Galatians 3:6 - Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Even as Abraham believed God, making reference back to Genesis 15:6, even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. The word accounted is an accounting term and it means to calculate. It was put on his account. And to be made righteous, or considered righteous, all he did was believe. That's it!
Justification, which is being declared right with God, is something that is imputed to you. It is something that is put on your account. You're still the same and you're not any more righteous or unrighteous than you were before. But it's put on your account.
What is imparted to us is the Holy Spirit for sanctification. Righteousness is not imparted to us. It's put to our account. But what is given to us is the Holy Spirit of God. When that happens, I am sanctified. And those are the two doctrines that we are dealing with. So, Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. He believed!
Galatians 3:24 - Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster. That's the Greek word pedagogue. It's equivalent to our nanny type person. The pedagogue was in charge of educating the children, or taking the children to school, dressing them, preparing them, making sure they made it to dinner on time.
Galatians 5:19 - Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
He says here are the performances of the flesh, the works of the flesh. They are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication (sexual immorality), uncleanness, which means all impurities. That's what uncleanness means. It's even a word that is described demonic forces, unclean spirits, all impurities. Lasciviousness, which means uncontrolled lust.
So, these first four have to do with immorality. It goes from the simple, and ones we are all familiar with, to the ones that are out of control.
Then there's idolatry, and this all has to do with religion. Idolatry is idol worship. Witchcraft, which is literally the word PHARMAKEIA, which is the word for drugs. Not in and of itself, but for idol worship, they used to use drugs to drug people to get them to be able to reach a "spiritual high" in meetings of idolatry.
And hatred is literally the word hostility. Variance means conflicts or fighting's. Emulations are jealousies. The word wrath means rages of anger. It doesn't mean to get mad. It means to be under the influence of rage all the time. Strife is the word for self-ambition. Seditions is the word for divisions.
And heresies, we've all heard the word. It literally means to choose. That's what the word heresy means. It means to choose what group or political party you want to be part of. But in the church, it's what we choose to believe. Not so much what the bible says, but what we choose to believe. That is a heresy. All false teaching is based on what somebody chooses to believe is true but is not backed up by the word of God.
Galatians 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.
He says, I have confidence in you through the Lord, that you will be none otherwise minded: The Greek word is PHRONESIS for mind and it means the frame of mind. He says that you're going to have the same frame of mind that you did when you first received Christ, the same attitude, the same approach to legalism as I do. There's a persuasion that has persuaded you that it is right even though you know it's wrong!
Galatians 5:12 - I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
He says if circumcision carries any spiritual weight, maybe they ought to be castrated. That's a very sarcastic "dig" by Paul about the mutilation of the flesh! If they want to be spiritual, let them be castrated. I wish they were cut off. This term "cut off" in the Greek text is the word APOKOPSONTAI, and that's exactly what it means, castrated.
Galatians 5:16 - This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit. That's a Present Tense Imperative. Be continually walking under the influence of God's Spirit. That's the command. In Ephesians 5:18, Paul says be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. The word filled means influenced. Seek to be influenced by the Spirit.
You can tell that he focuses on the influences in our life, the persuasions and the various things that influence us and take us captive. Seek to be under the influence of God's Spirit.
Galatians 5:18 - But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
So, he says about the condition, if you are being led by the Spirit, listen to this literal translation, we are not under the law. You're not under the law. You are under the influence of God's Spirit.
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.
He says, stand firm therefore. The word fast means firm, stand firm. Also, the term stand fast, or stand firm is what is called a Present Imperative, which means be continuously standing. It's not a one-time thing. Be continuously standing firm!
I think that's an interesting concept. The reason why he places that at the beginning of the sentence is because it's one of the most important words in the Christian vocabulary. To stand firm! In other words, once I've received Christ, I'm at the highest position spiritually that I will ever be.
That's what Ephesians is all about, is our position in Christ. I'm in Christ in the Spirit realm, seated with Him at the throne of God. Always! That will never ever change. Far above all principalities and powers, and demonic forces, the whole thing, I'm in Christ!
And so, it's interesting that once I have received Christ, I am to stand. There isn't anywhere else to go. Spiritually, I have arrived. I need growth. I need understanding. I need development of my relationship with Christ. But I can't get any more saved than the first time I got saved. I will always be in Christ. One day I will shed this physical body, and then my position will be realized in the spirit realm, as the physical body will not hold me down any longer.
Galatians 5:8 - This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
It's interesting because the word persuasion, that's where the word faith comes from. There are many different persuasions in the world, especially different philosophies of people and of religious views.
Paul is saying that there is only one persuasion that comes from God. He's telling them that this persuasion does not come from the one who is calling you. Notice how I translated it? That is a Present Tense, a Present Participle. It is the one who is constantly calling you!
Galatians 4:5 - To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
He did this to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Did you catch that? Adoption, HUIOTHESIAN, has to do with putting a person in place to be the inheritor. That's what the HUIOS is. There are different Greek words for the term son.
The word Son, in the title Son of God doesn't have anything to do with someone who is a son by birth. It is a legal term that means the person, who through the legal system, has been placed into a position to inherit all things. So, He came to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Galatians 4:9 - But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
But now, after that ye have known God, and I want to point this out to you because it's very subtle. He did it in Colossians, but he also did it here. He says but after you have known God, (or rather) are known of God. He corrected himself in Colossians as well. And we do it all the time. We ask people "Do you know the Lord?" The scripture says does the Lord know you?
The bible says a relationship with Christ is not based on me knowing Him, but Him knowing me, which is a relief because, before He saved me, He knew me!
Galatians 4:12 - Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
Where it says, "I beseech you," it is literally I appeal to you.
Galatians 3:6 - Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Even as Abraham believed God, making reference back to Genesis 15:6, even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. The word accounted is an accounting term and it means to calculate. It was put on his account. And to be made righteous, or considered righteous, all he did was believe. That's it!
Justification, which is being declared right with God, is something that is imputed to you. It is something that is put on your account. You're still the same and you're not any more righteous or unrighteous than you were before. But it's put on your account.
What is imparted to us is the Holy Spirit for sanctification. Righteousness is not imparted to us. It's put to our account. But what is given to us is the Holy Spirit of God. When that happens, I am sanctified. And those are the two doctrines that we are dealing with. So, Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. He believed!
Galatians 3:24 - Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster. That's the Greek word pedagogue. It's equivalent to our nanny type person. The pedagogue was in charge of educating the children, or taking the children to school, dressing them, preparing them, making sure they made it to dinner on time.
Galatians 5:19 - Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
He says here are the performances of the flesh, the works of the flesh. They are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication (sexual immorality), uncleanness, which means all impurities. That's what uncleanness means. It's even a word that is described demonic forces, unclean spirits, all impurities. Lasciviousness, which means uncontrolled lust.
So, these first four have to do with immorality. It goes from the simple, and ones we are all familiar with, to the ones that are out of control.
Galatians 5:20 - Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Then there's idolatry, and this all has to do with religion. Idolatry is idol worship. Witchcraft, which is literally the word PHARMAKEIA, which is the word for drugs. Not in and of itself, but for idol worship, they used to use drugs to drug people to get them to be able to reach a "spiritual high" in meetings of idolatry.
And hatred is literally the word hostility. Variance means conflicts or fighting's. Emulations are jealousies. The word wrath means rages of anger. It doesn't mean to get mad. It means to be under the influence of rage all the time. Strife is the word for self-ambition. Seditions is the word for divisions.
And heresies, we've all heard the word. It literally means to choose. That's what the word heresy means. It means to choose what group or political party you want to be part of. But in the church, it's what we choose to believe. Not so much what the bible says, but what we choose to believe. That is a heresy. All false teaching is based on what somebody chooses to believe is true but is not backed up by the word of God.
Galatians 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.
He says, I have confidence in you through the Lord, that you will be none otherwise minded: The Greek word is PHRONESIS for mind and it means the frame of mind. He says that you're going to have the same frame of mind that you did when you first received Christ, the same attitude, the same approach to legalism as I do. There's a persuasion that has persuaded you that it is right even though you know it's wrong!
Galatians 5:12 - I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
He says if circumcision carries any spiritual weight, maybe they ought to be castrated. That's a very sarcastic "dig" by Paul about the mutilation of the flesh! If they want to be spiritual, let them be castrated. I wish they were cut off. This term "cut off" in the Greek text is the word APOKOPSONTAI, and that's exactly what it means, castrated.
Galatians 5:16 - This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit. That's a Present Tense Imperative. Be continually walking under the influence of God's Spirit. That's the command. In Ephesians 5:18, Paul says be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. The word filled means influenced. Seek to be influenced by the Spirit.
You can tell that he focuses on the influences in our life, the persuasions and the various things that influence us and take us captive. Seek to be under the influence of God's Spirit.
Galatians 5:18 - But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
So, he says about the condition, if you are being led by the Spirit, listen to this literal translation, we are not under the law. You're not under the law. You are under the influence of God's Spirit.
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.
He says, stand firm therefore. The word fast means firm, stand firm. Also, the term stand fast, or stand firm is what is called a Present Imperative, which means be continuously standing. It's not a one-time thing. Be continuously standing firm!
I think that's an interesting concept. The reason why he places that at the beginning of the sentence is because it's one of the most important words in the Christian vocabulary. To stand firm! In other words, once I've received Christ, I'm at the highest position spiritually that I will ever be.
That's what Ephesians is all about, is our position in Christ. I'm in Christ in the Spirit realm, seated with Him at the throne of God. Always! That will never ever change. Far above all principalities and powers, and demonic forces, the whole thing, I'm in Christ!
And so, it's interesting that once I have received Christ, I am to stand. There isn't anywhere else to go. Spiritually, I have arrived. I need growth. I need understanding. I need development of my relationship with Christ. But I can't get any more saved than the first time I got saved. I will always be in Christ. One day I will shed this physical body, and then my position will be realized in the spirit realm, as the physical body will not hold me down any longer.
Galatians 5:8 - This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
It's interesting because the word persuasion, that's where the word faith comes from. There are many different persuasions in the world, especially different philosophies of people and of religious views.
Paul is saying that there is only one persuasion that comes from God. He's telling them that this persuasion does not come from the one who is calling you. Notice how I translated it? That is a Present Tense, a Present Participle. It is the one who is constantly calling you!
Galatians 4:5 - To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
He did this to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Did you catch that? Adoption, HUIOTHESIAN, has to do with putting a person in place to be the inheritor. That's what the HUIOS is. There are different Greek words for the term son.
The word Son, in the title Son of God doesn't have anything to do with someone who is a son by birth. It is a legal term that means the person, who through the legal system, has been placed into a position to inherit all things. So, He came to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Galatians 4:9 - But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
But now, after that ye have known God, and I want to point this out to you because it's very subtle. He did it in Colossians, but he also did it here. He says but after you have known God, (or rather) are known of God. He corrected himself in Colossians as well. And we do it all the time. We ask people "Do you know the Lord?" The scripture says does the Lord know you?
The bible says a relationship with Christ is not based on me knowing Him, but Him knowing me, which is a relief because, before He saved me, He knew me!
Galatians 4:12 - Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
Where it says, "I beseech you," it is literally I appeal to you.
This comment thread is locked. Please enter a new comment below to start a new comment thread.
Note: Comment threads older than 2 months are automatically locked.
Do you have a Bible comment or question?
Posting comments is currently unavailable due to high demand on the server.
Please check back in an hour or more. Thank you for your patience!
Report Comment
Which best represents the problem with the comment?