For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become enslaved to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. —Galatians 5:13-18

These

chapters changed the world by making Christianity a world religion instead of a Jewish sect.

History & Context

Galatians were the original

, tribal people of Europe.

Galatians are noted as early as 800 B.C.E for their colorful

and storytelling.

The nomadic warriors memorized thousands of songs and poems with no

language until the 450 C.E.

They sacked Rome in 387 B.C.E. and were in a position to dominate history. —Timothy Joyce

By 50 B.C.E.

Caesar by his own account had ruthlessly killed 1,192,000 Celts or Galatians.

Galatians became known as the Gauls and Celts or in Greek Keltos meaning “the

” or “stranger.”

From Paul’s writing in 50 C.E. to today, the church has wrestled with who is “

” and who is “other?”

The biggest most obvious problem facing any new Jesus-believer in the Roman world was that idols were everywhere and worshiping them was compulsory. For the sake of peace, the monotheistic Jews had been granted an exception.

My additional notes:

Galatians 1

“Galatians is all about the

of the church.” – N.T. Wright (Genesis 12:1-3)

The God of Abraham has done what he always promised and launched his new creation for

nations.

My additional notes:

Galatians 2

“God shows no partiality.” (Galatians 2:6)

There can be no outer circle and inner circle within the grace of God. —N.T. Wright

Life in God is received, not achieved. —Michael Slaughter

My additional notes:

Galatians 3

The law was our

until Christ came. (Romans 8:1-4, 9)

God has given his own

to be the transformative energy as a part of the promised inheritance.

My additional notes:

Galatians 4

Will you be a

or a lock picker? (Galatians 4:6)

Jesus, the Messiah, is

present in the form of the Holy Spirit in the New Community for blessing others.

Christian virtue is a team sport. You can’t do love, peace, patience, gentleness, and so on all by yourself…This is a list of the qualities you would want to see in your neighbors. That too is a part of the point. A community that behaves like this, both internally and with outsiders will be inherently attractive, even if people can’t figure out what going on… —N.T. Wright

My additional notes:

Galatians 5

Paul’s central concern is for the harmonious

of the Messiah-people in Galatia.

“Works of the flesh” all look

: they are all “about me.” (Galatians 5:18-21)
Fornication, porneia, most naturally refers to sex with a prostitute or

Reveal Answer

sexual activity.

Uncleanness, akatharsia, indicated the kind of behavior that makes one impure in terms of a

cult.

Licentiousness, aselgeia, is

again, referring to the kind of behavior that has cast off normal restraint or control.

Hostility, anger, and party spirit are all about me and my friends squaring off against some other group. —N.T. Wright, New Testament Scholar on Galatians

“’The fruit of the Spirit’ is explicitly

facing: love, great-heartedness, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness looks into the wider world and community…they orient the person toward others.” – N.T. Wright (Galatians 5:22)

“Works,”

, produces a large number of bad behaviors linked only by their destructive tendencies.

“Fruit,”

, in contrast comes as a package with no specialization where kindness and all
the others are unified in one kind of person.

The Holy Spirit must be the

, teacher, director, and power source and not

Reveal Answer

, not law. (Galatians 5:25-26)

My additional notes:

So what are we supposed to do in the face of all this anxiety?

1. Show up to God, ourselves, our neighbors, and our world.
2. Pay attention to what is there, what is going on inside and outside of ourselves.
3. Cooperate with God as God invites, instructs, corrects, or encourages in the situation at hand.
4. Release the outcome to Jesus. Consciously let go of the result, recognizing that God is God and we are not.

My additional notes:

Action Steps

Commit and

in a spiritual community where wisdom and love prevail.
Ask God to give you a warm heart and genuine concern toward believers who are

Reveal Answer

from you.

My additional notes: