If

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Galatians 5:18

It is a matter of who is in charge of your life? "If" means you have that choice, believer. The indwelling Holy Spirit will lead you in the right way. No need to calculate the do's and don'ts. Be filled with the Spirit and your decisions will be Godly ones; your attitude will be grace. Your daily sustenance will be the Word of Truth. Therein lies peace and confidence. It is a matter of WHOSE you are, not what you do. The way to guarantee this? I John 1:9. God's promise to the believer in the Church Age.

Freedom

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. Galatians 5:13-14



Christ has made us brethren free to love and serve one another without fear, anger, criticism, argument or prejudice. Our obligation to our neighbor is love, as in live and let live. We owe him the gospel and we owe him his space to receive and believe the gospel. Argument and debate accomplishes nothing and exposes our ignorance of God's grace provision.

Policy: RELAXED MENTAL ATTITUDE toward mankind.

Children of Promise

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. ...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. Galatians 4:28-31



Brethren: fellow believers in Jesus Christ. Isaac: Abraham's son of promise. He that was born after the flesh: Ishmael, the "help God" plan of Sarah. It backfired. They always do. The world is still paying for that human good boondoggle. Bo...ndwoman: legalism. Legalism ALWAYS PERSECUTES GRACE! No one knew this better than Paul, who was a ravenous persecutor himself, before he was saved. We are the children of the FREE. Legalism has nothing to offer the one who has believed in Jesus Christ.

Bondage

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1



"The yoke of bondage" is any form of legalism, ritualism or phony do-goodism that anyone tells you you must do to be saved. Jesus did all the work of salvation. Believe

Fullness of Time

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5


Fullness of time: perfect historical moment. Born of a woman: fully human with none of Adam's sin attatched. Under the Law: qualified to fulfill the plan. Redeem: buy back from the slave market. Adoption as sons: OF GOD. There is no happenstance here. God's provision is perfect. God's timing is perfect. God's plan is Grace.

New Species

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. Galatians 3:26-29


It is a choice. A decision. I was not physically born a child of God. I became a child of God THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS. Having been baptized by the Holy Spirit INTO CHRIST, we are now a new race. Abraham's seed. Heirs of all He has promised. The old racial/social distinctions do not apply to those who are IN CHRIST.

Schoolmaster

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24



If the law cannot save, what good is the law? Answer: the law demonstrates to us our depravity and helplessness. That's how we know we need to be saved. Jesus came and fulfilled the law, thereby purchasing our salvatiion. I learn this truth, I believe this truth, and am thereby declared righteous...JUSTIFIED.

Original Plan

... Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. Galatians 3:6-9



Abraham preceded Moses. Faith preceded law. Grace through faith was God's original plan.

Law Obsolete

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! Galatians 2:21




So I've believed in the finished work of Jesus Christ ( His death, burial and resurrection which paid for all my sins and granted me new life). I'm now IN CHRIST (permanent position) for all eternity, governed by His Spirit. Why, then, do I continue trying to keep the law? For what purpose did my Lord die? And if I'm a Galatian (Gentile), I've never even acknowledged the law. Why, now, as a born-again believer, would I try to emulate the Jews, who have already shown they can't keep it, but are requiring it of me?!

Crucified

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20



The life I now have is eternal life. The priorities I maintain are Christ's priorities. My tastes and habits reflect the Life of the One Who purchased me out of the slave market of sin and made me free to represent His Spirit in the earth. We remain in these mortal bodies as messengers of Jesus Christ in the devil's world. Each of us has that purpose where we are. The key is knowing WHOSE we are.