Great Chapters in the Bible - Galatians 5

This Chapter is about the Great Freedom given to us from God by what Christ has accomplished, and we are warned to not fall into anything that will lead us back to bondage. Any doctrine that leads one back to following laws to attempt to make oneself righteous; negates all that Christ has done for you, on a practical basis.
God’s will is for you to walk in the freedom of His grace,in the Spirit of God, and to use that Grace and freedom to serve each other through love. The fruit of this will be love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. This is a powerful verse and mandate from God “Be Free and Stay Free In Christ!”

Gal 5:2- 3 The context then was circumcision, but it pertains to anything that would put you back under the law, from which Christ set you free.

Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. Attempting to make yourself righteous, negates all of what Christ has done for you; because you try to redeem yourself. You are redeemed, Christ did it; you have it by Grace!

Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. When our hope is complete, we will never have to worry about falling back into bondage. Until then, We have the Spirit of God in us, which gives us the faith of Christ, and thus the ability to wait for the hope.

Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
All religious systems fail to do what Christ did already, so all we have to do is walk in faith energised by love.

Gal 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
Gal 5:8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
Gal 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
The Galatians were free for a while, but they were falling back into law, and this was not from God. A little bit of the law or religion, destroys all your freedom.

Gal 5:10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
Gal 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
Gal 5:12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
There are going to be those who trouble you, by attempting to get you to “get in line”.
God’s will for these folks is that they be “cutoff”, context circumcision.

Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
This is the purpose of our liberty.

Gal 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
This is the results of legalism.

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
This is how to avoid legalism, and enjoy freedom.

Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
The internal and external confilct, our weak flesh, very often pervents us from being who we want to be. As we walk in the Spirit, we grow and receive the fruits of the spirit.

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
The works of the flesh and it’s results.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
The results of walking in the Spirit.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
We are exhorted to walk in the Spirit, and let the Christ in us out. We were crucified with Him, we should live in Him, and not fall back into religion and law.