Applause That Leads To Agitation

Galatians 5:26 (NIV)

²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

"It is hard to tell whether this verse belongs with the preceding section or with what follows. Certainly, it is the first of a number of specific actions that should characterize those who are being led by the Spirit. But, on the other hand, it is also a return to the theme of v. 15 and, therefore, a summation." [1]

Whatever the case, Paul now starts to elaborate on what it means to be walking by the Spirit.  Paul warns about the sin of conceit -- bringing glory to oneself.  Luther writes, "As touching our person, this is our glory, that all men have sinned and are guilty of everlasting death before God." [2]  So true! The only glory we truly have is our sin.  What can man take glory in? "Here he describeth the effect and fruit of vainglory." [2] ". . . provoking and envying each other.” (Galatians 5:26, NIV).

"Such actions toward one another are not consistent with a life of faith, lived by one who has been crucified with Christ and who is keeping step with the Holy Spirit." [3] "Paul is probably referring specifically to attitudes that seem to have become a problem in the Galatian churches (see v. 15)." [4] The bottom-line is that where there is provocation and envying there is very likely someone trying to get all the glory.  The Holy Spirit produces humility.  

Matthew Henry correctly observes: "Note, (1.) The glory which comes from men is vain-glory, which, instead of being desirous of, we should be dead to. (2.) An undue regard to the approbation and applause of men is one great ground of the unhappy strifes and contentions that exist among Christians." [5]

Father what a deadly, defeating defect that pride is.  Why do I long for that pat on the back?  Why do I want the credit?  Why am I so up on me and down on others?  Why?  Oh how the flesh loves to be recognized.  Humility, quietness, remaining unseen is far from the old man in me.  Today, I pray that the Holy Spirit would burst forth from my being and bring so much glory to Jesus that I become pale and insignificant.  Forgive me for the many times that my self-glory has caused strife between my wife, my children, my family and my Church.  Kill that wretched ego-maniac in me, Lord Jesus. Bring the humble life of Christ into focus, I pray.   For the sake of Christ and His glory.  Amen!

________________________________________

1.  Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Galatians/Exposition of Galatians/III. The Call to Godly Living (5:1-6:10)/C. Life in the Spirit (5:13-26)/3. The fruit of the Spirit (5:22-26), Book Version: 4.0.2 

2. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 5:26). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

3. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2399). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2255). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

5. Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (2304). Peabody: Hendrickson.

Self Is Essentially Selfish!

Galatians 5:15–16 (NIV),

¹⁵ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. ¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Paul has moved from the truth of the Gospel: salvation is by faith in Christ -- alone, apart from works.  The Christian is free from the power of sin and the condemning demands of the Law.  This freedom is a "from-freedom" not a "to-freedom".  The Cross frees us to serve; to serve Christ and His Church.  Now Paul moves to some practical implications of the Gospel.  Gospel people do not “. . . bite and ravage each other . . ..” (Galatians 5:15a, The Message).

The picture is of a group "continually biting and devouring like wild animals in deadly combat, i.e., a picture of church strifes." [1]  "And when once the concord of the Church is broken, there is no measure nor end of the evil; for the authors of schisms, dissenting among themselves, do teach, one that this work, another that another work is necessary to righteousness." [2]

At this point we need to ask an important question.  Isn't Paul confused?  Hasn't he just written that the Church is free from the Law and now he imposes another law?  He answers that in the next sentence. "As if he should have said: I have not forgotten my former discourse concerning faith, neither do I now revoke the same in that I exhort you to mutual love, saying that the whole law is fulfilled through love, but I am still of the same mind and opinion that I was before. To the end therefore that ye may rightly understand me, I add this moreover: “Walk in the Spirit” &c." [3]

Paul equates the 'law of love' with the fulfilling of the Law.  And he equates all that with "walking in the Spirit."   This is profound. Luther argues that the reason this is not works righteousness is because none of us has the capacity to love as God would have us.  While here on earth we all have indwelling sin.  "Therefore when I teach you to observe the law, and exhort you to love one another, think not that I go about to revoke that which I have taught concerning the doctrine of faith, and that I now attribute justification to the law or to charity: but my meaning is that ye should walk in the Spirit, and that ye should not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." [3]

Fulfilling the Law does not justify someone, it is the natural outcome of justification and it can only be achieved in some manner as we walk in the Spirit.  "Wherefore Paul would have us to walk in the Spirit, lest we fulfil the lust of the flesh. As if he should say: Although ye be moved with wrath and displeasure against your brother, offending you or doing anything heinously against you, yet notwithstanding resist and repress these [violent] motions through the Spirit; bear with his weakness, and love him according to that commandment: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” [3]

"“Flesh” refers to the part of human nature that causes people to put their own selfish needs ahead of everything else." [4] "The double negative with the aorist subjunctive means you will never gratify the sinful desires originating in and overflowing from the lower nature . . . The Christian can conquer the self-life and have continual victory by walking by the Holy Spirit." [5]

Father the flesh in us is essentially selfishness.  That is the root diagnosis.  The power of selfishness has been removed by the Cross.  But Lord I know too well that the presence of selfishness is always rearing its ugly head in my life.  The accompaniment of saving faith is love for You and love for others. So suddenly I realize that as a Christian, Father, I am propelled into a war -- a battle.  I have in my a desire to do what I want and the answer isn't Law, it is the Spirit.  The answer isn't for me to do more, but for me to participant more fully in the life of the Spirit.  This is fundamentally what it means to live as a Christian -- to walk in the Spirit.  Now Father my heart is anxious for I long to know what all that means.  I am confident You will give me an answer.  For now, Lord, help me to know in part what it means to walk by the Spirit -- loving others today.  Amen!

______________________________________

1. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2398). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

2. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 5:15). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

3. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 5:16). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

4. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ga 5:16). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

5. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2398). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.