Category Archives: Galatians
Pastor Keith- Cultivating Fruit, Galatians 5:13-26
Cultivating Fruit
You Were Called To Fruit-Bearing Freedom
Exposition: Galatians 5:13-26
This lesson is a little longer than some of the others. I have worked to make it as clear as I can. Before you get started with it, I want to highlight the three things that I want you to learn.
1) What is the purpose for the Law?
2) How are we to fight the battle with sin?
3) What does it mean to “Walk by the Spirit”?
I. Introduction: Spiritual Weapon for Spiritual WarHaving described the tremendous buildup of military weapons by the German army in WWII, William Shirer makes a very interesting comment about the possibility of victory. He writes, “Formidable as German military power was becoming at the beginning of the summer of 1939, the prospect of success in the war which Hitler was planning for the early fall depended on what kind of a war it was.”Allow me to paraphrase and apply Shirer’s words to our passage in Galatians 5:
The kind of war which is waged determines whether the weapons employed will be successful.
This same principle explains the failure of legalism to overcome sins. What is legalism?
Jerry Bridges offers a good definition:Legalism is “effort to grow . . . out of fear of the consequences or to gain favor with God.”C. J. Mahaney’s definition is also good:“Legalism is seeking to achieve forgiveness from God and acceptance by God through obedience to God.”
The Law as a spiritual weapon is ineffective because of the nature of the war. Galatians 5 describes a spiritual warfare. In Galatians, it is a war within the soul, a war against the flesh. Grace is needed because of the fallen nature that remains in the life of the believer, and wages war against the Spirit. This is the key point for this lesson. The problem in Galatians was that a particular group of people came into the church called the Judaizers, who believed that the only way to fight sin was with the Old Testament Law. They taught the Gentile Christians in the church at Galatia that to be holy they would have to be circumcised. They attempted to fight the spiritual war with the weapons of the flesh. To seek to subdue sin by means of the flesh is like trying to put out a grease fire with water. It only makes matters worse. To understand Galatians 5, it is key to recognize that Paul argues in this passage that the Law promotes sin and grace prevents it. The Law is inadequate to fight the flesh, but grace overcomes it.
II. Freedom to Love and Fulfill the Law (5:13-15)
(Galatians 5:13-15) 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. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. Initially I viewed verses 13-15 as somewhat minor, compared to the more important truths of “walking in the Spirit.” These verses, however, are critical to understanding the place in which “walking in the Spirit” is to occur. Paul is not discussing spirituality theoretically, but in the very practical context of church life. The primary place where we are to practice walking in the Spirit is at church. We are being equipped in our relationships with one another so that we will trust God and depend on the gospel in more hostile settings. For example, when patience is required at the Department of Motor Vehicles, or when an unbelieving family member hurts you and forgiveness is hard. In these verses, two points need to be highlighted: First, we were called to freedom (see v. 13). Second, we fulfill the Law by love (see v. 13-14). A. It was for FreedomVerse 13 takes the freedom theme, and here, Paul distinguishes what the freedom is for and how it is to be used. He says we are not to use our freedom for opportunity for the flesh, but for opportunity to show love and serve one another. The Judaizers probably reacted to Paul’s teaching on the issue of freedom, because they feared that freedom would lead to permission to live any way you wish. The truth is “life as you wish” was not very pretty in the Gentile world. The Gentile world would have made San Francisco look like Mayberry. The Judaizers’ concerns were wrong. Paul’s words in verse 13 make it clear that the freedom which the gospel gives is not the freedom to sin, but freedom from sin. Biblical freedom does not cater to the flesh, but crucifies it (see Gal. 2:20 and 5:24). Actually, freedom to sin is not freedom. Indulging the flesh is slavery to the flesh. Whenever one is a servant of the flesh, one is in bondage to it. Paul asserts that there is freedom from bondage to sin. Biblical freedom is not freedom to serve sin. It is not a license to immorality. Paul’s word to the Judaizers is “the liberty of the gospel produces what you want—freedom from sin. The Law can never have this result.” The reason that seeking to keep the law cannot lead to freedom from sin and holiness is whenever one tries to adhere to the Law, they are putting confidence in the flesh. That is the root problem with sin and the root cause of sin. If flesh succeeds, flesh gets the glory. If flesh were to get glory, it would be sin. It is hopeless cycle that never results in honoring God.Rather than being an opportunity to sin, freedom is a call to love. Paul urges the Galatian believers to use their freedom “through love serve one another” (v. 13). Loving and serving others is the goal of freedom. When we are free from sin, we are free for service to one another. When you think about it, it makes sense. We are free from living in the flesh, seeking to glorify the flesh. Therefore, we are free from self-centered, prideful desires that lead us to sin. B. Fulfill the Law by Love Verse 14 also challenges the position of the Judaizers. Paul writes, quoting Jesus, “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’.”The Judaizers taught that men needed to keep the OT Law to be holy before God. In contrast, Paul argues that anyone who places himself under the Law by submitting to circumcision is destined for failure, because it is impossible to perfectly keep everything in the Law (see Galatians 5:2-3).Paul says that we keep the Law by “loving your neighbor as yourself.” This raises the question, “what is the purpose of the Law?”
Encouragement to Plow:I use two important words in the next few paragraphs: standard and source. These are important ideas to contrast in order to get a clear understanding of the role of the law and the gospel. Allow me to attempt to define them. Standard refers to a guide or measurement. The law functions as a standard. It is a commendable goal. Source refers to the method, means or the way something is accomplished. The gospel functions as the source of obedience to God.
Even though the Law is not a source to obtain righteousness, it is a standard, a commendable goal. This point is important. Some readers of Galatians assume that the Law has no value because they have misinterpreted statements about being free from the Law and having died to the Law. Paul correctly states that the Law is valid as a standard of righteousness. He writes, “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’.” From this statement, we see that the Law is not a bad word. We see the Law as a standard. We see that the goal of the Law is love. One way to picture this is to see the Law as a map or driving directions. It points to the goal, but the map does not get you to the destination. While the Law is a valid standard, it cannot be a source of righteousness. The Judaizers incorrectly taught that the Law was a source of righteousness, a source by which to please and gain favor with God. They assumed that they could be righteous by keeping the Law. But, the Law’s standard is not fulfilled by the Law. It is fulfilled by those who “walk in the Spirit.” The Spirit is the “vehicle” or means to follow the Law’s directions toward love. The Spirit produces “Faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6). The Spirit comes through faith in the promise of the Gospel. We continue in the Spirit by faith.
The Law is fulfilled by walking in the Spirit. We can see this point clearly in two passages: one in Galatians and one in Romans.Galatians 3:1-2You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Christ Jesus was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Romans 8:2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the Law could not do (as a source of spiritual life), weak as it was through the flesh, God did sending His own son in the likeness of sinful flesh as an offering for sin. He condemned sin in the flesh in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Summary Point:In this section, we have discussed the nature of the Law as a standard but not a source. We have demonstrated that the goal of the Law is brotherly love. But, the Law cannot produce love.
Next in Verse 15, we see clearly that those seeking to be sanctified by keeping the Law fail to love another. Paul writes, “you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”When the Law is promoted as the source of righteousness, it has a boomerang effect. Instead of producing righteousness, it leads to selfishness. It comes right back to you. It becomes all about you. Rather than unity and harmony, rather than serving one another, the Galatians were biting and devouring each other. The goal of the Law, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (v. 14b) is rather ironic in light of verse 15. Paul summarizes the requirement of the Law in this way because of the conflict within the Galatian church.The church in Galatia was riddled with strife and contention because they placed themselves under the Law, rather than fulfilling it by loving their neighbor as themselves. Thus walking in the Spirit is commanded in light of the goal of freedom, which is to serve one another in love. Why does trying to keep the Law as a source of righteousness produce this effect? The simple answer is you take center stage. It becomes a matter of personal accomplishment and opportunity for pride. We fulfill the Law by walking in the Spirit. Paul does not discard the Law. Instead he views it as God intended it—a standard of righteousness that points to God’s purpose for His people.
Illustration:In John Bunyan’s classic The Pilgrim’s Progress, there is a scene in what Bunyan called “The Interpreter’s House.” The parlor in the house thick with dust. Christian, the main character of the book, saw someone come in and start to sweep the dust. But it just billowed into a cloud and gagged everyone in the room. Then it fell right back down where it started. The Interpreter explained to Christian, “This parlor is the heart of a man that was never sanctified by the sweet grace of the Gospel: The dust is his Original Sin, and inward Corruptions that have defiled the whole man. He that began to sweep…is the Law” ([Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1979 reprint], p. 26). All the law can do is stir up the dust of sin–it cannot cleanse anyone. Pragmatism, psychology, and other methodologies can do no better because they are inferior to the law. The flesh requires a spiritual solution.
III. Walking by the Spirit (5:15-18)
(Galatians 5:15-18) But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Verses 16 and 17 are vitally important. Read them again. Paul writes, “But I say, …” which I take to be a contrast to the biting and devouring one another in verse 15. “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (v. 16).The Christians in the church at Galatia were serving themselves. They were serving the flesh. They were not serving one another. In verse 16, Paul gives the solution for their selfishness. He says that fleshly desires are overcome by walking in the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit results in serving one another through love.
If your current course of life is not producing a life of service and a loving heart towards others, you are not currently walking in the Spirit.
What does Paul mean by “walking in the Spirit?” First, the idea of walking is “ongoing action in a direction.” “Walking” could be translated “keep on continually walking.” Paul used a picturesque metaphor to describe the Christian life—we’re to take one step at a time under the control of the Holy Spirit. The Christian walk is a habitual pattern. To quote Drew, the Christian life is a movie reel and not a snap shot. What is walking in the Spirit?Walking by the Spirit is not about doing something particular, or it is not about some mystical connection with the Spirit so that you are guided by the Spirit. It is about living in dependence upon God’s grace offered to us through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The problem with the flesh is that it is self-sufficient. The flesh knows nothing of grace, and does not acknowledge the need for grace. The Spirit gives no power and does not work in those who live self-sufficient, even if they are seeking to be “good” in their self-sufficiency. Within us rages a battle between the flesh and the Spirit. The “flesh” is not the physical body. The flesh refers to our fallen desires, attitudes, and behaviors. The flesh is our fallen humanity, our fallen humanness. It is what we are apart from Christ. When we receive Christ by faith, we receive the Spirit. Being in the Spirit is life that we live by faith.
We received the Spirit as a result of faith in Christ. The Spirit comes in accordance with the promise. The Spirit is opposed to the flesh. (Gal. 3:1-2)
Two distinct relationships are revealed in these verses: (1) the relationship between faith and the Spirit, and (2) the relationship between the Law and the flesh. Law-keeping relies upon the flesh. Faith is related to the Spirit. Faith is the key to walking in the Spirit. Faith receives the Spirit of God, the agent of both salvation and sanctification. The Spirit empowers us to obey the goal of the Law: love. The reason we are empowered when we “walk in the Spirit” is that we acknowledge the need for grace. We live satisfied in being dependent about God’s grace and mercy (displayed to us in the Gospel). “Walking by the Spirit” is living in light of our need for grace, depending up the grace of God, and responding to others and to circumstances as one who has been given mercy. That is why Paul calls the result of walking in the Spirit “fruit.” It is not something we produce. It is the result of living a life of dependence on God’s grace.
Conclusion:
There are three things that we sought to learn from this lesson.
1) What is the purpose for the Law?
2) How are we to fight the battle with sin?
3) What does it mean to “Walk by the Spirit”?
The purpose for the Law is to point us to “love.” We fight the battle with sin through trusting the grace promised to us in the gospel. We “walk by the Spirit” by faith. The Galatians had opted to resist sin by submitting to the Law. However, Paul has demonstrated that submitting to the Law and adopting works results in surrendering faith and thus, the Spirit. When the Law becomes the source of righteousness, there is only one means to keep it—the flesh. That is because we receive the Spirit by faith. Since the flesh and the Spirit are opposed to one another, the Spirit doesn’t empower those who are under Law. The Spirit empowers men who are in faith.
Here is a devotional thought to help you with this lesson: If I do not come to you as one who seeks your favor, I live in contempt, anger, malice, self-sufficiency, and you call it hostility.You have taught me the necessity of a Mediator, a Messiah, to be embraced in love with all my heart, as king to rule me, as prophet to guide me, as priest to take away my sin and death, and this by faith in your beloved Son who teaches me not to guide myself, not to obey myself, not to try to rule and conquer sin, but to cleave to the one who will do all for me. *Prayer from Valley of Vision, “Reconciliation.”
Application Questions:
