Galatians 5-6: The Only Thing That Matters

We wrap up Galatians with Paul’s strongest contrast between grace and performance, then we slow down and ask what freedom in Christ actually looks like in real life. We come back to the final line that keeps everything centered: the only thing that matters is a new creation. 
• background on the Galatian churches and why Paul writes so bluntly 
• freedom in Christ versus returning to a yoke of slavery 
• circumcision and law keeping as additions to the gospel 
• faith working through love as the real marker of belonging 
• living by the Spirit instead of feeding the flesh 
• works of the flesh versus fruit of the Spirit as a life check 
• restoring someone gently while watching yourself 
• not growing weary in doing good over time 
• boasting only in the cross and walking as a new creation 

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Transcript

Welcome And Why Galatians Matters

SPEAKER_00 0:11

Welcome to the Out Loud Bible Podcast. This is Mike. We're reading through the book of Galatians, and today we actually get to wrap up this letter to the Galatians. The Galatians were actually a region of churches in multiple cities throughout this region of modern-day Turkey. And specifically, the major cities were Lystra, Iconium, Derby. We can read Paul's encounters with these cities and starting these churches in Acts 13 and 14. And he writes this letter sometime after having planted these churches, after hearing that they have drifted from the simple message of freedom, of faith in Christ through the grace of God, and have started believing some of what the local Jewish traditionalists have been trying to force on them, this idea, well, you have to be circumcised to be one of God's people now. And you got to live this way and do the Jewish law this way, and then you can be accepted by God. And so there's just this mix of additional doctrines that Paul's like, no, no, no, no, no. This is not, this is not the gospel. People are adding things. And so the first four chapters, he's been railing on this false doctrine and those who are perpetuating it and appealing to these Galatians is like, hey, you know, we started with such a good relationship. Now people are teaching you wrong things and turning you against me. And can we just go back to the basics? The first four chapters are kind of intense and Paul is not pulling punches. Today, in the conclusion of the letter, Paul is gonna shift to maybe a little more positive forward-looking uh talk here as he tries to encourage the believers with truth and what to expect as we live out freedom in Christ. He'd had to define what freedom in Christ is and and defend why that is true. And now today he's gonna kind of paint a picture of what living in the freedom of Christ really looks like. So this is Galatians 5 through 6 in the New English Translation. For freedom, Christ has set us free. Stand firm

Freedom Over Circumcision And Law

SPEAKER_00 2:24

then and don't be subject again to the yoke of slavery. Listen, I, I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all. And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ. You've fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight. The only thing that matters is faith working through love. You were running well Who prevented you from obeying the truth? Hm? This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise. I'm confident in the Lord that you'll accept no other view. But the one who's confusing you will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. Now, brothers and sisters, if I'm still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case, well the offense of the cross has been removed. Yeah, I wish those agitators would go so far as to castrate themselves. For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters. Only don't use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, you must love your neighbor as yourself. However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you're not consumed by one another. But I say, live by the spirit, and you'll not carry out the desires of the flesh, for the flesh has desires that are opposed to the spirit, and the spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you can't do what you want. But if you're led by the spirit, you're not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. And I'm warning you, as I've warned you before, those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there's no law. Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let's also behave in accordance with the Spirit. Let's not become conceited, provoking one another, being jealous of one another. Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual, restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay

Flesh Versus Spirit In Daily Life

SPEAKER_00 6:23

close attention to yourself so that you're not tempted to. So we must not grow weary in doing good. For in due time we will reap if we don't give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let's do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith. See what big letters I make as I write to you in my own hand. Those who want to make a good showing in external matters are trying to force you to be circumcised.

Boasting Only In The Cross

SPEAKER_00 7:46

They do so only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. For those who are circumcised don't obey the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your flesh. But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything. The only thing that matters is a new creation. And all who will behave in accordance with this rule peace and mercy be on them and on the Israel of God. From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen. With that, can we just conclude with Paul's own conclusion? The only thing that matters is a new creation. This new

The Only Thing That Matters

SPEAKER_00 9:03

creation made possible by the work of Jesus. All that matters is a new creation. Are you being made new in Christ Jesus today by his grace and through faith? Doesn't matter what religion you were brought up in, it doesn't matter what your parents believe, it doesn't matter how many good things you've done or have not done. The only thing that matters is a new creation. Are you being made new through your faith in Christ? Is the Spirit growing fruit in you that you can see that others can experience? Love, joy, peace, patience. Are you growing in these things? The only thing that matters is a new creation through faith in Christ. Praise God for that, and may we continue to lean into the work that Jesus is doing to continue to make us new every day. That's the Thinking Out Loud thought for the day. Thanks for joining me here in the book of Galatians. I'm excited to continue walking through Paul's letters with you. We'll see you next time on the Out Loud Bible Podcast.