One thing I learned from Share Life Go:
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Debrief and encourage one another in our shared mission.
Opening Up
Member testimony: have one member share his or her two-minute story of faith.
In the first four chapters of Galatians, we encountered Paul as he defended the gospel and defined it by unfolding the long story of God’s promises to Abraham as fulfilled in Christ Jesus.
In Galatians 3 and 4, we found that when we are in Christ, we are adopted as sons with the freedom to call God ‘Father’ and the privilege and hope of being heirs.
In Galatians 5, Paul continues to defend the gospel, but he also begins to expand on what our freedom looks like in action.
Read
Galatians 5:1–15
Freedom in Christ
5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
Life by the Spirit
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
Digging In
What does Paul mean when he writes: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (v.1)? What sort of freedom is it?
In a further strike against the Judaizers who preach law, Paul drills down into the issue of circumcision.
What is the problem with accepting the continued practice of circumcision (v.2)? Can a believer follow the law and follow Christ at the same time (v.3–4)?
It has been argued that Galatians 5:5–6 contains every key theme of the letter, including Paul’s critique of circumcision. What great gifts will the law-keepers miss out on?
In the letter so far, Paul has emphasised what followers of Christ have been freed from (condemnation under the law). In 5:13–15 and onwards, he reveals what we have been freed for (what we are to do with our freedom).
What have we been set free to do (v.13–15)?
Given the huge argument in Galatians about lawkeeping versus faith, what is ironic about verses 13–14?
What happens if we think freedom means serving only ourselves and our desires?
Paul has reminded us that the gospel is offensive to some but valuable to others. How does this motivate or demotivate you to evangelise others?
Taking it with you
Share one thing from this passage and study that you can share with someone at home or elsewhere.