Additional Thoughts on Galatians – Part 2
GAL 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
GAL 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
There are only two kinds of people in the world as far as salvation is concerned. The lost and the saved. It does not matter if you are a Jew or a Greek. It does not matter if you are a male or a female. All must be saved the same way. And once you are saved, then everyone is in the exact same standing. Your social or ethnic standing does not make you better or worse. “for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
No one has more value in Christ than another. A man is not worth more than a woman. One skin color does not have more value than another.
And since we are all one in Christ, then we are all Abraham’s seed. Verse 29. This makes us heirs according to the promise. The promise is speaking about how God promised to Abraham that Christ would come and that all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Not just certain ones and not just the Jews, but all nations.
GAL 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
GAL 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Salvation is for all nations. Every skin color, every culture, and every language.
There is NO room in Christianity for prejudice. Period.
GAL 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
GAL 4:2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
GAL 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
GAL 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
GAL 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
GAL 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
GAL 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
What a wonderful promise to everyone who is saved! We have become sons of God. He is now our Father. This makes us heirs of God through Christ.
We will not fully understand the depth of that until we get to heaven.
God who spoke the universe into existence. We are heirs of an almighty, all knowing, all powerful God.
He has things in store for us that we cannot even begin to imagine.
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
We have seen nothing nor heard nothing like what God has prepared for us. In fact it is beyond what we can even imagine.
We are sons and heirs of God! AMEN
GAL 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
GAL 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
GAL 4:10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
GAL 4:11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
GAL 4:12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
GAL 4:13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
GAL 4:14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
GAL 4:15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
GAL 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
Many people think that you are being mean and are their enemy because you tell them the truth. With some it is the truth that the only way to heaven is thru Jesus. Some it is because you tell them the truth that the Koran is not God’s book. With others it is when you tell them the truth that baptism does not save. Or that the Pope and the priests cannot forgive sins. Still others it is when you explain to them that the NIV is translated from corrupted manuscripts.
They confuse standing for the truth, which we are commanded to do, with being out to get them. They just think you are being mean. What is really mean is not trying to rescue someone from serious error. The worst of which is believing in a false way to heaven. If you really love someone, you need to tell them the truth. Even if it makes them think that you are their enemy.
Tell them out of love, and with love, but tell them the truth.
GAL 4:17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
GAL 4:18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
GAL 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
GAL 4:11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
GAL 4:20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
Yes, Paul was doubting their salvation. He had preached to them the gospel. They were told that salvation is thru faith in Jesus. It is a gift of God. No one can work their way to salvation. They seemed to have understood and have accepted Christ as Saviour. And now Paul finds out that some false teachers have come in and they are wanting to be under the law and not grace. They are returning to a works based system for salvation. So Paul asks them a question.
GAL 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Do ye not hear the law? What a great question. The law cannot save. It can only condemn. Why would anyone want to be under that system? In one word. Pride. Earning salvation appeals to the pride of man. It says look at what I have done. The problem is you are a sinner and your works are never good enough.
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Our righteousness is not enough. To God they are but filthy rags. The only way for us to get to heaven is to have the perfect righteousness of Jesus imputed unto us when we believe.
This is an essential truth of getting saved. You must understand that works can’t save. You have to depart from works and cling to Jesus. These people were wanting to return to the law. Paul was justified in doubting their salvation. Paul then goes on and uses an illustration from the Old Testament that shows salvation is by grace and then finishes up with this:
GAL 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Once saved we are no longer in bondage. When you accept Jesus you have been set free. We need to stand firm for that great truth and also praise the Lord for it.
Paul then gives the spiritual meaning and application of Abraham having 2 sons one by a bondmaid and the other by a freewoman.
GAL 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
GAL 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
GAL 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
GAL 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
GAL 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
GAL 4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
GAL 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
GAL 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
GAL 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
GAL 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
The bondmaid’s son pictured the law; the old covenant of Sinai. The freewoman’s son is the child of promise. Being born of the spirit. Those in bondage of the law are not the heirs. It is those saved by faith that are heirs in Christ.
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.
False teachers had come into this church. They were teaching that Jesus was not enough. That you must add works also.
GAL 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
Specifically they were adding circumcision. Paul tells them that if they get circumcised then Christ shall profit you nothing. Keep in mind the context here, which is the false teaching of works salvation. Being circumcised for health reasons does not make Christ profit you nothing. But getting circumcised for the reason of earning heaven that is a different matter. You cannot add works to Christ. If you try, then you don’t have Christ at all. The point being made here is that you cannot mix works and grace.
Rom 11:6 And if by grace, then [is it] no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if [it be] of works, then is it no more grace:
As soon as you add even one work then it is no more grace.
GAL 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
If you do even one thing to earn salvation then you are a debtor to do the whole law. That is impossible for all have sin. One lie is enough to condemn you.
The specific work that these false teachers were adding was circumcision. We don’t have many today trying to add that for salvation. But we have plenty today who are trying to add other things. Some groups add going to church on Saturday. Others it is baptism or church membership. Or they will says things like, salvation is by grace only after you do all you can do. That is heresy. That is adding works.
These groups often pray upon new Christians, like we see here in Galatians. And they have gotten more subtle and clever over the years. They often use the exact same words we do, and this can fool many. They use the same words but what they mean by them is totally different. They say words like grace, born again, salvation, and they use the name of Jesus. And when you listen on the surface it sounds like Christianity. But it is not. They have a different Jesus. Mormons are a good example. They do not believe in the blood atonement of Jesus. They do not believe in salvation thru Jesus and Him alone. Their Jesus is just one of many gods to them. Their Jesus was a man first and since he became a god so can all good Mormon men. It is not Christian at all. Christians need to be very wary in these last days. There are wolves in sheep’s clothing in abundance.
GAL 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
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.
After you are saved you have two natures. You have the fleshly sin nature that you were born with and a new spiritual nature.
These two natures are at odds with each other. They are total opposites. They are contrary the one to the other. They are at war. As long as you live they will be contrary to each other. There is no middle ground. There will never be peace between them.
This explains why Christians sin. They still have to carry within them that old sin nature. And it is always battling for dominance. So how do you keep from fulfilling the lust of the flesh? Verse 16 has the answer.
GAL 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
You do it by walking in the Spirit. You feed the Spirit and not the flesh. Be separated from the world. Stop watching filthy fleshly entertainment. Quit listening to fleshly music. Quit feeding the flesh. Stop walking in the flesh. Don’t grieve the Spirit.
Instead walk in the Spirit. You walk in the Spirit by reading the Bible, Praying, helping others, listening to good Christ honoring music. You walk in the Spirit by bringing every thought into subjection.
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
You walk in the Spirit by casting down wicked thoughts, by bringing every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Walking does not imply a step or two. Walking implies every single step. It also implies continually for as soon as you quit taking steps, you have quit walking.
We need to walk in the spirit. We need to take every step in the spirit and we need to do it continually.
GAL 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
GAL 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
We are to not just talk the talk, but we are to walk the walk. If we say that we are saved and that the Holy Spirit lives inside us, then we should live like it. The Spirit on the inside should manifest itself on the outside.
Living within each Christian is two natures. The old sin nature is still there and the new Spiritual nature. At any given time one of those natures will be manifesting itself. We can quench the Spirit and fulfill the lust of the flesh or we can walk in the Spirit.
The outward signs of the fleshly sin nature and the outward signs of the Spirit are clearly given in this chapter. First the list of the characteristics of the fleshly sin nature in verses 19 – 21.
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.
There are a lot of things listed in those verses that you see Christians doing. It does not mean that they are not saved. They may be or may not be saved. But it does show that they are walking in the flesh. A Christian should not be getting drunk, or envying another, or unclean, or having wrath or strife, or anything else in the list above.
What Christians should have is the outward evidences of the Spirit listed in verses 22 – 23.
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.
Our hearts can deceive us. We can think that we are walking in the Spirit, but doing the things of the flesh. God gave us these two lists so that we can hold our lives up to God’s word and see the truth. Regardless of what you think or how you feel, if you are doing the things in the flesh list, then you are walking in the flesh.
We should compare our lives with this list and act accordingly. If we are walking in the flesh, then we need to call out to God for help. We need to confess our sins to Him and return to walking in the Spirit.
We all need more Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, and temperance in our lives. We need to walk 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.
GAL 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
GAL 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
These two verses have been pointed to by scoffers as a contradiction. They say which is it. Are you to let people bear your burdens or are you to bear your own burden. As is the case so often, the scoffers do not even look at the context. There is no contradiction here. First let’s look at the context of verse 2 by looking at verse 1.
GAL 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
This is talking about restoring a Christian who has fallen to temptation. Out of love and in the spirit of meekness we are to help bear his burden. We are to consider the fact that it could be us in that situation, and we should act accordingly and help out. After the context is set in verse one, then we have verse 2.
GAL 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
The law of Christ is the law of love. John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Verse 2 is talking about a certain kind of burden. A burden that we are to help with.
Now let’s look at the context of the 2nd kind of burden that each person is to bear for himself.
GAL 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
GAL 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
The context is talking about a person’s work that they do for Christ. A man is to prove his own work. Whatever job the Lord gives you to do you are responsible to do it. You are to bear your burden for your service for the Lord. If you take a job in the church, then you should not be pushing it off on others. You should not be unfaithful to it. There are burdens of service that are ours to bear. We are responsible to do them and not another. We will give an answer to God at the judgment seat and not someone else for how we served. So in verse 5 it says, “For every man shall bear his own burden.”
There is no conflict between verse 2 and verse 5. They are simply talking about the burden of falling into temptation and the burden of service. Two totally different types of burdens. The one we are to help bear and the other is ours to bear alone.
(Of course the second one is not advocating working in the ministry alone. We are to work together. It is talking about our individual responsibility to work.)
GAL 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Every servant of Christ needs to claim this verse. You need to know where it is in the Bible. You need to have it highlighted or circled. You need to memorize and read it often.
If you put gospel tracts on doors (and you should), you will sometimes get discouraged and want to quit. But DON’T QUIT. Instead claim God’s promise that in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
I was out putting tracts on doors with a couple of teens several years ago. They handed a track to a man who was not feeling well. He did not talk to them other than to say that he was sick and he shut the door. We did not see any fruit that day, but six months later that man found that tract the teens gave him in a drawer, came to church, heard a clear presentation of the gospel and got saved. Don’t stop putting the gospel on doors. You will reap in due season.
The same goes for Sunday school teachers, buss workers, preachers and everyone else that is involved in God’s work. Keep this truth ever before you and claim this promise.
GAL 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
NEVER QUIT serving the Lord
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Because we have the promise to reap from well doing if we faint not, then as we have opportunity let us do good.
When the opportunity comes to do good then we should respond correctly. Our hearts on this should be in line with what Jesus said was the 2nd great commandment. Love thy neighbor as thyself.
Think about being in their shoes. What if it was me that needed help, wouldn’t I want someone to care and help me.
If our hearts are right on this, God will give us opportunity to do good.
He has a marvelous way of working in the circumstances of life to give opportunity to do His will. So let us do good unto all men. And all men means all.
Then it says especially unto fellow believers. God loves all men, Jesus died for all men. But there is a special place in His heart for those who accept Him as Savior. We are to love one another and we are to help one another.
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