Galatians 5:1-18

Theme

What does it mean to be free in Christ?

Questions
  • What kind of ideas does the word ‘freedom’ give to you? Do you think people associate Christianity with freedom?
  • In the first half of the passage, Paul talks about freedom as a release. In what ways are the Galatians not free, what do they need released from? (see also Galatians 3:1-5, and Galatians 4:8-11)
  • The Law was not just a system of belief, but a description of the kind of community God wanted to build his people into (it described relating to God, worship, etc., relationships among people, responsibilities for one another and the world … and more).
    • What was it that the Galatians were seeking from the Law, rather than in Christ (v.2-4)?
    • Look at Paul’s speech in Acts 13:38-41, how does this help us understand what he is saying in Galatians?
  • Circumcision was an identifiable mark of the people of God. In v.6 Paul says that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. What is it that now identifies the people of God?
  • In the second half of the passage Paul talks about freedom as empowerment. What are believers empowered to do (v.13)?
  • The whole of the Law is summed up by one command, love your neighbour as yourself (v.14, quoting Leviticus 19:18 – Jesus said much the same thing, for example in Matthew 22:34-40).
    • What are the challenges you have in loving yourself; what are the challenges you have in loving your neighbour? (The Galatians were having trouble loving one another, look at v.15)
    • How do love of self and love of neighbour link together? (think back to part of the passage from last week, Romans 12:3)

  • Paul contrasts life in the Spirit and life in the flesh (v.16-18). Think about your life – are there tensions between wanting to live under God’s Spirit and acting according to the ways of the flesh? [Note: by Spirit, Paul is talking about God’s ways, and by flesh he is talking about living in opposition to God, Spirit and flesh are opposites – for example, see Romans 8:5-12]

  • In Christ I am Free is the theme for this week. How did this passage help you understand freedom? Did you learn something new, or were you challenged by something in particular?