Galatians 5 and verse 1 reads.
Gal.5:1] Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
No longer under bondage if we believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and upon repentance we are forgiven. Do not let a pastor put you back under law.
Gal.5:2] Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
[3] For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
He is talking about circumcising for the law, not if you are circumcised for hygiene. But what he is saying is “it is better to cut the whole thing off than to worry about sinning again”.
Gal.5:4] Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
[5] For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Faith sets you free of the law because you practice the ways of Christ.
Gal.5:6] For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
[7] Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
Law is our schoolmaster, sin is transgression of the law, who did you let in to tell you different.
Gal.5:8] This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
We taught you the gospels. It is God that calls us.
Gal.5:9] A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
Do not let sin into the church, or the whole church will be corrupted.
Gal.5:10] I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
The Lord will protect us from the evils of this world.
Gal.5:11] And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
If I lie, then why am I persecuted from evil? A house divided cannot stand. But Paul teaches truth, and the church is saved by grace.
Gal.5:12] I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
Kick out the trouble makers within the church.
Gal.5:13] For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Called to freedom, not under the law of sacrifice. Jesus would speak of this in John 8:31-32 and it reads.
John 8:31] Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
[32] And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Back to Gal.5 and verse 14 reads.
Gal.5:14] For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Basically, the last 5 commandments of the Ten are how to treat one another. The golden rule.
Gal.5:15] But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
If you do your neighbor wrong, won’t he do likewise to you.
Gal.5:16] This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
[17] 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.
Separate your flesh from your spirit, let your spirit lead your flesh. Also, God is Spirit, you cannot please him with the flesh.
Gal.5:18] But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
How is this, not under the law? because when you walk in the spirit with the Holy Spirit, you sin no more.
Gal.5:19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
[20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
[21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
This is why law is for the flesh and not the spirit. These things of the flesh without Grace, Repentance, will cause you to go to hell. And by hell, I mean you won’t be with the Lord for eternity.
Gal.5:22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
[23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
No law against righteousness. Longsuffering is patience.
Gal.5:24] And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Christians repent of their sins.
Gal.5:25] If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Notice the uppercase S, this is the Holy Spirit. Let’s go to John 14 and pick it up with verse 21.
John 14:21] He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
He will make himself known to you, don’t overlook keep my commandments, that’s law.
John 14:22] Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
[23] Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
They will abode, be within us, meaning they will walk with us. Also, we read in Psalms 23.
Psa.23:1] The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
[2] He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He will feed us his Word, still waters run deep. Christ is our living water.
Psa.23:3] He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
In his word we are set free from the burdens of our sins, we’ve repented. Name’s sake, we are Christians. Remember we are in the Old Testament.
Psa.23:4] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Key word here is through, we can walk through this world because he is with us. He abodes within us, and we abode within him because we read his word every day.
Psa.23:5] Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
[6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Once we learn his Word, that door that no man can shut, we are Comforted. Back to Gal.5 and verse 26 reads.
Gal.5:26] Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Let go of the flesh and think with your spirit, for God is within us. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible