Notes on Galatians 4

(Gal 4:1 KJV) Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

As children heirs are not much different that servants because they are in the learning stage under teachers and tutors until the time of their maturity and coming of age. This comparison is used to show how before Christ we were under a sort of bondage to the elements of the world. Elements in this case meaning principles and elementary rules. We were under bondage to the law until Jesus came to deliver us from the curse of the law and then we become children of God and free from bondage and sin.

That is why Jesus had to come from heaven and become one of us. He had to become flesh, keep the law in all points in order to fulfill the law. God gave the dominion of the earth to man. Man sinned and became separated from God. God sent the law to show man how he had sinned and how he was separated from God. Man could not save himself. He needed a savior. Since the dominion of the earth was given to man, a man had to be a savior. No ordinary man could do this for we were too weak and could not keep the law and could not live a sinless life. The sinful nature was inborn in all of us. The savior had to be God, yet had to be man. God's Son, Jesus Christ had to become flesh and blood. He had to leave His place in heaven and become one of us in order to save us. According to the law, breaking the law brings death both eternally and physically. Sin separates from God. Jesus came and did not break the law, did not sin and when the time appointed came, He offered up himself to be the sacrificial lamb that was to be sacrificed to pay for all our sins. He was the only one worthy to be that sacrifice. A lamb sacrificed as an offering for sin had to be spotless and Jesus Christ had to be without any sin himself so that when he died, He died without just cause since he did not break the law and did not sin. His death paid the penalty for sin on our behalf. Now we who believe do not have to die for our own sins. Our physical bodies will temporarily have to die but the eternal soul that dwells within us will not have to die a spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God in hell. The soul that sins, shall die the scripture says. Through Jesus that sin is paid for and we don't have to die eternally.

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

We were all slaves to sin and Satan. Jesus paid the price for our freedom. Jesus came and was made after the law born of woman to redeem those who were under the law. We become children of God when we receive His Spirit into our hearts.

7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

They were observing rituals again. Being religious using outward religious feasts, rites and service to appear religious but left off godly living which comes as a result of the gospel. There is no substitute of the cleansing of the inner man by the new birth. The fountain of living water flowing through our spirit. Praise God. The gospel is a cleansing, renewing, refreshing, flowing, pure, change in the inward man that makes alive. A good comparison is clean, pure, mountain stream flowing freely without any pollution. Why do we even desire to go back under any kind of bondage whether it be sin or trying to observe religious rituals? We are to be free to serve God out of love, peace and in joy. We now can serve God because we want to. We receive His Holy Spirit because we want to receive. If we are right in our hearts we will not want to sin, commit adultery, or spend all our time in worldly pastimes etc. We will want to spend time in the presence of our Lord and in His word.

12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

Paul was upset and in doubt of the Galatians because they were once zealous for the gospel and so full of love that they would have plucked out their eyes and given them to Paul if it would have been possible. They appeared to be a little troubled at Paul because of his correction. Paul marvels that they who begun in the spirit desired to go back under the bondage of the law to trust in it for their salvation instead of Christ. He is speaking mostly of the ritual of circumcision. This divided them from Gentile believers because they did not observe that ritual. Paul was saying that they were saved by faith in Christ not observing days, months, feasts, and rituals. Religion is no substitute for the new birth. The inward man is renewed, revived and changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. No outward observance can replace it. The law pointed us to Christ our savior. The law pointed out what sin was and was in force until the one came to deliver us from the curse of the law and bring us to a new and better way of salvation. Before Christ we had no inner power and strength to keep from sin. The human nature will sin unless it is changed by the power of God and filled with the Holy Spirit. Yes we are then capable of sin because we are never without a will to choose. In Jesus Christ though we are given God's Holy Spirit to give us victory over sin. We can choose to yield to this Holy Spirit of go back to our old ways.

16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

They were in danger of falling from grace and were listening to those who wanted them under bondage to the law again. They were losing the love of God and getting angry at Paul for telling them the truth. Paul was only trying to restore them back to the right way of salvation. Nothing takes the place of trust in Christ. Nothing guards against sin like completely trusting in Christ.  Let us be careful not to get angry with those that are trying to correct us in the word of God.

22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

He compares Abraham's two sons. One was born by a bondmaid and one by a free woman. The one was born by the flesh. There was nothing spiritual or miraculous about his birth. This birth was natural. Hagar represented the old law and the old covenant. The birth of Isaac was a miracle. Sarah represented a new covenant and a new way. The new covenant was a new way, which came by the grace and gift of God. There was nothing Sarah could do to have a child. She was barren and also past the age of childbearing. She gave birth by the mercy, power and help of God. It represented a new free gift of God. Slavery and religious observances cannot deliver us from sin and bondage. Faith in Christ does. The new covenant has the power to change the inner man, the real us. 

24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Religion alone is not enough to save. Religion cannot change the heart of man. Religion is sometimes bondage. Sometimes it is hate instead of love. Salvation by faith in Jesus Christ brings freedom from all that. Hate is a heavy burden to carry. Fear is another one. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, a gift from God through faith in the Son, Jesus Christ comes a power to overcome sin, to love, to have joy, peace, contentment. This is more than religion. It's a new beginning, a new way.

27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

This should cause rejoicing. The teaching of faith allows the gospel to come to anyone no matter what our natural birth was. Whether we be Jew, Gentile, man, woman, child, weak, strong, Arabian, Asian, European, or any other race, we can be part of the new covenant. The spiritual birth comes by way of faith and not works of the law.

Notes on Galatians 5

Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

In Jesus Christ we are free and not under bondage any more. Whether it be sin, alcohol, ordinances, the law of Moses, fear or anything else that binds. We are under a new covenant and have a new nature that does not desire the old ways. To really be free is to desire the pure, fresh indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

2  Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

If you practice circumcision for religious purposes and not trust in Christ alone for salvation then you are under the law again and have an obligation to keep the whole law. This does not mean that you can't circumcise for health reasons but if it is for religious reasons so that you may be "more saved" it profits nothing. The new covenant announces a new way of salvation because the old way could not perfect those that tried to keep it. They were still found with fault. They could not possibly walk in love, in faith and in purity because the way of holiness had not yet come. When Jesus came and made that perfect sacrifice, the way of holiness was made and all those that trust in Him for their salvation.  All can receive the spirit that makes it possible to walk in holiness. Before Jesus, walking and living holy was impossible for the natural person. Jesus was the first man in the flesh to be able to live upon the earth without sin. He made it possible for us to be made worthy to inherit the kingdom of God. He gave us His Spirit abiding in our hearts to teach us, to lead us, to show us the way of holiness. Oh that we would yield to the Holy Spirit and be taught, be filled, and allow the presence of God into our lives. If we did this we would never, never regret our decision.

 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

If we try to go back under the law or trust in some other way of salvation, we fall from grace. There is no religious substitute for the righteousness that comes by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. None.

We can feed the poor (and we should), we can build hospitals, we can do all manner of good deeds to help our fellow men (and we should) but that will not save us apart from faith in Jesus Christ. He is the permanent sacrifice for our salvation.

God made Him the only way of salvation. To reject that gift from God is to destroy our own souls. It's like slapping God in the face to reject His Son who paid such a high price for our salvation. Thank you Lord God for making a beautiful way for our salvation that we can be free from bondage. Our past can be wiped out and our future lead by the Holy Spirit which is freely given to those who ask.

9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

Paul was pleading for these believers and warning them that the ones troubling them with false teachings will bear judgment and be cut off.

11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

Paul suffered persecution for preaching of salvation by Jesus Christ.

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

We have been redeemed from the law and called to liberty. We have been free from sin and free from the curse of the law, but we are not to use this liberty to allow ourselves to think we can sin and still be saved. If we go back into sin from which we have been forgiven of, we bring ourselves again into bondage. The law is fulfilled in one word to love our neighbor as ourselves. We cannot do this unless we have the Spirit of God abiding within us. Try to love without it, and it will not work. The first time someone makes us mad we would immediate start to hate. The new covenant also brings with it the responsibility to live righteous but it is a righteousness that comes by Jesus Christ and His abiding Holy Spirit that gives us the ability to live in this new righteousness. It is a gift of God and not something we possess in our old natural self.

15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Here is the key to living a Holy life. Walk in the Spirit. Once we have been filled with the Holy Spirit it is still possible to allow ourselves to be moved away from God. This is what the Galatians were doing. They were being led astray into another religion. If we daily yield to the Holy Spirit and "Watch and Pray" like the Lord warned his disciples in the garden, we will not be led astray into something else other than the gospel.

Walk in the Spirit and we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Here is the answer to why some succumb to sin and some do not.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

This makes it plain that the new covenant in Jesus Christ does not teach us that we can go back into sin and still expect to inherit salvation. It is possible to backslide and lose the way of salvation but we don't have to if we continue in the things of God and allow His Holy Spirit to lead us.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

These are the things we should have in our lives instead of sin. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Wow, this is freedom, this is liberty. To truly have the deep down pure love of God is liberty. Hate is a heavy, heavy burden by which we can be free in Jesus Christ.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

When we truly walk in the spirit, we will not be racists, we will not desire to receive all the glory and praise of man, we will not envy, we will love. That is true liberty.

Notes on Galatians 6

Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

I love this verse. A spirit of meekness is needed in correction and restoration. We should desire to restore. We should desire that someone who strays away from the truth be restored to "walking in the spirit." This should be done in the spirit of meekness. Not in a holier than thou, I'm more spiritual than you, spirit. We need to consider that in the same circumstances, we may be subject to the same temptations.

Jude 1:23 says And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Remember we are not to hate and despise the one in trouble here but to hate the fact that sin and the works of the flesh stain the garment.

James 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

If we see a fellow believer sin and restore them in the spirit of meekness, we will save a soul from being lost eternally.

Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

We fulfill the law of Christ when we show love and care one for another. Our desire should be to see people converted, delivered and changed. We should never desire vengeance and to see someone suffer loss.

3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

 This returns to the subject of walking in meekness. We should never think ourselves above being capable of falling into sin.

1 Cor 10:12 says, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 

4  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

We should search our own hearts and motives to make sure that we are walking in the light and in the spirit.

Phil 2:12 says, "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Communicate good things and things that edify.

Col 4: 6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

What a treasure the word of God is. We rob ourselves of more precious things than gold or silver when we neglect this word.

We sow what we reap. If we seek the things of the world, we will reap the fruits of the world, if we seek the things of the spirit, we will reap the fruit of the spirit. If we live by violence, we will receive the fruit of violence. Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

If we walk for this life only and neglect our souls we will reap eternal death. Let us continually seek God and seek to walk in Him so that we not only save our own souls but those who may be influenced by our testimony.

9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Take advantage of opportunities to share our faith, show kindness to others, especially to fellow believers. We reap what we sow. The Lord gives back to us what we give.

10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 

We have an obligation to show kindness to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.
12 As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.
13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Paul now returns to the topic of which he is writing this letter. He again warns against moving away from the truth of the gospel to outward religious observances that have nothing to do with the saving of the soul. Our center of attention concerning salvation is Jesus Christ, his death to pay for sins and his resurrection to show the eternal life that is to come to us who believe.

Here is the sum. In Jesus Christ circumcision or uncircumcision avails nothing. What counts is being a new creature in Christ Jesus, old things are passed away and all things become new.

16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Paul seems to be saying, "Enough of these things that do not pertain to salvation and the word." He was persecuted for preaching the word and bore in his body the marks of Jesus. He wanted them to seek those things that edify and that mattered and get out of the unessential outward fleshly things that did not matter.

18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.