Day 176 "In Our Freedom by Faith, Live by the Spirit" (Galatians: Chapter Five)

Many of us as Christians can give testimony to moments in our lives when we have felt ourselves tossed about like waves upon the ocean. Having little of solid foundation to provide stability, we are mostly lead by our emotions, self-centeredness, and by our need to be accepted by others. Such drives can combine into a volatile cocktail by which we drink and later regret and have remorse over some of our actions. In Chapter Five of Galatians, Paul calls out to us that we were meant to live in freedom compelled and inspired by love, not for our own self-indulgence. A life lead by the Spirit sets us free from the spiritual laws that focuses on self to live a life of love for the benefit of others. And as Paul points out elsewhere, love is the most excellent way.

Galatians: Chapter Five

:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free."

We have already seen in chapter two that by observing the law, no one will be justified. It is Christ, and Christ alone, that has set the Christian free: free from the Mosaic law and free from the old-self of who we were before we accepted Christ as our savior. God had a purpose for mankind-to be redeemed by the

atoning sacrifice of Christ.

: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."

It could have been any aspect of the law that a person would chose to follow, and Paul would still have vehemently opposed such actions. In this case, it happened to be circumcision-a physical procedure ascribed by the law to be performed on Jewish males to mark them as being part of God's family. What Paul was opposed to was having someone revert back to a lifestyle of obedience and rituals to try and attain something that they already have by faith.

:3 "Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated

to obey the whole law."

Paul was clearly making the point that it is not just one thing of the law to worry about. If one chooses to live life by the law, then one has to keep all of the law, not just pieces of it. And Paul, having been schooled in the law, knows how difficult of a task it becomes. In fact, it cannot be done. This is what Paul is trying to get across to the Galatia Christians.

:4 "You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace."

Paul was exhorting the people that if you choose to live your life by the law, then

you are separating yourself, cutting yourself off from, the grace of God that comes by faith.

:6 "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

It can't get much easier for Paul to explain to the people that the only thing that matters to God is our faith, and faith showing itself through the love one has for one another.

:13-14 "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: Love your neighbor as yourself."

So many people in the church are so concerned about those who choose to live their lives by faith in grace that they fear these people will fall victims to living

their lives in immoral recklessness. What these people fail to recognize, however, is that love is a much greater motivator than fear or trying to force someone to comply with certain demands. Love purifies one's motives. It also

takes the focus off of self and places it on others. Truly, love is a force to build bridges with others. In love, one never has to worry what the law does or doesn't say. All of the law is covered by love. If give the choice, which would you prefer for you: faith or law?

:16 "So I say, live by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

:18 "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law."

In chapter four, we saw where God had placed his Spirit into those who trust Jesus by faith. It is a Spirit by which we recognized God as our father and our rights as heirs into God's kingdom. In addition, what Paul is saying here is that

the Spirit has been put into us to guide us to live our lives as children of God.

We are no longer to be lead around by the letter of the law but by the promptings of the Holy Spirit within us.

:19 "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and de-

bauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish

ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like."

Of all these traits just mentioned, how many of them have to do with focus on self and the absence of love. All of them! There you have it. The root cause of sin is self-indulgence. The exact opposite of love. If love was followed by putting the interest of others before our own interests, which of the above traits would be removed from one's life? All of them! No wonder love covers everything and is the greatest of all commandments.

:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Follow the ways of the Spirit and you will discover love. And, these are the fruits of love. Notice the list in comparison with the previous list. Which do you prefer? Then, seek to love as God first loved you.

"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19

:25 "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

Ever try to lip sync to a song and get out of step with it? That is what it is like not listening or being slow to listen to the Spirit within us. However, the more we give attention to the Spirit and move when it tells us to do something, the more helpful and constructive such promptings will become. Paul is simply encouraging us to keep in step with the Spirit with us.

Key Verses for me:

: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."

:6 "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

To follow the law, requires that one has to follow the whole law. We know that following the whole law is not feasible and sets up anyone who attempts it a life of frustration and failure.

Jesus, through God's love and mercy, extends a life to us that is completely justified before God by faith in Christ. And the only thing that matters to God is our faith, and expressing that faith through love. It is, indeed, a life granted to be lived in freedom, mostly, a life free from fear and lavish in love and acceptance. Oh, you foolish Galatians! Why would you revert back to the ways of the law?

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To come to the understanding that Jesus did it all for us bring as Christians brings explicable joy and peace to the believer's soul. I Invite you to worship along with Hillsong as they recognize "Grace to Grace." Words are printed below.

Grace to Grace Hillsong Worship

If love endured that ancient cross How precious is my Savior's blood The beauty of heaven wrapped in my shame The image of love upon death's frame If having my heart was worth the pain What joy could You see beyond the grave If love found my soul worth dying for How wonderful, how glorious My Savior's scars victorious My chains are gone, my debt is paid From death to life and grace to grace If heaven now owns that vacant tomb How great is the hope that lives in You The passion that tore through hell like a rose The promise that rolled back death and its stone If freedom is worth the life You raised Oh where is my sin, where is my shame? If love paid it all to have my heart How wonderful, how glorious My Savior's scars victorious My chains are gone, my debt is…

In his love, see you tomorrow...

"Carpe Momentum in Love" (Seize the moment in love)