ELNORA’S BIBLE STUDY WITH FRIENDS, Galatians 5, Saturday, May 3, 2025

 

Context for Chapter 5

Galatians 3—4 focused more on theological concepts, such as whether the Gentiles should be held to the traditional Jewish customs (circumcision) in order to be qualified to receive the promises of God as His children. Galatians 5—6 focus on how Christians should live in response to those truths. In short, we must resist being dragged away from the freedom we have in Christ to follow the law. We must also resist wasting our freedom on serving our sinful desires instead of serving others in love. We can do this by the power of God's Spirit with us. When we give Him the lead, powerful, positive characteristics show up in us. Galatians 6 will show how to use those characteristics to serve each other. (Source: https://www.bibleref.com/Galatians/5/Galatians-chapter-5.html)

Freedom in Christ, Verses 1-15, KESHIA

 1So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. 2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. 4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. 5 But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. 6 For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. 7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. 9 This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! 10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you. 11 Dear brothers and sisters,[a] if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. 12 I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves.[b] 13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[c] 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

SECTION QUESTIONS 

1. Verse 1 says, "Christ has truly set us free." What has Christ set us free from?

2. What makes an action a sin? What makes an action a good work?

3. Paul said, "You were running so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn't God, for he is the one who called you to freedom! Freedom requires a resistance against a return to bondage. What keeps you from being hindered or held back by others? 

4. Verse 9: "This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough." What is Paul referring to?

5. Read verse 13, A Gentile or someone who does not have a relationship with God might ask you, "Who gives freedom? And what is that freedom? How would you respond? 

6. Thought for reflection on verse 14: The concept of loving your neighbor as yourself is the core of the Old Testament Law as well. The God of the New Covenant is the same God of old, and loving Him and one another is really important to Him. In Exodus 20:2-17, the first 4 Commandments deal with loving God. The next 6 Commandments deal with loving others. 

Living By the Spirit's Power, Verses 16-26, Teannie

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. 19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

SECTION QUESTIONS

7. How can we overcome our sins and focus on serving others?

8. What are some examples of the sinful lifestyles that Paul lists in verses 19-21?

9. Then Paul offers a 2nd list, praise God! This one reveals what comes out of those who allow God's Spirit to lead the way. It is one kind of fruit with 9 characteristics. What are they? 

 

 A FINAL THOUGHT: 

Those who trust in Christ's death for their sin on the cross have made the choice to crucify their sinful nature with Him. That doesn't mean we'll never sin again, but it does mean we don't need to sin again. In that way, we are no longer slaves to the power of sin. The sinful desires no longer has a grip on us. Not only are we freed from the bondage of sin, in Christ we are freed from sin's penality as well. (Galatians 5:22-25).

Confessions for Galatians, Chapter 5

"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace." (Galatians 5:4)

Heavenly Father, thank You for the important teachings of Paul in the book of Galatians and the serious peril that comes from trying to be justified by works of the Law, rather than as a free gift of grace through faith in Jesus. It staggers my understanding that You should love me to the extent that You gave Your only begotten Son to become the substitute for my sin. Were it not for the Lord Jesus, I could never be justified on my own merit, but I praise and thank You for Your wonderful plan of redemption, whereby I am credited with righteousness, through faith. Thank You, in Jesus' name, AMEN.

"You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?" (Galatians 5:7)

Heavenly Father, thank You that Your Word stands fast forever and ever, and that no matter what evil agendas may be used by the enemy to discredit Your name, to belittle the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus, to blind the eyes of the unsaved, and to shipwreck the lives of those that have been saved by grace through faith, we know that You are stronger and You have promised to finish the good work that You have started in all believers. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose name will one day be glorified throughout all the earth. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you. (Galatians 5:10) 

Heavenly Father, thank You that You started a good work in me at my salvation and have promised to complete it at the day of Christ. Protect my heart and mind from any of the false teachings that have infiltrated Christendom today, and help me never to substitute slavery to the Law for the freedom I have in Christ. Thank You that justification is by faith alone in Christ alone and not by works of the Law. I pray that I would hold fast to the truth of Your Word, day by day, and study to show myself approved unto You. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. (Galatians 5:24-25)

Heavenly Father, thank You that the Cross broke the power of sin in my life and that by faith, I am enabled to walk in spirit and truth. Thank You that I am identified with Christ by faith, and that in Him, I have the ability to crucify the flesh, nailing it to the Cross. May I bear the fruit of righteousness to Your praise and glory. Heavenly Father, thank You that at the point of my salvation, I was made alive in the Spirit and became one with Christ Jesus. I pray that I may live the rest of my life walking in spirit and truth. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Galatians/5