Here in the fifth chapter of Galatians Paul begins the application of the doctrinal truths that he had set forth in the first four chapters. At great length Paul showed the Galatians the folly of being swayed by false teachers, who asserted that while we are saved by grace, we are still obligated to keep the law of God perfectly or again lose our own salvation. With unassailable logic Paul has asserted that the believer is saved by grace, justified by grace, kept by grace, and in the end will be saved by grace.

• The believer is free from the law: Romans 8:2 - For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

• The believer is dead to the law: Galatians 2:19 - For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

• The believer is delivered from the law: Romans 7:6 - But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

For - Romans 10:4 - For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Paul concludes his doctrinal argument with these verses: Galatians 4:30 - 31 - Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

 

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.

 

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.

 

6. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Stand fast - A - TEN - HUT! Those of a military background would recognize this command immediately - it means to come to attention and listen up for some very important instructions and information! It is the opposite of "AT EASE."

When a soldier is standing at attention his whole focus is directed at the drill sergeant, his hands are cupped with the edge of each thumb along the seam of his trousers, his chest is out, his head is locked and his eyes stare straight ahead. Every item of his dress is proscribed. His posture is practiced until he has it perfect. Every soldier stands in formation in a certain way, in a prescribed rank and order. And thus it is with this :STAND FAST - How?

• The Positive: IN THE LIBERTY WHEREWITH CHRIST HATH MADE US FREE!!
• The Negative: BE NOT ENTANGLED AGAIN WITH THE YOKE OF BONDAGE!!

Romans 7: 1 - 3 - ¹Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?²For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. ³So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

The believer is not to go back under the ceremonial observances of the law, for they have nothing to do with his justification. When a person gets saved by trusting in Christ's finished work, not only did he die to the law (Galatians 2:20) but the law died to him too!

This verse is aimed at the Galatians who have not yet received Jesus Christ. The context of this verse, as well as verse 4, is clearly to an unsaved man. Jesus Christ can profit no man who is counting on the Law for his justification. Such a man has "fallen from grace" for if he EVER starts counting on the law to save him, he must go "whole hog" and keep ALL of it - not just the Sabbath or the Ten Commandments but the ceremonial law as well!

For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. The meaning here, is that if a man gets circumcised in order to be justified in God's sight, he is LOST! Paul says it is not law AND grace - but law OR grace. It must be all grace, or it is not grace at all.

This is a favorite passage that "ARMENIANS" (all religions that proscribe to idea that one must do WORKS for justification) love to use to "prove" that a born-again child of God can lose his salvation and go to HELL after he becomes part of Jesus Christ.

Let's look at the Bible to see what is going on:

• There is someone who cannot benefit from the effects of Christ's atonement and free salvation.
• The people who cannot benefit from it are people who are trying to justify themselves by works.
• If there are any of those people among the "churches of Galatia" they are not in grace, and they most certainly are not "in Christ": Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
• A believer in Christ can NEVER be "severed" from Christ (Romans 8:35-39 - ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?³⁶As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. ³⁷Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. ³⁸For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.) or Christ's body would be marred again (Hebrews 10:10 - 14 - ¹⁰By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ¹¹And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: ¹²But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; ¹³From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. ¹⁴For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.) There are no schisms in the spiritual body of Christ (Ephesians 1:10,14 - ¹⁰That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.)

• Gentiles were told to "continue in grace" even before they were saved (Acts 13:43 - Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.) A great dissertation on the truth that God offers grace to Gentile nations whether the individuals in those nations have accepted His Son yet or not is found in Romans 11:11-25 - ¹¹I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. ¹²Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? ¹³For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:¹⁴If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. ¹⁵For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? ¹⁶For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; ¹⁸Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. ¹⁹Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. ²⁰Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: ²¹For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. ²²Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. ²³And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. ²⁴For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? ²⁵For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Notice how Paul changes the second person plural to the first person plural and adds "through the Spirit."

• Why do you think he did that? Well, he wanted to make it perfectly clear that the grace-rejecting people of verse 4 had not the Spirit of God but he and others like him did!
• How do you indicate to others that you do not adhere to their beliefs?

The "hope" of verse 5 is the same hope of:

• Titus 2:13 - Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

• 1 John 3: 1 - 3 - Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

• Romans 8:10 -11 - And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

• Colossians 1:5 - For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

We are in Christ, and it is through the Holy Spirit that we wait and walk while we are looking forward to the blessed hope when our righteousness will appear and the end result of our faith will be manifest where you can see it.

Notice that the Galatians (as the Ephesians) are "in Christ", they (as the Ephesians) have been baptized into Christ by one Spirit, they (as the Ephesians) have been saved by grace and justified by faith (as the Ephesians).

External conditions are no longer relevant to salvation. You can't brag about circumcision, you can't brag about uncircumcision. The Lord ignores either condition and looks only on the heart. In the believer, the Lord looks for faith that manifests itself in obeying the first two commandments (Romans 13:8,10 - ⁸Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.¹⁰Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.)

The fruit of the Spirit is love and cutting yourself or trying to get others to cut themselves will not profit a Christian, nor will it justify an unsaved man.

Observe that from here on in Galatians, Paul's discourse is aimed at the believer in the churches (vs. 7, 13, 16, 18, 24.)

1. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

 

2. This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

 

3. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

 

4. 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.

 

5. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.

 

6. I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

Hebrews 12:1-4 - ¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. ⁴Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

The Christian begins:

• To run the race.
• He knows the Starter and the Finisher.
• He must get the weights out of his pockets before he starts.

1 Corinthians 9:24 - Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

• He must run to win.

2 Timothy 4:4-8 - ⁴And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.⁵But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.⁶For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.⁷I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:⁸Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

• He must finish the course.

The Galatians are troubled. Somebody or something is by the track that is heckling them as they run the race.

• What is hindering you in your race?

• Money?
• Success?
• Relatives?
• Sorrow?
• Marriage?

The opinion or persuasion of which Paul speaks of here was no doubt that of the necessity of their being circumcised, and keeping the law of Moses, or of their mixing the works of the law with faith in Christ for justification. This was what the judaizing teachers tried to impose upon the Galatians, and this is what they had too easily fallen into. To convince them of their folly in this, Paul tells them that this persuasion did not come of Him that called them, that is, either of God or of the apostle himself, who had been called to preach the gospel unto them. It could not come from God, for it was contrary to that way of justification and salvation which He had established; nor could they have received it from Paul himself; for, whatever some might pretend, he had all along been an opposer and not a preacher of circumcision. Since then this persuasion did not come of Him that had called them, he leaves them to judge from what source it must arise. Paul sufficiently intimates that it could be owing to none but Satan and his instruments, who by this means were trying to overthrow their faith and obstruct the progress of the gospel. Therefore that the Galatians had every reason to reject it, and to continue steadfast in the truth which they had before so willingly embraced.

• Note1. In order for us to judge right all of the different persuasions in religion which there are among Christians, it concerns us to inquire whether they come of Him that called us, whether or not they are founded upon the authority of Christ and his apostles.
• Note 2. If, upon inquiry, they appear to have no such foundation, regardless of the pressure that others may bring to impose them upon us, we should by no means submit to them, but reject them.

Here stands one of the most tremendous truths found in the entire Bible. This principle is a UNIVERSAL truth. Paul is asking the Galatians, "Where do you stop the leavening process?" If you begin self-justification with circumcision, do you stop there? Or do you adjust your diet to that of Leviticus 11? Having done that do you omit the feasts of Leviticus 23 and 25? Having done that do you avoid the laws on purification in Leviticus 10 through 16.

You don't. It leavens the WHOLE LUMP!

"He that troubleth you" can be any of a number of people, although the immediate reference here, is to the legalizers who are trying to get them to perform works as a part of justification. Paul encourages the Galatians to take the right position by saying he has "confidence in them" and that they will take no other view about the matter than the one Paul has.

• How do you instill confidence in others?

Look, Brothers! If I still preached circumcision as I did before Acts 9, these legalizers wouldn't be cussing me up and down the country and trying to get my brains knocked out every time I preach!

Acts 13:45 - But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

Acts 14:19 - And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

If Paul had yielded to the Jews, then would the offence of the cross have ceased. They would not have taken so much offence against the doctrine of Christianity as they did, nor would he and others have been exposed to so much suffering on the account of it as they were.

He informs us that the preaching of the cross of Christ (or the doctrine of justification and salvation only by faith in Christ crucified) was to the Jews a stumbling block.

1 Corinthians 1: 17 - 31 - ¹⁷For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. ¹⁸For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. ²⁰Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. ²²For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: ²³But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; ²⁴But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. ²⁵Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. ²⁶For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: ²⁷But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ²⁸And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: ²⁹That no flesh should glory in his presence. ³⁰But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: ³¹That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

Paul declares these "troublers" should bear their judgment and he did not doubt but God would deal with them according to their deserts. Out of his just indignation against them, as enemies of Christ and his church, he wishes that they were even cut off. Not cut off from Christ and all hopes of salvation by him, but cut off by the censures of the church, which ought to witness against those teachers who thus corrupted the purity of the gospel. Those, whether ministers or others, who set themselves to overthrow the faith of the gospel, and disturb the peace of Christians, do thereby forfeit the privileges of Christian communion and deserve to be cut off from them.

1. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

 

2. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

 

3. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

 

4. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

 

5. 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.

 

6. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

What follows is a study of liberty under grace compared with liberty under the law. The drift of these verses is apparent in every line. You are free and no longer bound by any formal regulations, but this doesn't mean you can "let down the bars" like Epicures and the Hedonists and take up "situation ethics." Geographically, we are still in the flesh and we can make a mess of things (like David or Lot) even though we are saved by grace and kept by grace.

Note:

• Now liberty has "laws" which accompany it. James 2:8 - 12 - ⁸If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:⁹But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. ¹¹For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. ¹²So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
• Liberty, even though it follows the law of the Spirit and is free from rules and regulations, it demands certain things of the man who has been set free. Romans 8:2 - For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Galatians 5:1 - Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
• Free men who abuse the privileges of liberty suffer for their violations and sometimes they die. 1 Corinthians 11:30 - For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. Romans 8:13 - For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
• Free men are led whether they follow the leadership or not. Romans 8:14 - For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Philippians 2:13 - For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Compare to:

Romans 13: 8 - 10 - ⁸ Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.⁹For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ¹⁰Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

"Dog eat dog" is the common expression, and the word "backbiters" is still used today in our common language everywhere.

The Christians has two natures which are contrary to one another. He is prevented first by one and then by the other from doing what first one then the other desires to do. See Romans 6 & 7. The Holy Spirit desires what the flesh abhors, and the flesh desires what the Holy Spirit abhors and these items are listed in the next ten verses. The only way a Christian can avoid a lifetime of running errands for a corpse is to "Walk in the Spirit" while his regenerated spirit is still geographically located "in the flesh." Every Christian is a true schizo.

1. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

 

2. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

 

3. 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.

 

4. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

 

5. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 

6. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

 

7. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

 

8. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Lust GETS; love GIVES. The secret of a victorious Christian life is not in "eradication" or "suppression" of the old nature, but counteraction. If the Christian is walking in the power of the Spirit, he is obviously not controlled by the flesh. At any moment he is under the control of one or the other.

Because this is true, Paul now gives a checklist to the Galatians (and us!) to help them tell when the Spirit is running them and when the flesh is running them.

The first four "works" of the flesh are manifestly extremely "fleshly":

• Adultery - the breaking of the marriage contract or spiritual declension from God or even a LOOK.
• Fornication - the act itself at any time.
• Uncleanness - obvious meaning.
• Lasciviousness - outrageous intemperance of any kind and ranges from inordinate affections to sodomy and extreme forms of sexual perversion.
• Idolatry - worship of any god other than the one true God.
• Witchcraft - includes the use of LSD, heroin, marijuana, and opium in religious exercises in "seeking" the "truth" or "experience" or "happening" or "feel good."
• Hatred - obvious meaning.
• Variance - wranglings.
• Emulations - jealousies.
• Wrath - fits of temper.
• Strife - quarreling.
• Seditions - stirring up rebellion against established authority.
• Heresies - following theological ways which are contrary to the revealed truth of the word.
• Envyings - obvious meaning.
• Murders - obvious meaning.
• Drunkenness - obvious meaning.
• Revellings - orgies is as good a term as any.

Here, for the second time, Paul makes clear reference to past preaching as in Galatians 4: 13 - 16. He repeats for emphasis.

Oh, no!

• Have you ever been guilty of any of these "works" of the flesh?
• If you have committed any of these "works" are you still saved in view of what Paul says here, "they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God?" Explain your answer.

Notice:

• The "kingdom of God" in this passage is NOT the kingdom mentioned in Romans 14:17, for that one is a spiritual Kingdom into which a man is born in this age. See John 3. The Kingdom of God here is an INHERITANCE as seen in Matthew 25:31 - 34. Romans 14:17 - For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Matthew 25: 31 - 34 - ³¹When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: ³²And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: ³³And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

• This Kingdom is earned by service. It is not the "free gift by the Grace of God" which placed the Kingdom of Colossians 1:13. Colossians 1:13 - Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: Ephesians 5:5 - For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Colossians 3:24 - Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
• This Kingdom of God, as the one in Acts 1:3, has to do with the appearance of the Kingdom when Christ returns. Acts 1:3 - To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: Notice the key word "see": John 3:3 - 5 - ³Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ⁴Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? ⁵Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. See further: Luke 19:11 - 27 - ¹¹And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. ¹²He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. ¹³And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. ¹⁴But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. ¹⁵And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. ¹⁶Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. ¹⁷And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. ¹⁸And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. ¹⁹And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. ²⁰And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: ²¹For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. ²²And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: ²³Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? ²⁴And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. ²⁵(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) ²⁶For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. ²⁷But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

In the Book of Revelations we will see some of things that make up the economy of the Kingdom of God when it does come to earth.

Not the "WORKS" of the Spirit, although that is what one would expect by a comparison with verse 19. Here God, through Paul, is showing the Christian another difference between the old and new nature. We worked for HELL before we were saved (Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.) but now God works in us while we let Him work (Philippians 2:13 - For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.); and thus our new life is characterized by FRUIT, not "WORKS" (Romans 4:5 - But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.)

Remember what we said earlier, Lust GETS; love GIVES? If the Christian is walking in the power of the Spirit, he is obviously not controlled by the flesh. At any moment he is under the control of one or the other. Now, Paul describes the FRUIT of the Spirit to the Galatians (and to us!) to help them tell when the Spirit is running them!

• Love - The Holy Spirit in the believer cause him to love God and his fellow man. It causes him to love God's people and God's Word. And he loves these things in their proper order. He is able to love his wife as himself and she is enabled to love her husband through the Holy Spirit where other ways are impossible. Where the Spirit has filled a Christian, there is a love for lost men and women; and there is a demonstration of 1 Corinthians 13 from the HEART, not from the mind.
• Joy - the chief element missing from American Christianity (of any brand!) In some of the largest churches in America one is impressed with a peculiar kind of hypnotic, formal, stiff ritualism. Real joy causes rejoicing with other Christians (Romans 12:15), rejoicing when a soul is converted (Luke 15:7), rejoicing at the destruction of Rome (Revelations 19:1, 3) rejoicing at the return of Israel to Palestine (Psalms 122:6) and rejoicing in a present salvation (1 Peter 1:8).
• Peace - The Christian has peace with God through Jesus Christ (John14: 1 - 5).
• Longsuffering - he is able to exhibit the greatest of the Divine attributes mentioned to Moses (Exodus 34:6)
• Gentleness - This does not imply docile or passive conduct, yielding to the enemy and let him get away with murder.
• Goodness - covers the whole life of outward acts toward men both lost and saved.
• Faith - an exercise of of belief in God's promises and providences.
• Meekness - receiving instructions from the Lord submissively.
• Temperance - implies self-control.

Notice:

• What happens when we don’t exhibit the fruit of the Spirit?
• What do you do when you "fall?" Why?
• Evangelist Bob Smith says, "A victorious Christian life has many new beginnings." What do you think he means by this statement?

The things listed above are not condemned by any law, and they are contrary to to nothing in the law. The Lord is the vine we are the branches. John 15. Notice that you don't practice fruit - you bear it. You don't practice joy, you experience it. You don't practice MEEKNESS, it happens – "naturally" in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit bears fruit in those who walk in the Spirit.

We should observe that this "crucifixion" is self-inflicted. The crucifixion in Galatians 2:20 was inflicted by God himself when the believer was united with Christ. See further: Romans 6:6; 7:24 and 2 Timothy 2:19.

Affections and lusts covers the tremendous field which TV capitalizes on 24 hours a day. The purpose of commercial advertising is to arouse or create covetousness. You like it or love it. You want it or desire it. You feel kindly disposed toward it or you are crazy about it. But when the affections are set on things above (Colossians 3:1 - 3) the flesh is crucified in the present tense.

If we live in the Spirit (and we do, for we are "in Christ") let us also walk in the Spirit (which we often do NOT). We are in the flesh geographically but not Spiritually. Therefore, we really live in the Spirit.

This verse needs no exposition.