I am studying Galatians 5 today. Here are a few points of thought that hit me today through my studying:
- (5:6) The verse ends by saying “What is important is faith expressing itself in love.” – In this verse Paul was preaching that salvation comes through faith in Christ, not the law (Circumcision). If you read VERSE 6 Paul comments that whether circumcised or not circumcised, it didn’t matter to God, but what was the most important was expressing our faith in love. Powerful!!! If I desire to please God, I must express my faith to others and to Him in love. This means I have to put it into action, not just talk about it!
- (5:7-9) Paul writes that the believers were getting along so well. He then questions, “Who has interfered with you to hold you back from following the truth?” Paul goes on to mention that it is definitely not God who has done this. Finally in verse 9 Paul makes this statement, “But it takes only one wrong person among you to infect all the others…” 2 things jump out at me here: 1. Paul didn’t say who is holding you back from believing the truth, he said who is holding you back from following the truth. Once again Paul is calling us to action. We can believe all day long…what we do with that belief is essential. 2. “Who?” Paul asks Who is holding you back, not what…He then continues to comment that one wrong person can “infect” all the others. Infect? Powerful word!!! I can allow one wrong person to infect my life to the place I do not follow truth, and then by my allowing that wrong person to infect my life, they will then be given the power to infect all of the others around me and in my sphere of influence. It makes me want to take an inventory of who I give power to in my life and who I am spending my life with. Influence is powerful.
- Final thoughts…(5:19-21) This has always jumped out at me, and it still does. How do I know if I am living according to God’s Word, how do I know that my lifestyle matches up with what God desires for me? These verses serve as a great checklist for our lives. If you are living in a manner that reflects the items in these verses, it is likely that you are living a life that is controlled by your sinful nature versus a life that is surrendered for the Glory of God: Here is the checklist from the NLT Version: 1. Sexual immorality 2. Impure thoughts 3. Eagerness for lustful pleasure 4. Idolatry 5. Participation in demonic activities 6. Hostility 7. Quarreling 8. Jealousy 9. Outburst of anger 10. Selfish ambition 11. Divisions 12. The feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group 13. Envy 14. Drunkenness 15. Wild parties 16. And other kinds of sin…as if he didn’t cover them all. The tough question is this, “How many areas of my life fall prey to these items?” To grow we have to be honest about where we are at in our lives so we can strengthen the weak areas.
Nick
