Introduction
Galatians 5:1–15: Paul reminds the Galatians that Christ has set them free from slavery to sin and the Law. He warns them about those who are seeking to convince them that male Gentile Christians must be circumcised and start to follow Jewish practices. Instead, what matters is faith working through love.
Today’s Key Verse: Galatians 5:1a GNT
Freedom is what we have—Christ has set us free!
Read
5 Freedom is what we have—Christ has set us free! Stand, then, as free people, and do not allow yourselves to become slaves again.
2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, it means that Christ is of no use to you at all. 3 Once more I warn any man who allows himself to be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the whole Law. 4 Those of you who try to be put right with God by obeying the Law have cut yourselves off from Christ. You are outside God’s grace. 5 As for us, our hope is that God will put us right with him; and this is what we wait for by the power of God’s Spirit working through our faith. 6 For when we are in union with Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor the lack of it makes any difference at all; what matters is faith that works through love.
7 You were doing so well! Who made you stop obeying the truth? How did he persuade you? 8 It was not done by God, who calls you. 9 “It takes only a little yeast to make the whole batch of dough rise,” as they say. 10 But I still feel confident about you. Our life in union with the Lord makes me confident that you will not take a different view and that whoever is upsetting you will be punished by God.
11 But as for me, my friends, if I continue to preach that circumcision is necessary, why am I still being persecuted? If that were true, then my preaching about the cross of Christ would cause no trouble. 12 I wish that the people who are upsetting you would go all the way; let them go on and castrate themselves!
13 As for you, my friends, you were called to be free. But do not let this freedom become an excuse for letting your physical desires control you. Instead, let love make you serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is summed up in one commandment: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” 15 But if you act like wild animals, hurting and harming each other, then watch out, or you will completely destroy one another.
Reflect
Verse 1 builds on the discussion of Sarah and Hagar that we read yesterday. What were we enslaved to? Why do you think Paul speaks so strongly here? Reread verses 1, 13–15. How do you interpret what Paul says about freedom? What are we to do with our freedom in Christ? What impact does this freedom have on the way you live?
Pray
Gracious and loving God, thank you for the freedom I have because Christ has set me free from bondage to sin. Thank you, God, for this freedom that enables me to serve you and to serve others in your name. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Galatians 5:16–26: Paul compares human nature with the Spirit.
