Northside Church
Galatians teaches that believers are justified by Jesus alone. They are a part of a diverse family and equipped by the Spirit to love God and others. Galatians teaches that believers are justified by Jesus alone. They are a part of a diverse family and equipped by the Spirit to love God and others.
STANDING FAST IN THE LIBERTY OF JESUS
The danger of embracing the law as a way to walk with God.
Galatians 5:2-4 ESV
When we embrace the law as our rule of walking with God, we must let go of Jesus.
The legalists among the Galatians wanted them to think that they could have both Jesus and a law-relationship with God
How tragic! Jesus, dying on the cross, pouring out His blood, His life, His soul, His agony, His love for us — and it will profit you nothing!
This point was so important to Paul that he mustered all the strength he could in a personal appeal: he began with Indeed I, Paul.
When we embrace the law as our rule of walking with God, we must embrace the whole law
If we come to God on the basis of our own law keeping we must keep the whole law and our law-keeping must be perfect.
No amount of obedience makes up for one act of disobedience; if you are pulled over for speeding, it will do no good to protest that you are a faithful husband, a good taxpayer, and have obeyed the speed limit many times.
Galatians 5:5-6 ESV
Those walking in the Spirit wait for righteousness by faith; they are not trying to earn it by performing good works.
Those walking in the Spirit know that being circumcised or uncircumcised means nothing.
Each aspect of this verse is precious. It sets us in a place: in Christ Jesus.
In that place, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything — neither one matters at all.
This verse also tells us what does matter in this place:
Faith must work through love. Herod had faith that John the Baptist was a true prophet, but there was no faith working through love, and he had John the Baptist murdered.
Real faith, saving faith, will work through love.