Today, we hit a milestone! This is the 50th devotion that I have written for New Life Counseling Center. Let’s jump right in and see what Paul has to say in Galatians 5:1-15:
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves. For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
I have been thinking a lot lately about the culture we live in. Each day believers are being pounded about being anti-whatever (you can fill in the whatever). Here in the first verse of chapter 5, Paul tells the believers in Galatia to stand firm in their freedom. Verse 1 summarizes what Paul has been saying for 4 chapters. Oh, how the Christian church in America needs to stand firm in our culture! We need to let the Bible be our standard or measuring rod. Just as the Galatian church was being inundated with false teachers trying to take the believers back into the bondage of the Old Testament Law, we are being inundated by “false teachers” in our culture who are trying to take us away for God’s truth.
Specifically in our passage, Paul goes from talking about the Law to circumcision. Obviously, some false teachers were telling the Galatians they needed to be circumcised. Paul pointedly says “I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.” Yikes! Paul explains “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.” He summarizes his whole argument with “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
There is so much that I could talk about in this passage, but I want to concentrate on his main point—a believer’s freedom in Christ should manifest itself as love to the world around him and not an opportunity for the flesh. I often hear people say that some churches talk about grace too much. Are you kidding me? Grace is the only true motivation in our lives. Christ’s love should compel us! Following a set of rules will never compel us to do anything of eternal worth. As pastor and author, Dr. Warren Wiersbe explains “One of the tragedies of legalism is that it gives the appearance of spiritual maturity when, in reality, it leads the believer back into a second childhood.” Paul explains what our lives should look like “For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.” As the Spirit leads us, as we walk by faith in Christ in His grace, Christ’s love should pour out of us to the people we live with, work with, and come into contact with on a daily basis. How did you do on your “love” test in the last devotion? How are you doing today? See you next week!