Freedom in Christ

Paul says that Christ has set his people free for freedom itself, so they must not submit again to a yoke of slavery. To seek justification through circumcision is to take on the whole law and fall away from grace, whereas those who live by the Spirit wait in faith for the hope of righteousness, knowing that in Christ what counts is faith working through love.

I¹t is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery. ²Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. ³Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. ⁴You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. ⁵But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the hope of righteousness. ⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. What matters is faith expressing itself through love.

Paul says the Galatians had been running well, but some persuasion has cut across their obedience and does not come from the one who calls them. He warns that a little leaven spreads far, expresses confidence that the church will return to the truth, and speaks with cutting severity about those who are agitating them and trying to remove the cross's offense.

⁷You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth? ⁸Such persuasion does not come from the One who calls you. ⁹A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough. ¹⁰I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be. ¹¹Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. ¹²As for those who are agitating you, I wish they would proceed to emasculate themselves!

Paul reminds the Galatians that they were called to freedom, but not to use freedom as an opening for the flesh. Instead they are to serve one another in love, for the law is fulfilled in neighbor-love, and if they continue devouring one another they will destroy themselves.

¹³For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love. ¹⁴The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.