chapter Four; Verse 4:1–7 Children who are under age are no better off than slaves, even though they are heirs of everything their parents own. They have to obey their guardians and teachers until the time their parents have set. That is how it was with us before Jesus came. We were like children—slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. But when the time was right, God sent his Son—born of a woman, under the Law, … Continue reading →
This week we talk a bit about the bondage of the law and why God gave it to us. HINT: It was not to bring about a “good” or “perfect” society. It certainly was not to bring life or any of the fruit of the Spirit. ____________________________________ Galatians 3:19b–20 The law was given through angels who used Moses for a mediator to give the law to people. But a mediator is not needed when there is only … Continue reading →
Today we talk about two things where most people really mess up: covenants & morality. God‘s solution is always unique and edifying. ___________________________________ Galatians 3 Verse 3:15 Dear brothers and sisters, here’s an example in human terms. Just as no one can set aside or amend an accepted contract, so it is in this case. It is always good to get these truths into everyday experience. We need to look at our laws to see how they … Continue reading →
As we continue our study of Galatians we come to the place where Paul is really upset with the people he taught. He calls them stupid which was much stronger than lack of intelligence. But let’s allow Paul to talk to us again. _____________________________________________ Chapter Three: Verse 3:1 You stupid Galatians! I told you exactly how Jesus was nailed to a cross as our Messiah. Who put an evil spell on you? [MVP] Foolish or stupid? The word … Continue reading →