The Apostle Paul continues to press upon the Galatian believers to “stand fast” in the liberty they had in the Lord Jesus Christ through faith in the gospel. If they were to observe the law given to Israel, it would serve only to entangle them in an unbearable yoke of bondage.
The circumcision of the flesh that some of them had undergone only proved that they were under a law which it was impossible for them to keep. If they by this circumcision willingly placed themselves under law, the One they had believed, Christ, was of no profit to them. If they could gain blessing by keeping the law, Christ had died in vain and they were no longer justified before God by faith. The grace of God was of no profit to them if they were now under law.
They had begun their Christian race well but had faltered and stumbled in listening to those who sought to take away their liberty in Christ. All of their blessings and liberty came through the cross. But the cross condemned the very thing the Galatians were trying to improve — the flesh. If by circumcision they could make the flesh (the old nature) better and acceptable to God, why did Paul suffer such persecution in preaching the cross? Rather than seeing the Galatians use circumcision to cut off the flesh, Paul desired that the false teachers who were troubling them might be cut off.
Then he clearly presents the opposition of the flesh to the Spirit. If they walked in love in the Spirit, there would be no opportunity for the flesh to act. The Spirit and the flesh were contrary to each other. As believers with the Spirit dwelling in them, it was impossible that they should be guided by the law governing their flesh. Believers have eternal life and live in the Spirit; we are to walk according to the power of the Spirit rather than according to the flesh.
1. The wonderful message that the Lord Jesus preached to those who were captive did what for those who were wounded by their own sins? Luke 4:___
2. What did the Apostle Paul warn the Corinthians that their liberty in Christ could become to those who were weak in the faith? 1 Corinthians 8:___
3. What always exists where the Spirit of the Lord is? 2 Corinthians 3:___
4. The Apostle James encourages believers to act in view of their being judged by what law? James 2:___
5. The Apostle Peter teaches believers to submit to the ordinances of men, but they were not to use the liberty they had in Christ in what wrong way?
1 Peter 2:___