Jessica Fernandes

Dr. McCaulley
Sermon on Galatians 5:1-5

Let’s pray. Lord, you are merciful. You are incomprehensible. We praise you for your

mighty works and mighty love. I ask that you enable me to preach your Word truthfully.

Deepen our faith and joy in the glory of your Gospel. Amen.

Good morning church. We’ve made it to the fifth chapter of Galatians. Let’s do a brief

review of what we have learned about Galatians thus far:

Why did Paul write Galatians? He wrote Galatians because the people of Galatia fell into

Judaizing practices; they thought they needed to follow the Law and be circumcised to be

justified. Paul wrote to them to defend the Gospel and let them know the Gospel he preaches is

the official Gospel of the church in Jerusalem.

Now to our passage for this morning. The big idea in Galatians 5:1-15 is that nothing is

required for salvation outside of Jesus. Following the Law won’t save you and circumcision

won’t say you. You are justified by grace through faith. Paul says as justified people, live in

freedom, loving and serving one another.

Let’s read the first five chapters, starting in verse one,

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of

slavery. 2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no

advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to

keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you

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have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the

hope of righteousness.”

We are free because Christ has set us free. We once were stuck under the condemnation

of sin, trying to work our way through laws and practices to be in right relationship with God.

Now, we are free to live under Christ instead of boondage to sin. In verse 2 we read that “ if you

accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.” Going back to the old Jewish ways

of following the Torah has severe implications for the Gospel of Christ. Jesus came to take the

curse of the Law from us in order that we can be justified before God through Jesus and receive

the Spirit. If we accept the old way of the law, then we are not taking part in the inheritance

granted to us.

Here’s the thing, if you accept circumcision, then you will be expected to live out the

Law and keep the whole Law. The Jews were commanded to keep the law for thousands of

years and they failed over and over again. For under the law are the curses of death, slavery, and

disinheritance as we find in Deuternomy 4. Humans will not be able to perfectly follow the law

given by God, for we are broken people living in a sinfully broken world. If the Galatians

wanted to keep the Law, instead of receiving the free gift of salvation through Jesus, then they

would be severed from grace as read in verse 4. The Law leaves no room for grace. Verse 4

says, “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away

from grace.” The Greek word for “severed” means “to be separated,” or, “to be estranged.” The

word for “fallen” means “to lose one’s grasp on something.” Theologian John MacArthur states

Paul’s message in verse 4 as such: “Any attempt to be justified by the law is to reject salvation

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by grace alone through faith alone1.” Those exposed to the gracious truths of the gospel who

turn their backs on Christ and seek justification through the law are separated from Christ who

brings salvation.

How do we know how to live as justified followers of Christ without the Law? Do we

have rules to follow? If we mess up, are we doomed for all eternity?

Galatians tells us how we are under the grace of God, but we are not to abuse that

freedom in the way we live our lives. As believers, we have faith in God, a faith that rests on a

steadfast God. Paul says that genuine faith will express itself in love2 in verse 6. For a person

who lives by faith is motivated to love God, therefore will also be obedient to God, worship him,

and love others. We read in verses 7-12 how living faithfully can be very difficult, as I am sure

we all know from our personal experience. We encounter people who tells us it’s okay to sin, or

hear other religious teachings that sound more appealing to the way of life we want to live.

Paul’s phrase, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump,” essentially means, “one bad apple spoils

the bunch3.” False teachers are out there, and we are at risk of being corrupted if we do not

continually try to live faithfully to Christ. We are still forgiven by God if and when we do sin,

but that forgiveness is not an excuse to keep on sinning. God’s love is never ending and nothing

can separate us from his love. Because he loves us, we are to live our lives in love and service to

God.

Galatians teaches us that you are to love your neighbor as yourself.

We live as faithful Christians by choosing to live for others and not for selfish fulfillment.

Verse 13 says, “do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love, serve

1
John MacArthur Study Bible, 1750
2
Keener, 236
3
Keener, 238

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one another.” The Christian faith rests on God’s sacrificial love for us, that he sent his son to die

in our place. Jesus did not die for us so that we could live out our selfish desires and follow our

passions. Jesus died for us so we could live in a lifegiving, loving relationship with Him and the

people around us.

Paul gives the antithesis of loving one another in verse 15; relating humans to wild beasts

who devour one another. When we don’t love one another, we are living as savages, leading to

destruction. Christ came so we can have a way to live freely from sin, free from destruction, and

within his loving grace.

Galatians 5:1-15 tells us of our freedom in Christ and how we cannot earn justification,

but receive justification through faith in Christ. Nothing else in the world will fulfill your life,

relationships, and desires like Jesus will. Jesus gives us the way to live; no more searching, no

more hiding. You are welcome into God’s kingdom with open arms.

You are loved. Go in peace.