The Strand Study Bible

Written From Ephesus During Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

GALATIANS 4:25 - 5:19

1957

5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumci- sion availeth any thing, nor uncircumci- sion; but faith which worketh by love. 7 Ye did 13 run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 14 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise mind- ed: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. 11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circum- cision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. 12 I would 15 they were even cut off which trouble you. 13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto 16 liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Love thy neighbor as thyself means “Learning to walk in the SPIRIT ” 14 For 17 all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; 18 Thou shalt love thy neigh- bour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. The constant battle between our flesh (old nature) and the HOLY SPIRIT (new nature; new man) 16 This I say then, Walk 19 in the SPIRIT , and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 20 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are mani- fest, which are these; Adultery, fornication,

bondage, which is 1 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. 27 For it is written, 2 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 3 PROMISE . 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh 4 persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, 5 even so it is now. Ishmael (law and bondage) verses Isaac (grace and liberty) (See - Romans 11:6) 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? 6 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. Galatians 5 1 Stand fast therefore in the 7 liberty where- with Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the 8 yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be 9 circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, 10 that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, 11 whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are 12 fallen from grace. The law of bondage (good works) and the promise of grace (freedom in CHRIST ) cannot co-exist (See - Romans 4:4 & 11:6) Date Written - c. AD 54

1. that is, “Hagar” - Gen 16:1-11 2. Quoted from the OT - Isa 54:1 3. or, “covenant” - Acts 3:25 4. Gen 21:9 5. Mt 5:11-12 6. Quoted from the OT - Gen 21:10 7. Gal 2:1-4 8. Acts 15:10 & Gal 2:4 9. Acts 15:1 & Gal 2:3 10. Lev 18:5 & Rom 2:25 & Gal 3:10 11. Rom 9:30-33 12. Rom 11:6 Note - Paul did not mean here that Christians could “fall from grace” (lose their salvation). That would contradict everything Paul taught, as well as Jesus ( Jn 10:28-29 and Rev 2:7 ). The context clearly denotes that Paul was speaking to unsaved people here. No matter what church Paul consider the fact that there would be “tares” (unsaved people) amongst the “wheat” (saved people) within local congregations (Mt 13:24-33 and Colo 1:23 ). 13. I Cor 9:24 & II Tim 4:7-8 14. Mt 13:33 & I Cor 5:6 15. Gal 1:7 & 2:4 16. Gal 2:1-4 & Deut 21:15 17. Mt 22:39-40 18. Quoted from the OT - Lev 19:18 19. or, “by” - Rom 8:4 20. Rom 7:15-25 addressed, he always had to

5:16-17 There are two natures within every believer ( I Jn 3:9d ): (1) the flesh (old nature); and (2) the SPIRIT (new nature). According to the Bible, these two natures battle constantly ( For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh ) for control of the believer’s life (Rom 7:15-25). Thus, in every believer there remains the liberty to sin. The new birth is not, as so many suppose, a change of heart, nor the removal of the carnal nature, but is the reception of an entirely new nature. The new birth is neither the elimination nor the transformation of the old nature, but is the communication and impartation of a new nature, a spiritual nature, the Divine nature. As long as the old, carnal nature remains in the believer, there is always a possibility of the believer sinning. Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Nobel Prize winning author notes in The Gulag Archipelago :

Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either –but right through every human heart… And even in the best of all hearts, there remains…an un-uprooted small corner of evil. 1

1 Solzhenitsyn, Alexander. The Gulag Archipelago , Vol. 2. N.p.: Harper Perennial Modern Classics. 2002. Print.