The Love Motivation | Galatians 5:1-15
- We receive God’s grace because of God’s love, and this sets the Christian free.
“Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. And I went up because of a revelation, and I laid out to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, lest someone I might be running or had run in vain. But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. But this was because of the false brothers secretly brough in, who had sneaked in to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.”
--Galatians 2:1-4
The Church in Galatia has been brought astray by a group of Jewish priests, or Jewish converts who are teaching the gentiles that salvation must be earned through the Jewish law, the law of Moses (Ten Commandments and the Levitical Laws in Leviticus).
Paul’s main message to the church is to find Freedom in Christ instead of being bound by earning Christ’s love through following the Levitical law.
“It was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore, stand firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are being justified by law; you have fallen from grace!”
--Galatians 5:1-4
“It was for freedom”
ἐλευθερία eleuthería, from G1658; liberty to do or to omit things having no relationship to salvation, true liberty is living as we should not as we please
“Freedom” –Modern Definition (Oxford).
The power or right to do or say what you want without anyone stopping you
In many of Paul’s letters to the church he will instruct the church on how to operate in Christ’s love, truth and mercy with each other. When teaching on the Spiritual Gifts of the church, how the church operates in ministry with one another, we must first understand the function of the gifts and the motivation behind the gifts. The Spiritual gifts for the church are NOT the main function of the church—they are not the end all be all of ministry or the main result of ministry rather they are a means that God gives the church to help the church operate under Christ and in His love, truth and mercy.
“For we through the Spirit, by faith, are eagerly waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
--Galatians 5:5-9
The Christian receives the love of Christ through their faith in Christ. “But faith working through Love.” Why do we do anything that we do for Christ? Because we love Him, because we understand what He has given us, that He has truly saved us, freed us, from the law, giving us salvation as a free gift of grace.
“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith, for a demonstration of His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.”
--Romans 3:21-27
“The opposite of a slave is not a free man. It’s a worshiper. The one who is most free is the one who turns the work of his hands into sacrament, into offering. All he makes and all he does are gifts from God, through God, and to God.”
--Mark Buchanan
- Don’t believe false teachers. Salvation through Faith is the gospel of Jesus Christ—the gifts, abilities and works of the church is not the gospel.
Paul now turns towards those who were teaching this church false teaching of salvation by works through the Jewish law. For many churches, especially in our charismatic circles, we tend to elevate certain practices and parts of scripture to the same level as the gospel: Spiritual gifts has become this for Charismatic movements including Pentecostalism.
“I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view. But the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross would have been abolished. I wish that those who are upsetting you would even mutilate themselves. For you were called to freedom, brothers; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
--Galatians 5:10-13
“Legalism can’t handle the offense of the cross. The whole point of Jesus dying on the cross was to say, “You can’t save yourself. I must die in your place or you have absolutely no hope at all.” When we trust in legalism, we believe that we can, at least in part, save ourselves. This takes away the offense of the cross, which should always offend the nature of fallen man. In this sense, the offense of the cross is really the glory of the cross, and legalism takes this glory away.”
--Enduring Word Commentary
Someone might accuse Paul of preaching circumcision because he asked Timothy to be circumcised (Acts 16:1-3). But Paul didn’t have Timothy circumcised so Timothy could be saved or “more saved.” He did it so Timothy could more freely evangelize among unsaved Jewish people. Paul has been freed from the Jewish law. Paul no longer needs to be circumcised, needs to practice the Sabbath, needs to follow food laws, clothes laws, ceremonial annual sacrificial laws in order to have atonement for his sin—Christ has achieved and fulfilled all of that, Christ is the law, Christ is the way, Christ is the example.
Paul has built much of this letter reminding this church of God’s love for them through their freedom from the legalistic law of atonement and salvation. Paul speaks of this freedom several times in this letter (Gal. 2:4; 4:26, 31; 5:1).
“But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. But this was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.”
--Galatians 2:3-5
This is the entire point for Paul’s letter to the Galatians. It all culminates right here in Galatians 5:1-15—Paul is dealing with their legalism head on and reestablishing the gospel truth of Christ’s freedom through redemption for humanity.
- Church! Love each other, build each other up, point each other to Christ do not devour your neighbor rather love your neighbor.
“For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another.”
--Galatians 5:14-15
This is a direct command, a direct pull, from Jesus Christ Himself. Paul’s Letters are all structured in a similar way. Thanksgiving, Theological or doctrinal issues, then he ends with Conduct, how to live according to Christ, how to apply correct doctrine which was just addressed. This chapter in Galatians is focused on conduct—how the church should act towards each other.
“Jesus answered, ‘The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.’”
--Mark 12:29-31
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ‘For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.’”
--Matthew 5:17-20
Jesus makes it very clear a sign of a true believer is love for their neighbour, love for their fellow Christian (Christ follower) and a love for Christ.
“LOVE your Neighbour.”
ἀγαπάω agapáō, (much) (or compare H5689); to love (in a social or moral sense):—(be-)love(-ed). Of persons to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly
This is a future active indicative verb meaning Paul is reminding them of a future action that will come out of following Christ—that future action will be to “Love Your Neighbor”
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
--Matthew 5:43-45