Galatians 5 - Running the Race

I am not entirely sure doing a Bible study when one is tired is really a good idea.  But then again, at this point, I don't know when I'm not going to be tired!  So I am pushing ahead. 

In the beginning of Galatians chapter 5, Paul is still talking to the Galatians about circumcision.  (I too keep spelling it Galations!  Grrrrr!)  Anyway....Paul tells the Galatians that they are to stand firm in the freedom they have received from Christ and not to go back into bondage by being circumcised.  He warns that if they do this, they will be cut off from a relationship with Christ.  Circumcision will cause them to fall from God's grace and they will now have to live under the whole law of Moses.    Yikes!  This means that everything they were doing prior to their salvation, all those rituals that Jesus freed them from, they would have to go back to doing them!

He tells them that  the hope of righteousness if for those who wait for the Spirit of God, in faith, and that God does not care if we are circumcised or not. I believe that even though Paul is talking about physical circumcision, there is more to it than that.  I think he is also talking about the rituals that the Jewish leaders want them to follow.  But God does not look at rituals and rules.  What he cares about is how we are working our faith and if we are working it out through loving one another.  Because it is very obvious that there is no love coming from this person or persons who are now pushing their own agenda.

What happened?  The Galatians were doing so well.  Paul compares their walk to running a great race and he wonders who caused them to stumble. You can feel the hurt in his voice when you read this.  He knows for a fact that who ever it was, they weren't doing it on Christ's behalf!  Their goal was to turn the Galatians away from Christianity and back to the laws of Moses.  Then he gives them a warning that a little yeast spreads through the whole batch of dough.  One false teacher, if allowed, can persuade a whole group of Christians to fall from grace.  It doesn't take a whole lot of persuasion!  (And this is just as true today as it was back then!  If we are not grounded in the Word, we can fall from grace just as easily!)

Paul has confidence that the Lord will deal harshly with this person.  He reminds them that if he were teaching that circumcision were necessary, than why was he still being persecuted?  These false teachers would be in agreement with Paul if that were indeed, what he was teaching.  But of course, he isn't.  He is teaching that they have been freed from the bondage of this type of teaching.  Then he makes a statement that just blows my mind and makes me want to stand up and shout, "Go Paul!," while cheering loudly for him.  Because his next statement is "I wish those troublemakers would castrate themselves!" 

Yowza!

Again, he reminds them that they are free and that they are called to love one another and they are to love each other in the same manner that they would love themselves.

Paul then tells them to allow their spiritual nature to guide them and to not walk by the corrupt nature.  For if they allow their spiritual nature to guide them they will not be subject to the laws of Moses.  He then explains that the desires of the corrupt nature is obvious..."illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity, idolatry, drug use, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambition, conflict, factions, envy, drunkenness, wild partying, and things like that."  (Sounds more like today!!!")  And people who live this way will not inherit the Kingdom of God.  Wow.  I have some kids who live this way and I have to say, this really causes me great concern! I don't want for any of my kids to perish!

Then Paul tells them what the spiritual nature produces; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control.  These characteristics are not under the law!  (Oh that I would have all of those characteristics!  Looking at each one, I couldn't tell you which one I desire over the others...each one of them are wonderful!)

Finally, Paul says those that live by their spiritual nature need to be conformed to that nature.  There is no other choice.  We cannot walk any other way.

I am really enjoying Galatians and learning so much.  Paul is one of my favorite Bible characters.  I can't wait to meet him when I get to Heaven.  One of the reasons he is one of my favorites is because he tends to use multiple examples to explain something.  It helps to understand things so much more.  


Till tomorrow!


Be blessed,

Sue