Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
It is for freedom
The Greek word for "freedom" here is "ἐλευθερία" (eleutheria), which signifies a state of liberty, free from bondage. In the context of Paul's letter to the Galatians, this freedom is not merely a political or social freedom but a profound spiritual liberation from the constraints of the Mosaic Law and the bondage of sin. Historically, the Galatians were being tempted to return to the legalistic practices of Judaism, which Paul argues would negate the freedom Christ has provided. This freedom is a gift of grace, emphasizing the transformative power of the Gospel that liberates believers from the law's demands and the penalty of sin.

that Christ has set us free
The phrase "has set us free" comes from the Greek "ἐλευθερόω" (eleutheroō), meaning to liberate or deliver. This action is attributed to Christ, underscoring His role as the Redeemer. The historical context of this liberation is rooted in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus, which fulfilled the law and provided a new covenant of grace. This freedom is not self-attained but is a divine act accomplished through Christ's atoning work, highlighting the centrality of Jesus in the believer's life and the futility of returning to the law for justification.

Stand firm, then
The Greek word for "stand firm" is "στήκω" (stēkō), which conveys the idea of being steadfast, immovable, and persevering. Paul exhorts the Galatians to maintain their position in the freedom Christ has given them, resisting any temptation to revert to legalism. This call to steadfastness is a common theme in Paul's letters, encouraging believers to hold fast to their faith amidst external pressures and false teachings. The historical context suggests that the Galatians were facing significant pressure from Judaizers, who insisted on adherence to the law for salvation. Paul's admonition is a reminder of the importance of spiritual vigilance and the need to remain anchored in the truth of the Gospel.

and do not be encumbered once more
The term "encumbered" translates from the Greek "ἐνέχω" (enechō), meaning to be entangled or ensnared. Paul warns against returning to a state of bondage, which in this context refers to the legalistic observance of the law. The phrase "once more" indicates that the Galatians had previously experienced this bondage and had been liberated by Christ. The historical backdrop is the early church's struggle with Judaizers who sought to impose Jewish customs on Gentile converts. Paul's warning is a call to remember their past enslavement and to cherish the freedom they now possess in Christ.

by a yoke of slavery
The "yoke" is a metaphor for the burdensome obligations of the Mosaic Law, which the Judaizers were attempting to impose on the Galatian believers. In the Greek, "ζυγός" (zygos) refers to a wooden beam used to pair animals for plowing, symbolizing subjection and servitude. The "yoke of slavery" contrasts sharply with the freedom offered by Christ. Historically, the yoke was a common symbol of oppression and control, and Paul uses it to illustrate the restrictive and oppressive nature of legalism. This imagery would have resonated with the Galatians, who were familiar with the agricultural metaphor and the oppressive nature of Roman rule. Paul's message is clear: the freedom in Christ is incompatible with the bondage of the law, and believers are called to live in the liberty that Christ has secured for them.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of the letter to the Galatians, addressing the churches in the region of Galatia.

2. Galatia
A region in modern-day Turkey where the early Christian communities were located, to whom Paul wrote this epistle.

3. Christ
Central figure in Christianity, whose life, death, and resurrection provide the basis for Christian freedom.

4. Judaizers
A group within the early church advocating for adherence to Jewish law, which Paul opposes in this letter.

5. Freedom in Christ
The spiritual liberation from the law and sin that believers experience through faith in Jesus.
Teaching Points
Understanding True Freedom
True freedom is found in Christ and is not merely the absence of restrictions but the presence of righteousness and peace.

Standing Firm in Faith
Believers are called to stand firm in their faith, resisting any return to legalism or sin that enslaves.

Rejecting Legalism
Legalism, or the belief that adherence to the law can earn salvation, is a yoke of slavery that Christ has freed us from.

Living in the Spirit
Embrace the freedom of living by the Spirit, which leads to a life of love, joy, and peace, rather than bondage to the law.

Guarding Against Spiritual Bondage
Be vigilant against teachings or practices that seek to re-enslave believers, whether through legalism or sin.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the historical context of Galatia help us grasp the significance of Paul's message in Galatians 5:1?

2. In what ways can modern Christians find themselves under a "yoke of slavery," and how can they stand firm in their freedom in Christ?

3. How does the concept of freedom in Christ differ from secular ideas of freedom, and what implications does this have for our daily lives?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure we are living by the Spirit and not returning to legalistic practices?

5. How can the teachings in Galatians 5:1 be applied to current issues within the church that may threaten the freedom believers have in Christ?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Romans 8:2
Discusses the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus setting believers free from the law of sin and death, paralleling the theme of freedom in Galatians 5:1.

John 8:36
Jesus speaks about the Son setting people free, which aligns with the freedom Paul describes.

Acts 15:10
Peter speaks against placing a yoke on the neck of disciples, similar to Paul's warning against the yoke of slavery.

2 Corinthians 3:17
Declares that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom, reinforcing the concept of spiritual liberty.

Hebrews 12:1
Encourages believers to lay aside every weight, akin to not being encumbered by a yoke of slavery.
Christian Believers Exhorted to the Maintenance of Their Spiritual LibertyH. H. Chettle.Galatians 5:1
Christian FreedomW. Perkins.Galatians 5:1
Christian FreedomW.F. Adeney Galatians 5:1
Christian LibertyBishop Hall.Galatians 5:1
Christian LibertyEmilius Bayley, B. D.Galatians 5:1
Christian LibertyCanon Ince.Galatians 5:1
Christian Liberty a TrustC. W. H. Kenrick, M. A.Galatians 5:1
Fifteenth Sunday After Trinity Church Officers Warned of Vain-GloryMartin LutherGalatians 5:1
Freedom and SlaveryMilton.Galatians 5:1
Liberty from Law Unconscious ObedienceH. W. Beecher.Galatians 5:1
Liberty not LawlessnessNewman Hall.Galatians 5:1
Personal Liberty of the ChristianH. W. Beecher.Galatians 5:1
Spiritual and Related FreedomsNewman Hall.Galatians 5:1
Spiritual FreedomJ. Vaughan, M. A.Galatians 5:1
Spiritual LibertyC. Buck.Galatians 5:1
Stand FastC. H. Spurgeon.Galatians 5:1
Stand FastJ. Harding, M. A.Galatians 5:1
Standing Fast in LibertyH. H. Chettle.Galatians 5:1
The Bounds of Christian FreedomCanon Fremantle.Galatians 5:1
The Freedom of the ChristianJ. Vaughan, M. A.Galatians 5:1
The Secret of SteadfastnessW. Arnot.Galatians 5:1
The Soul's Rebellion Against its ThraldomNewman Hall.Galatians 5:1
People
Galatians, Paul, Philippians
Places
Galatia
Topics
Bondage, Burdened, Christ, Condition, Entangled, Fast, Firm, Free, Freedom, Gloriously, Hampered, Held, Liberty, Servitude, Slavery, Stand, Standing, Subject, Submit, Truly, Wherewith, Yoke, Yourselves
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Galatians 5:1

     2321   Christ, as redeemer
     3251   Holy Spirit, filling with
     4696   yoke
     5103   Moses, significance
     5184   standing
     5246   captivity
     5953   stability
     6658   freedom
     6661   freedom, and law
     7328   ceremonies
     7449   slavery, spiritual
     8251   faithfulness, to God
     8418   endurance

Galatians 5:1-3

     7797   teaching

Galatians 5:1-6

     7512   Gentiles, in NT

Galatians 5:1-10

     4432   dough

Galatians 5:1-12

     7334   circumcision
     7336   circumcision, spiritual
     8316   orthodoxy, in NT

Library
March 28. "The Fruit of the Spirit is all Goodness" (Gal. v. 22).
"The fruit of the Spirit is all goodness" (Gal. v. 22). Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit. Goodness is just "Godness." It is to be like God. And God-like goodness has special reference to the active benevolence of God. The apostle gives us the difference between goodness and righteousness in this passage in Romans, "Scarcely for a righteous man would one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die." The righteous man is the man of stiff, inflexible uprightness; but he may be
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

May 1. "The Fruit of the Spirit is Gentleness" (Gal. v. 22).
"The fruit of the Spirit is gentleness" (Gal. v. 22). Nature's harshness has melted away and she is now beaming with the smile of spring, and everything around us whispers of the gentleness of God. This beautiful fruit is in lovely harmony with the gentle month of which it is the keynote. May the Holy Spirit lead us, beloved, these days, into His sweetness, quietness, and gentleness, subduing every coarse, rude, harsh, and unholy habit, and making us like Him, of whom it is said, "He shall not strive,
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity Works of the Flesh and Fruits of the Spirit.
Text: Galatians 5, 16-24. 16 But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths,
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity Church Officers Warned of Vain-Glory.
Text: Galatians 5, 25-26 and 6, 1-10. 25 If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk. 26 Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another. 1 Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

'Walk in the Spirit'
'Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.'--GAL. v. 16. We are not to suppose that the Apostle here uses the familiar contrast of spirit and flesh to express simply different elements of human nature. Without entering here on questions for which a sermon is scarcely a suitable vehicle of discussion, it may be sufficient for our present purpose to say that, as usually, when employing this antithesis the Apostle means by Spirit the divine, the Spirit of God, which he triumphed
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

What Makes a Christian: Circumcision or Faith?
'In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.'--GAL. v. 6. It is a very singular instance of imaginative misreading of plain facts that the primitive Church should be held up as a pattern Church. The early communities had apostolic teaching; but beyond that, they seem to have been in no respect above, and in many respects below, the level of subsequent ages. If we may judge of their morality by the exhortations and dehortations which
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Fruit of the Spirit
'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23. Meekness, temperance'--GAL. v. 22, 23. 'The fruit of the Spirit,' says Paul, not the fruits, as we might more naturally have expected, and as the phrase is most often quoted; all this rich variety of graces, of conduct and character, is thought of as one. The individual members are not isolated graces, but all connected, springing from one root and constituting an organic whole. There is further to
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Faith the Sole Saving Act.
JOHN vi. 28, 29.--"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." In asking their question, the Jews intended to inquire of Christ what particular things they must do, before all others, in order to please God. The "works of God," as they denominate them, were not any and every duty, but those more special and important acts, by which the creature might secure
William G.T. Shedd—Sermons to the Natural Man

Walking with God.
(Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity.) GALATIANS v. 16. "Walk in the Spirit." The life of a Christian must be one of progress. S. Paul says, "Walk in the Spirit;" he does not say, stand still. It is not enough for us to have been born again of Water and the Holy Ghost, and to have received the Gifts of the Spirit from time to time through the different means of grace. We are bidden "to stir up the gift that is in us;" we are told to "grow in grace." God has set us upon our feet in the right
H. J. Wilmot-Buxton—The Life of Duty, a Year's Plain Sermons, v. 2

Sixth Day for the Spirit of Love in the Church
WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit of Love in the Church "I pray that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them and Thou in Me; that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me ... that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them."--JOHN x"The fruit of the Spirit is love."--GAL. v. 22. Believers are one in Christ, as He is one with the Father. The love of God rests on them, and can dwell in them. Pray that the power of the Holy
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Brokenness
We want to be very simple in this matter of Revival. Revival is just the life of the Lord Jesus poured into human hearts. Jesus is always victorious. In heaven they are praising Him all the time for His victory. Whatever may be our experience of failure and barrenness, He is never defeated. His power is boundless. And we, on our part, have only to get into a right relationship with Him, and we shall see His power being demonstrated in our hearts and lives and service, and His victorious life will
Roy Hession and Revel Hession—The Calvary Road

The Dove and the Lamb
Victorious living and effective soul-winning service are not the product of our better selves and hard endeavours, but are simply the fruit of the Holy Spirit. We are not called upon to produce the fruit, but simply to bear it. It is all the time to be His fruit. Nothing is more important then, than that we should be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit, or to keep to the metaphor, that the "trees of the Lord should be continuously full of sap"--His sap. How this may be so for us is graphically
Roy Hession and Revel Hession—The Calvary Road

The Holy Spirit Bringing Forth in the Believer Christlike Graces of Character.
There is a singular charm, a charm that one can scarcely explain, in the words of Paul in Gal. v. 22, 23, R. V., "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance." What a catalogue we have here of lovely moral characteristics. Paul tells us that they are the fruit of the Spirit, that is, if the Holy Spirit is given control of our lives, this is the fruit that He will bear. All real beauty of character, all real Christlikeness in us,
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

Joy
'The fruit of the Spirit is joy.' Gal 5:52. The third fruit of justification, adoption, and sanctification, is joy in the Holy Ghost. Joy is setting the soul upon the top of a pinnacle - it is the cream of the sincere milk of the word. Spiritual joy is a sweet and delightful passion, arising from the apprehension and feeling of some good, whereby the soul is supported under present troubles, and fenced against future fear. I. It is a delightful passion. It is contrary to sorrow, which is a perturbation
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Routing of Giant Doubt
THE ROUTING OF GIANT DOUBT Doubts! doubts! doubts! Just a company of them around me all the time worse than Job's miserable comforters. What can I do with them? I should like to dismiss them, but it seems I can not. They make me much trouble, but it seems I can not get them to leave me. Especially are the doubts concerning my entire consecration aggravating, and those, too, concerning my entire cleansing. I fear to come out boldly and declare that I believe that Christ fully saves me now. I believe
Robert Lee Berry—Adventures in the Land of Canaan

Conflicts with Giant Mistake
CONFLICTS WITH GIANT MISTAKE I make so many mistakes, it seems I am just a bundle of contradictions. I try to do good; but at times my efforts are so crude that I seem to do more harm than good. What shall I do? And though all the time I try hard not to make mistakes, yet I still make them. It seems to me that surely I am not sanctified, or else I should be more perfect. Do not the Scriptures command us to be perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect? I am not perfect; far from it. Really I
Robert Lee Berry—Adventures in the Land of Canaan

I have Said This, Lest Haply Married Fruitfulness Dare to vie with virgin Chastity...
7. I have said this, lest haply married fruitfulness dare to vie with virgin chastity, and to set forth Mary herself, and to say unto the virgins of God, She had in her flesh two things worthy of honor, virginity and fruitfulness; inasmuch as she both continued a virgin, and bore: this happiness, since we could not both have the whole, we have divided, that ye be virgins, we be mothers: for what is wanting to you in children, let your virginity, that hath been preserved, be a consolation: for us,
St. Augustine—Of Holy Virginity.

The Inward Warfare. Gal 5:17

John Newton—Olney Hymns

And on this Account That, Which, the Parts that Beget Being Bridled by Modesty...
5. And on this account that, which, the parts that beget being bridled by modesty, is most chiefly and properly to be called Continence, is violated by no transgression, if the higher Continence, concerning which we have been some time speaking, be preserved in the heart. For this reason the Lord, after He had said, "For from the heart go forth evil thoughts," then went on to add what it is that belongs to evil thoughts, "murders, adulteries," and the rest. He spake not of all; but, having named
St. Augustine—On Continence

All we Therefore, who Believe in the Living and True God...
18. All we therefore, who believe in the Living and True God, Whose Nature, being in the highest sense good and incapable of change, neither doth any evil, nor suffers any evil, from Whom is every good, even that which admits of decrease, and Who admits not at all of decrease in His own Good, Which is Himself, when we hear the Apostle saying, "Walk in the Spirit, and perform ye not the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: For these are opposed
St. Augustine—On Continence

And Also, when He Exhorts Us, that we Live not after the Flesh...
9. And also, when he exhorts us, that we live not after the flesh, lest we die, but that by the Spirit we mortify the deeds of the flesh, that we may live; surely the trumpet which sounds, shows the war in which we are engaged, and enkindles us to contend keenly, and to do our enemies to death, [1832] that we be not done to death by them. But who those enemies are, it hath set forth plainly enough. For those are they, whom it willed should be done to death by us, that is to say, the works of the
St. Augustine—On Continence

Here Therefore These Men Too Evil, While they Essay to Make Void the Law...
9. Here therefore these men too evil, while they essay to make void the Law, force us to approve these Scriptures. For they mark what is said, that they who are under the Law are in bondage, and they keep flying above the rest that last saying, "Ye are made empty [1715] of Christ, as many of you as are justified in the Law; ye have fallen from Grace." [1716] We grant that all these things are true, and we say that the Law is not necessary, save for them unto whom bondage is yet profitable: and that
St. Augustine—On the Profit of Believing.

The Daily Walk with Others (iii. ).
Thrice happy they who at Thy side, Thou Child of Nazareth, Have learnt to give their struggling pride Into Thy hands to death: If thus indeed we lay us low, Thou wilt exalt us o'er the foe; And let the exaltation be That we are lost in Thee. Let me say a little on a subject which, like the last, is one of some delicacy and difficulty, though its problems are of a very different kind. It is, the relation between the Curate and his Incumbent; or more particularly, the Curate's position and conduct
Handley C. G. Moule—To My Younger Brethren

How those that are at Variance and those that are at Peace are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 23.) Differently to be admonished are those that are at variance and those that are at peace. For those that are at variance are to be admonished to know most certainly that, in whatever virtues they may abound, they can by no means become spiritual if they neglect becoming united to their neighbours by concord. For it is written, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (Gal. v. 22). He then that has no care to keep peace refuses to bear the fruit of the Spirit. Hence Paul
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

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