“I say then, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. These are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Galatians 5:16-18
The Holy Spirit creates faith in the hearts of believers and regenerates them, giving them a new nature that loves God and neighbor and seeks to live in accord with God’s Word. But believers still have their old sinful flesh, which lusts after and desires what God forbids instead of desiring those things God commands. And so, Paul urges believers to walk in the Spirit and follow His leading and guiding rather than yielding to the sinful desires of the flesh. And, if we are led by the Spirit, we continue to trust in Christ alone for our salvation and are free from the curse and condemnation of God’s law upon our sins and shortcomings.
Grant that I walk in Your ways, O Lord, and not yield to the sinful inclinations of my heart. Graciously keep me in the true faith that I might not be condemned by Your law. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
“For the entire law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another.” Galatians 5:14-15
Having been set free from bondage under the law, we love God and our neighbor and willingly serve them. St. Paul wrote to the Romans: “Love works no evil to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom. 13:10). If we love our neighbor as we love ourselves, we will do no evil to our neighbor. The same is true of our attitude toward God. If we love Him, we will have no other gods, we will honor and glorify His name, and we will gladly hear and learn His Word.
O gracious and merciful God, You have freed me from the curse and condemnation of the law in Christ Jesus. Grant that I, in return, truly love You and my neighbor and gladly and willingly obey Your commandments. Amen.
“You, brothers, have been called to liberty. Only do not use liberty to give an opportunity to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13
Those who trust in Christ are called to liberty because Christ has fulfilled all the demands of the law in their stead, but the Apostle Paul calls upon them to use their liberty in Christ not to indulge in the sinful desires of the flesh but to serve one another in love.
Grant that I live for You, O Christ, and use my liberty to love my neighbor and serve his needs. Amen.
“I have confidence in you through the Lord that you will not think otherwise. But he who is troubling you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. I wish that those who are troubling you would castrate themselves!” Galatians 5:10-12
Those who cause others to err or fall from the true faith by spreading teachings and beliefs that do not agree with the revealed Word of God will be judged by the LORD God and held accountable for misleading souls redeemed by the blood of Christ Jesus. Indeed, it would be better for those urging circumcision and righteousness based on the law to emasculate themselves than to weaken or destroy the faith of believers!
Keep me from error and false teaching, O Lord, and preserve me in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus. In His name, I pray. Amen.
“A little yeast leavens the whole batch.” Galatians 5:9
With these words, the apostle warns of the effects of doctrinal error. Like a little bit of yeast leavens the entire batch of dough, doctrinal errors — even seemingly small and insignificant errors — affect the entire body of doctrine. Errors in one article of faith affect all articles of faith, and all false and erring teachings are of the devil and used to weaken and destroy faith in Christ.
O God, preserve me from the leaven of false doctrine that I may be preserved in the true and saving faith unto life everlasting. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
