1:1 — God the Father.
God is not distant—He is near to you and faithful to help you. Often, we receive our idea of who the Lord is from our earthly fathers, but He does not have human faults or failings. God is trustworthy, strong, and true. He loves you unconditionally. And you can always depend on Him because He always acts in your best interest.
1:3, 4 — The Lord Jesus Christ . . . gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.
Jesus saved us out of this evil age—a time when people do and worship whatever they please, but find no fulfillment, love, or comfort. He does this so that we might become “blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15).
1:6 — I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel.
The churches in the region of Galatia were being led astray by the Judaizers—Jewish Christians who thought Gentile believers should be required to keep the law in order to attain salvation (Acts 15:1, 5). Paul was astounded that the people would be so easily influenced by the Judaizers’ claims and so quickly forget that salvation was by the grace of God and not by works. Yet we do the same thing whenever we try to earn God’s love instead of just obeying Him out of thankfulness.
1:8 — Even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
Whenever someone advances a message other than the gospel of Jesus Christ or deviates from what the Bible clearly teaches, run for your life. That person promotes death, not life. Gentile believers were confused because they knew Jesus was a Jew and thought Jewish Christians would understand His requirements better than they did. Although this was true in part, the Judaizers were perverting the gospel of grace by adding unnecessary requirements to it.
1:11 — I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
We do not have a responsibility to please other people because the gospel of salvation by grace through faith—by which we receive new life through our risen Savior, Jesus Christ—is not of human invention. Paul did not conceive it, nor did the other disciples. It comes directly from God—and He is the One we strive to serve and honor because He is the only One who has a right to judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42, 43).
1:15, 16 — God . . . was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles.
Paul presents a biographical sketch of what happened to him when he was saved on the Damascus Road. He was opposed to Jesus Christ and the church until the Lord humbled him (Acts 9:1–22; 22:3–21). With this testimony, he establishes his credentials as a true apostle, which the Judaizers could not counter. Often, we may believe that our trials disqualify us from service, but the Lord uses them to humble us, get our attention, and teach us His ways (Phil. 3:7–11).
2:4 — False brethren secretly . . . sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage.
The Judaizers sent spies to see whether Paul was requiring new Gentile believers to be circumcised, as was customary in the Jewish religion (Gen. 17:9–14; Acts 15:1, 5). They probably believed they were guarding the faith, but what they were really doing was being distracted by issues that were no longer important and creating conflict within the church. There is something about freedom that many people, even within the church, simply cannot tolerate. They will try all sorts of tactics, both obvious and veiled, to bring you under their control. Don’t let them. Trust in God.
2:12 — Prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.
The Law discouraged faithful Jews from consorting with Gentiles (Deut. 7:1–6). However, when Jesus announced the Great Commission, He included non-Jews in His command, saying, “Make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:19). Peter was faithful to this mission until some Jewish Christians began to criticize him (Acts 11:2, 3).
2:13 — The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
We should never imagine that our choices affect only ourselves and no one else. Peter led Cornelius and his household to the Lord even though they were Gentiles (Acts 10), but then refused to eat with other Gentiles because of pressures from his Jewish brethren (Gal. 2:12). He did not intend for his hypocritical example to influence others, but it did. Our responsibility is to obey God and leave the consequences to Him because that is the only way to be sure that we are building the church and not harming it by our actions.
2:16 — A man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus . . . since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
We cannot keep the Ten Commandments or abide by the Sermon on the Mount and expect it to be sufficient to save us. In fact, we cannot do anything to compel the Lord to forgive us. Our only choice is to look to the Cross and accept that when Jesus died at Calvary, His shed blood paid our sin-debt in full. Salvation is only attained through faith in His great sacrifice.
2:19 — “Through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God.”
Through the law, we realize our sinfulness and our helplessness to save ourselves (Rom. 7:7). When we trust in Jesus and so receive eternal life, we don’t somehow get around the law. Rather, Jesus fulfilled the whole law, and by identifying with Him in His death and resurrection, we do too (Rom. 8:2–4).
2:20 — I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith.
Living the Christian life does not mean that we just try to do our best. Rather, to live the Christian life means that we allow Jesus Christ to live in and through us by faith. When we invite Christ to work in our lives and obey His commands, we become His representatives, and He works through us so others will be saved.
To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us.
Many Christians today seem content to live what they think is an adequate Christian life. They believe that if they go to church, read their Bible occasionally, and say their prayers once in a while, they will be all right with God. Occasionally, they may be inspired to go above and beyond their normal routine and volunteer to serve others as an usher, a member of a church committee, or even go on a short-term mission trip. Though they go through the motions of being a “good Christian,” they do not enjoy the power, peace, and joy that should come with the abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10). Eventually, the counterfeit Christian life they are living becomes a burden and does not comfort them when the storms of adversity assail.
This was not what you were created for. God does not call you or any believer to a marginal Christian life characterized by chores and rituals. He desires to have a daily relationship with you where you experience His presence and trust Him for wisdom, courage, and strength in all situations. With every step you take, decision you make, conversation you have, and thought you entertain, the Lord wants to glorify Himself through you. He desires to shine in your life—with His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control illuminating your unique talents, traits, and personality as you walk in obedience to Him.
In other words, to live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live in and through you. That is why Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Gal. 2:20).
How do you allow Jesus to do so? In what way does He live in and through you? If these two questions seem difficult or confusing to you, you aren’t alone. Many people never realize how powerfully Christ could demonstrate His life through them. This is because many believe that the key to living the Christian life starts with pious acts, when it really begins with a deep, intimate relationship with Him.
Therefore, to answer the first question: How do you allow Jesus to do this?—you must realize the answer comes by working on your relationship with Christ. You do this through Bible study, prayer, worship, and fellowship with other believers. You not only learn about Him, but you must also listen to Him, because He will teach you how to love Him, live for Him, and walk in His ways.
The answer to the second question: In what way does He live in and through you?—is as unique as each believer who follows Him. This is because He has a special purpose for your life, and the most important thing you can ever do is simply obey Him—no matter what He tells you to do. God will allow situations and troubles in your life that only He can solve. This is so He can demonstrate His glory, power, love, and wisdom through you.
Is there anything distracting you from having an intimate relationship with the Lord? Have you failed to trust God’s sovereignty? Are you worried that you’re not doing enough to deserve a relationship with Him or that you could lose the eternal life He has given you? Then you need to return to the basic truth that your salvation is through faith in Christ and not by works. There is absolutely nothing you can do to earn it or be worthy of it. Therefore, there is nothing you can do or fail to do that would cause you to forfeit it either.
The issue is not your salvation but the impact of your life for Christ and the joy and fulfillment you receive from Him. God does not call you to an adequate life—He wants it to be extraordinary. However, for you to experience the life He planned for you, you must stop being distracted by peripheral issues and focus your attention completely on Him. Can you do it? Can you trust Jesus to live His life through you and take care of all that troubles you?
Of course you can! The God who redeems you can teach you how to live for Him. The Savior you trusted for your eternity is more than capable of taking care of all the matters that burden you daily and shining through you brightly so that others can know Him and be saved. Therefore, die to your notions of what the Christian life should be so you can experience true life in Him.
See the Life Principles Index for further study.
3:3 — Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Even though the Galatian believers had been redeemed by God’s grace, they thought that to maintain their salvation and to grow in Him, they would have to work hard by observing the Law of Moses. But what is begun by the Spirit must be completed by Him as well. The entire Christian experience is to be lived by faith in God’s provision, from beginning to end. We are justified, sanctified, and glorified by His grace, which we lay hold of by trusting and obeying Him.
3:6 — Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
God did not bless Abraham because of the sacrifices he brought. The Lord blessed Abraham because he obeyed Him—because he had faith that God’s commands were good and trustworthy. In fact throughout Israel’s history, it was never the offerings that brought the people forgiveness. Those sacrifices only foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ and His death at Calvary. God always blesses obedience, and obedience always follows genuine faith. If we do not obey, it is because we do not truly believe (Heb. 3:18, 19).
3:13 — Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.”
The law is a curse to us in that it denounces our sin and therefore condemns us to eternal separation from God. Jesus, our sinless Savior, accepted the punishment we deserved when He willingly went to the Cross. This is no small sacrifice. The most highly exalted Son of the Living God was cursed so that we could be reconciled to Him. Truly “all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” in comparison (Is. 64:6).
3:16 — The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.
Paul is referring to God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 22:18, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” The Lord fulfilled this promise to Abraham through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:25, 26; Rev. 5:9; 7:9, 10). Because of Christ, every person from every country and tribe on earth has the blessing of being able to know God.
3:24 — The law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
The purpose of the law was to lead us to a complete realization of our inadequacy—to show us that we can never make ourselves acceptable to God by our own efforts. We are absolutely dependent upon Him to provide it for us, which He did through Jesus Christ our Savior.
3:28 — There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Paul asserted that the ground is level at the foot of the Cross for all people. We all come to Christ as sinners—with the same level of need for salvation. It is only by faith in His grace that we are redeemed. God does not play favorites after we are saved, either—neither by economic or social status, nor by the role we are called to fulfill (Acts 10:34; Rom. 2:11). He makes us into a single unit, the body of Christ, and calls us all to serve Him in obedience.
4:4 — When the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son.
Although Israel prayed for the Messiah to come during its many terrible times of national crisis, God waited until the world was ready to receive His Son—when the message of the gospel could be carried to the ends of the earth. This came after Alexander the Great spread the Greek culture throughout the known world, creating a common language for missionaries to communicate the message. It also happened after the Romans created extensive highways connecting the nations and making the roads and seas safer for travel.
4:5 — So that He might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Jesus came to take our place—that is what redemption means. He gave His life so that we could receive forgiveness for our sins. But we are not only pardoned of our iniquities, we also are adopted into His heavenly family forever. We have the great and irrevocable privilege of being considered His true sons and daughters—of being blessed as His heirs (Rom. 8:15–18) “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).
4:6 — Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Abba is an Aramaic term for “father” that suggests warmth, closeness, confidence, and mutual delight. God wants to be our Abba, and His highest priority for our lives is an intimate relationship with Himself. So He sends His Spirit to indwell us—to show us what it means to be His children, to bless us with His great love, to reveal His purpose for creating us, and to empower us for all the great plans He has for our lives. He is loving and approachable, so call out in prayer to your beloved heavenly Father often.
4:19 — My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you.
Paul did all he could to make sure that those he led to the Lord grew spiritually. Often, people share the gospel and show others how to accept Jesus as their Savior, but they do not teach them how to embrace the abundant life He has given us. However, the goal of Christian life is not only to be saved and sin less. God redeems us for the purpose of having an intimate relationship with Him and transforming us into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29).
4:31 — We are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.
Paul contrasts the ordinary way Hagar bore Ishmael (Gen. 16) and the supernatural manner by which Sarah bore Isaac (Gen. 21:1–8) to show the difference between religion by works and a relationship with the Lord by faith in His promises. Although more people may adhere to religions based on laws, only those who trusted in Christ would be “heirs according to promise” and would receive eternal life (Gal. 3:29).
5:1 — It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
In some ways, it may seem easier to abide by a set of rules than to commit ourselves wholeheartedly to the Lord. But living by the law is not really living at all: “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6). We must fight against any impulse to conform to a legalistic mindset because that only leads us back into bondage. Rather, our service to God must be out of love and obedience to Him, because that is life at its very best.
5:13 — You were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
We are free in Christ, but we do not have license to sin because it no longer fits who we are as the children of God. Rather, we have been set free from every encumbrance to become who He created us to be—those who build up and encourage others through creative, Spirit-led ministries. Why would anyone who truly loves Jesus want to use his or her Cross-bought freedom to do anything that disgraces His name?
Answers to Life’s Questions
Why do I still have the impulse to sin?
When you placed your faith in Jesus Christ to forgive you of all your sins, were you filled with joy because of your new life in Him? Did the ungodly things you once did lose their attraction? Did you feel like you never wanted to sin again?
Sometimes at the beginning of our relationship with Christ, we begin to feel as if we could conquer every evil impulse. Unfortunately, that feeling of invincibility does not last long. We stumble badly. New temptations and trials bring to light areas of weakness in our lives that we thought we had conquered. We feel confused, ashamed, and even alarmed. We wonder, How could this happen? I thought I was supposed to be free from sin!
The truth is, Jesus has liberated us from our sins—but we must cooperate with what He has done for us. Paul wrote, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1). In other words, God has broken sin’s hold over us and has given us His Spirit, who directs us in living a life of freedom that is pleasing to Him. However, we can forfeit our liberty by selfishly choosing our way instead of God’s.
This is the basis of sin—we disobey the Lord in order to satisfy our own fleshly desires. Paul explains, “The flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please” (Gal. 5:17). The impulse to sin—also called the sin nature—remains within us and must be surrendered to God. This does not happen overnight, but is the continuing work of the Spirit within us. Paul affirms, “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (v. 16).
If you have accepted Christ as your Savior, you have been united with Him. His likeness and holiness are present within your life and He empowers you to resist temptation. Therefore, you must have faith that He can remove ungodly strongholds within your heart and that He will continuously work to set you free from all sin and bondage. Your responsibility is to say no to sin and yes to Him as He provides the all-encompassing liberty that your soul craves.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
5:19 — The deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality.
When pressures arise, it is quite evident what is really within us (Matt. 12:33–35; 15:18, 19). We may try to suppress our anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, or immorality, but after a while it all comes bubbling up to the surface. Why? Because human effort cannot hide the evil impulses of the flesh. This is why Christ must completely replace our old sinful nature with His holiness. Because He not only defeats these wicked urges, but He replaces them with His own godly characteristics.
5:22, 23 — The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
When we are in a union with Christ, the Holy Spirit’s primary responsibility is to produce His likeness in us. He teaches us how to be totally dependent upon God, which then produces an overflow of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in us. We cannot genuinely produce these qualities on our own because our sinfulness mars them. However, when we are completely reliant upon the Lord and obey the promptings of His Spirit, they flow from us freely and draw other people to Him.
Answers to Life’s Questions
What is the fruit of the Spirit and how does it grow in me?
Believers who truly walk in the Spirit radiate integrity. They do not hide their true feelings, harbor self-serving intentions, nor would they ever try to take advantage of you. In fact, you may feel as if you can trust them with your most intimate secrets. You may even find yourself opening up to them in a way that is quite uncharacteristic for you.
Spirit-filled believers do not pretend to be perfect. In fact, they often offer humble apologies before they are confronted with wrongdoing because the Spirit alerts them when they have offended or hurt someone. Secure in their relationship with the Lord and their worth in Him, they are able to respond quickly once they realize and admit their sin or error in judgment. They remember that the Holy Spirit is continually sanctifying them—transforming them into the image of Christ. Therefore, they are not discouraged, but are thankful that His grace is always available to them when they stumble and that He is teaching them to rise above their fleshly appetites and desires.
Specifically, their lives exude nine virtues: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This fruit is not simply a mark of the Spirit-filled life; it is the preeminent evidence of a life that is fully submitted to Jesus Christ.
When reading about God’s gift of grace, ask Him to show you how you can be more grace-filled with others. He may help you recall the unkind things you’ve done in the past, but when you surrender your will to Him, He will make you a kinder person who reflects His love to many.
Do you see the problem?
“I want to be more kind.”
“I need to act more loving.”
“I need to exercise more self-control.”
“I . . . I . . . I . . . I . . . I . . . ”
The fruit of the Spirit isn’t produced when we focus on ourselves—it is a result of being singularly centered on Christ (John 15:5). These virtues aren’t goals we can pursue, and they were never intended to demonstrate our dedication and resolve because you and I cannot yield fruit. Rather, the Holy Spirit is the producer and we are merely the bearers. And the harvest that results from our walk with Him merely reveals our dependency on and sensitivity to His promptings.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
24. To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us.
5:24 — Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Everyone who belongs to Christ has died with the Savior on the Cross. This means that we have given up our right to dictate the course of our lives because we realize that our fleshly inclinations only lead to disappointment and ruin (Prov. 14:12). We turn our lives over to the Lord because only He can lead us in the very best path possible.
What the Bible Says About
Keeping One Another Accountable
Many believers object to the idea of accountability because they don’t see how other people’s actions are any of their business—and they refuse to allow anyone into theirs.
Others mistakenly believe that the personal nature of our relationship with God excludes our need for mutual accountability. Although it is true that our relationship with the Lord is personal in nature, it is not true that it is completely private. The Bible teaches that we are accountable to God first and then to one another when it comes to our conducts and characters.
Accountability is defined as a relationship between believers wherein one has invited the other to observe the development of character in one or more areas. For example, it could be as simple as asking a friend to check with you from time to time about the consistency of your quiet time and prayer. You may want to ask someone to check with you on how often you share your faith or how much time you are devoting to your family.
An area where accountability can really make a difference is that of recurring temptations. Paul taught that if a believer is caught in sin, the strong members of the church are to work with the sinner to help him get back on track (Gal. 6:1–3). Sometimes people become trapped in activities or attitudes that are too powerful for them to overcome on their own, and they don’t know how to break free. It is not up to you to save them from their troubles. However, you can remind them of God’s promises, pray for them, share Scripture with them, and listen when they struggle. We offer others support and compassion when they are trying to do what is right, confront them with the truth when they drift in their faith, and always encourage them to live in a manner that is pleasing to God.
Remember, in an accountability relationship you are not answerable for how the other person reacts to you or matures spiritually. But you are responsible to be available for the Lord to use you in their life—telling the truth and loving that person through the process.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
6:2 — Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
No maturing Christian can ever say, “I don’t need the church,” because Jesus tells us that we all have work to do in the church—we must fulfill our role as part of the body. We cannot carry the burdens of those we never interact with. Therefore, we must continue to participate in the work, fellowship, and worship of the church—freely giving of ourselves just as Christ has given Himself to us.
6:4 — Each one must examine his own work.
Refuse to fall to the trap of comparing yourself to other people or competing with them to see who is the better Christian. We are all dependent upon God’s grace for every good thing in our lives, including our growth (James 1:17). Rather, measure your progress according to the Lord’s standards and make sure that you are walking in accordance with His will. Because then instead of undermining others because of jealousy, you will reach out in compassion and minister to them as Christ would.
6:7 — Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
Do not be deceived by those who say that God does not care about how we live our lives. In fact, He cares immensely about our conduct and motives. The fact is: we reap what we sow, more than we sow, and later than we sow. This means we bear the consequences of our choices for a long time—either for good or for bad. Therefore, we must be very careful to live in loving obedience to Him so we can be sure that our lives will produce a harvest of blessings that will bring us great joy.
6:14 — May it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we take our eyes off the Cross, we get into trouble because we place our confidence in things that do not endure eternally. However, when we keep our focus on all that Christ has done for us, He shows us His glory. “I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself” (John 12:32).
6:15 — Neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
God makes us into totally new people—not by assigning us religious rituals to observe or by reforming our behavior, but by making us into completely new creations (2 Cor. 5:17). He then gives us His nature by sending His Holy Spirit to indwell us and transform us into His likeness (1 Cor. 6:19, 20).