The New Creation

 Greetings everyone.

This post will close this study of Galatians .  If you, reader, are interested, I plan to study out and examine Romans next. Anyway, here is my translation of the last four verses of Paul's letter to the Galatians. (Gal. 6:15-18):

15 As for circumcision, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision account for anything.  What really matters is a new creation.  16 For those who walk according to this rule will have peace and mercy, and so will the Israel of God. 

17 Moving forward, let no one create problems for me, since I carry the marks of Jesus on my body. 

18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, my brothers and sisters. Amen. 

In 6:15 Paul repeats an idea that he stated in 5:6 “ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, has the power to do anything.”  In 5:6, he follows with, “Instead, real power comes from faith, at work through love.”  In Galatians 6;5, he follows with, “ what matters is the new creation.” 

What does Paul mean by 'new creation'? As we embrace Christ we are a new creation.  The old has gone and it has been replaced by something new.  These new selves have their lives Christ (Col. 3:4) and Christ lives in them (Gal. 2:20) by the Holy Spirit.  It is a new life created by God’s grace.  In His grace we by faith, which is at work through love. (Gal. 5:6) 

Paul’s overarching message has been that this new creation has come to by God’s grace, not through strict adherence to the Law.  The work of our new self, (and our salvation, for that matter), has been done by God and not by us. Those who walk according to this rule will have peace and mercy.  Paul uses the word Κανόνι (kanoni), which means ‘rule.’ It is an interesting word choice, as he has been battling teachings of the rule-keepers throughout the letter.    

So, what is the rule that we are to walk by that will bring us peace and mercy?  Based on the context, it would seem that the peace and mercy bringing rule is to be a new creation.  Get rid of the old self, and be created in the image of Christ, filled with the Spirit and full of love and faith, and living in gratitude for His grace. Thomas Schreiner says, “The rule he has in mind is the preeminence of the new creation, which leads to the conclusion that both circumcision and uncircumcision are irrelevant.”  (Schreiner, 380.) 

Paul uses the word to mean ‘obey’ here.  He used the Greek word, Στοιχήσουσιν (stoichēsousin), a participle of the word στοιχέω (stoicheo), which means ‘to walk.’ He could have used ὑπακούετε (hypakouete), which means, ‘you obey’, but he didn’t.  He chose a word that brings with a greater sense of relationship, rather than commandment. 

Paul has recently used  another form of στοιχέω (stoicheo) in 5:25 to tell us to keep in step with the Spirit.  Schriener links these two verses to say, “Those who keep in step with Spirit also keep in step with the new creation.”  (Schreiner, 380.)  The conclusion, then, is that as we stay in step with God’s Holy Spirit, we walk according to the rule of being a new creation. 

In verse 17 Paul says, “Moving forward, let no one create problems for me.”  It is like there is a time stamp here. He uses the word λοιποῦ (loipou), which means “from now on.” From this moment on, Paul would like to put this circumcision question to rest.  He is basically saying to the Galatians, “Now that you are a new creation, quit bothering me with this stuff about the old creation with its rules and regulations.”  

Paul follows that with an explanation for why they should stop bothering him about the whole circumcision question, “since I carry the marks of Jesus on my body.” Paul, born a Jew, had carried  the ‘marks’ of circumcision since infancy, but has been saying throughout the letter that marks are now meaningless.  The only marks that matter now are the marks that he bore because of Jesus.  

Paul undoubtedly carried numerous scars from being persecuted in his service to Jesus.  His opponents did not carry such marks, as they tempered their message in such a way as to avoid persecution.  Paul certainly counted those scars as of greater value than his circumcision.

Paul concludes his letter as he began it, with grace.  In 6:18, he says, “may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”  Paul includes in his final words the word ‘our’.  Jesus was his Lord, but also theirs.  In spite of the whole circumcision argument, Paul still considers them Christians. 

His second-to-last word, right before he says ‘Amen,’ is ἀδελφοί (adelphoi), translated here as ‘brothers and sisters.  Again, in spite of the whole Law and circumcision argument, Paul still considers them brothers and sisters and all part of the family of God.  

He began the letter being sharply critical, but toward the end moves into a hopeful posture, certain that once they really understood the value of faith and grace, and the complete lack of value contained in obedience to the Law and legalistic righteousness, that they would choose the better path, the superior gospel, God’s grace. Let's make sure that we are following the better path, as well. 

Big Letters

Welcome back.

We have been looking at Galatians 6, and today we will start a look at Paul's concluding staements.  He wraps up this letter to the Galatians in verses 11-18.  We will look at the first half of that today.  Here is Galatians 6:11-14:

11 See what big letters I am writing to you with my own hand.  12 Those who desire to look good in the flesh, are compelling you to be circumcised, just so that they are not persecuted for the Cross of Christ. 13 Not even those men who want you to be circumcised are actually able to keep the Law. They want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your flesh. 14   As for me, may I never boast about anything except the Cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, as I have been crucified to the world.  

As he begins his closing remarks, Paul establishes that he is now writing in  his own hand.  Scholars tend to think that up to this point Paul has dictated this letter to someone else.  Now, at the end he handwrites his conclusion.  

In his conclusion, now in his own handwriting, he takes one last shot at convincing the Galatians that they have no need of circumcision.  He refers to his detractors as ‘those who desire to look good in the flesh.”  He has spent a fair amount of time denouncing the flesh, and here, at the end, he is connecting those men to the flesh.  

The Greek Paul usus εὐπροσωπῆσαι (euprosōpēsai) means to make a good showing.  In simple terms, it means good + face.  Paul would know, as a former Pharisee, these men are like the Pharisees, they want to make a good showing.  He goes on to say that they do not want to be persecuted for the Cross of Christ.  It appears that they want to be Christians but without upsetting those of their former faith.  Paul is unconcerned about that. These men are the ones that are compelling the Galatians to be circumcised. They have been telling them that circumcision is necessary for salvation, and trying to force the Law on them.  

Paul makes some quick criticisms of his opponents in verse 12-13, establishing some less-than-flattering motives behind their teachings: 

• As previously mentioned, they are doing this to avoid persecution. 
• They are trying to bind the Law on them, but these men themselves are actually unable to keep the Law.  
• They are really only doing this to make themselves look good.  They want to be able to boast about what they have done in Galatia, how they came in after Paul and set the record on circumcision straight. 

Paul’s discussion of their inability to keep the Law fits with his message in Galatians.  No one, save Jesus Christ, has the ability to fully keep the Law.  Here is a reminder of some of the things he said: 

• Gal. 3:10 - “For those who base their righteousness on works of the Law are under a curse.”
• Gal. 5:3-4 - “I bear witness once again, that every one of you that submits to circumcision becomes under obligation to keep the entirety of the law. 4 Those of you who are intent on being made righteous through law-keeping, set Christ aside, and you lose out on grace.”

Paul has held this argument throughout his letter to the Galatians.  We are either saved by fully keeping the Law, or we are saved by God’s mercy and grace.  But, since it is impossible to keep the Law, we are much better off within the system of grace.  Even those pushing the Law here, cannot keep it. 

In verse 13 Paul talks about how his opponents were wanting to boast in the flesh about how they got the Galatians to submit to circumcision.  Paul compares such boasting with himself in verse 14, stating that the only thing he wants to boast about is the Cross of Christ.  

This stands in stark contrast to his detractors. While his opponents would boast of their accomplishments among the Galatians, seeking to look good among fellow Jews, Paul boasted in the Cross.  Later, he would write that he would boast about his weaknesses because God’s grace was sufficient for him.  (2 Cor. 12:9) Paul is not looking to lift himself up, only Jesus and His grace.

As Paul talked about his boasting in the Cross, he adds, “through whom the world has been crucified to me, as I have been crucified to the world.” This phrase calls us back to Gal. 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ.  I no longer live, but now Christ lives in me. The life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who has loved me and given himself up for me.” 

Paul reminds them that they are crucified with Christ to the world.  Christ lives in them now.  The world is also crucified to them.  Fleshly things like working to please other people should be crucified too.  

Douglas Moo points out that to the modern reader, a statement about boasting in the Cross may not be that unusual, but to 1st Century readers this would be shocking, as crucifixions were known to be “violent and shameful deaths.”  (Moo, 395.)  

Paul’s thread throughout has been that circumcision counts for nothing, and God’s grace given to us through Cross is what matters.  Think about it.  It is the Cross, not the knife, that saves us.  How can the removal of a piece of flesh, usually done during a person’s infancy, matter in comparison to the Cross of Jesus Christ? It can't. It doesn't. 

Be Good, Do Good, God Bless

Hey everyone.

Josh Allen, when he accepted his NFL MVP award, famously said "Be good. Do good.  God bless. Go Bills."  (Famous in Buffalo anyway.)  I borrowed three quarters of Josh Allen's quote for the title of this post, as Paul talks about 'doing what is good' in today's thoughts from Galatians. 

Anyway, we continue our examination of Galatians 6, now looking at verses 9-10.  Here is my translation:  

9 We should never grow tired of doing what is good, because at the proper time, we will reap a harvest, if we don’t give up.  10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, particularly the household of the faithful. 

Paul continues his agricultural analogy (sowing and reaping) that he startined in verse 7, in verse 9.  He syas, “We should never grow tired of doing what is good, because at the proper time, we will reap a harvest, if we don’t give up.” Even though our salvation is not based upon the good that we do, we should still strive to do what is good.  Paul encourages the Galatians to continue to do good even when they are not seeing the benefit.  The harvest will come.  

God has a proper time planned out for the harvest. His ‘proper time’ usually comes later than what we consider to be the ‘proper time.’ This often makes us question God's timing, (or at least that has been my experience.)  But, God knows what he is doing.  As we wait for the 'proper time' we must continue to do what is good.  The harvest will come after the sowing period, sometimes long after.  

If we connect verse 9 to verse 8, as we are talking about a harvest, we can see that continually sowing to the Spirit will lead to a harvest of the fruits of the Spirit, if we do not give up.  

What happens if we do give up?  We don’t see the harvest. Following Jesus is a long game, and sometimes the growth seems to be only incremental, but God does give the harvest if we keep moving forward.

Perhaps Paul is adding this in because there is concern that there would be some who misunderstand Paul’s teachings, and say, “Well, if my salvation is based solely on grace, then I don’t have to do anything.”  In chapter 5, as he was talking about freedom in Christ, he added, in verse 13, that they are not to use their freedom to indulge in the flesh.   He wants to deal with both extremes, the legalistic path, where we work for everything, and the libertine path, where anything and everything is ok. 

Verse 10 begins with Ἄρα οὖν (ara ouv) “So, therefore.” Paul has just stated that  we should never give up on doing good, and will, at the proper time, reap a harvest, “therefore” we should do good to everyone.  

The clause here that ends this thought is that we should do good, especially to the household of the faithful.  This is good and true.  We should take care of each other as a body of believers. That is one of the benefits of being in the body of Christ, the church, we carry each other's burdens.(Galatians 6:2.)

  

We don’t want to lose sight of Paul’s call to be a help to everyone.  The world is full of people in need, and they generally need our help and not our judgment.  The good that we do is to be “as we have opportunity,”  When an opportunity to do good presents itself, we should do it, and again, that good-doing applies to everyone, not just those that might be easier to serve.  

Douglas Moo points out that Paul is using faith as the delineation of a new spiritual family, “the household of the faithful.” He goes on to say, “he has argued throughout Galatians, faith (in Christ) is the fundamental and transforming mark of God’s new covenant people.” (Moo, 389.)  We are set apart as the family of God based on our faith in Jesus. So, let us do good to each other and we will see how God blesses it. 

          Douglas Moo, Galatians, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 2013. 

Sowing

Greetings everyone. 

As we continue our expolration of Galatians 6, we will look at verses 7 and 8 today. Using an agricultural analogy, Paul compares life devoted to the flesh with life devoted to the Spirit. Here is what he says: 

7 Don’t be fooled.  God will not be ridiculed.  Each person will harvest what they plant.  8 Those who sow according to their own flesh, will, from that flesh, harvest destruction. On the other hand, those who sow to the Spirit, will by the Spirit, harvest life neverending. 

Paul returns to the discussion of the works of the flesh as compared to the fruits of the Spirit. He starts this comparison by saying “Don’t be fooled.  God will not be ridiculed.”  So, whatever Paul is about to talk about, we run the risk of fooling ourselves and ridiculing God.  I would not want to do either. 

Paul uses the Greek word Μυκτηρίζεται (mykterizetai) which is often translated “to be mocked.” The root word Μυκτήρ (mykter) means nose.  So μυκτηρίζεται literally means ‘to turn one’s nose up at.”  It can also be translated as ‘ridicule’ or ‘treat with contempt.’  God is not going to be ridiculed.  We fool ourselves if we think that we can ridicule God. 

Back to the agricultural analogy, Paul’s next statement is, “Each person will harvest what they plant.”  This is often translated as “A man reaps what he sows,” but this phrase has become so commonplace that I fear that we can miss its meaning.  Farmers don’t sow wheat and harvest beans.  We will harvest what we plant, or sow.  

Paul spent considerable time talking about the flesh vs. The Spirit in chapter 5.  We return to that comparison here in verse 8. We can sow to the flesh, or sow to the Spirit.  Each one harvests something different.  Those who sow to the flesh will ultimately harvest destruction, while those who sow to the Spirit will reap life neverending.

In his comparison Paul uses the word ἑαυτοῦ (heautou) meaning ‘his own’ in reference to the flesh.  We sow to our own flesh. (Even as disciples of Jesus, we are not free from the desires of our own flesh.) On the other side of the comparison, that word ἑαυτοῦ (heautou) is not there.  We do not sow to our own spirit, but to the Holy Spirit.   

Douglas Moo says this, “The contrast between the Spirit and the flesh is central to Paul’s presentation of the Christian life.  The Spirit has taken control of believers (5:18), both enabling and compelling them to an obedience not possible before.” (Moo, 385.) 

We cannot think that we can constantly sow to the flesh and yet reap the rewards of sowing to the Spirit, growing in the fruits of the Spirit and ultimately eternal life.  God will not be ridiculed.  We reap the benefits of the Holy Spirit by sowing to the Spirit.  

Many translations add the word “to please”  or “to satisfy” in verse 8.  “Sowing to please the flesh”, or “Sowing to please the Spirit.” This makes a lot of sense and helps to flesh out Paul’s meaning.  No pun intended.  

David deSilva says in his book on Galatians that the Greek word that we often translate “to sow” σπείρων (speirōn) is a present participle , those who sow, suggesting ‘habitual action, not sporadic deviations.’  (deSilva, 136.)  What does this mean?  We should ask ourselves, “What is my habit, is it sowing to the flesh, or sowing to the Spirit?” 

While sowing here refers to actions of our lives, the ‘reaping’ makes reference to consequences of what we have sown.  

The consequences of sowing to the flesh: φθοράν,(phthoran) possible meanings: deterioration, corruption, depravity, destruction. 

The consequences of sowing to the Spirit: ζωὴν αἰώνιον. (zōēn aiōnion)  ζωὴν means “life.”   αἰώνιον means “without end, eternal.” 

Those are the choices, corruption and destruction, or life neverending. Based on the consequneces that each come with, it seems that the obvious choice would be to sow to the Spirit.  

          David deSilva, Galatians: A Handbook on the Greek Text, Waco, Texas, Baylor University Press, 2014. 
            Douglas Moo, Galatians, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 2013. 

What to Brag About

Hey.

We continue our examination of Galatians 6 today, looking at vrses 3-6:

3 If anyone thinks himself to be really something, while actually being nothing special, he deceives himself. 4 Each of you should examine your own work, so that then you can make boasts to yourself, without comparing yourself to other people.  5 So, each of you will carry your own burden.  
6 Those being taught should share all good things with their teacher.   

In verse 3, Paul says, “If anyone thinks himself to be really something, while actually being nothing special, he deceives himself.” Here, we are called to humility.  We must not think more highly of ourselves than we should.  We deceive ourselves if we do.  

So, Galatians 6:3 is a warning to the prideful.  We can start to think that we are really something special.  Paul warns against such thinking. We truly will never be more than hopeless sinners, in need of Jesus - a work in progress.  When we start to think of ourselves as something more than that, we become arrogant and are led astray.  

An inportant part of what Paul is saying here is that when we think of ourselves more highly than we should, we become self-deceived.  David Benner writes, “The human capacity for self-deception is astounding.  This is taught by Scripture (Jer. 17:9) and confirmed by psychology. Some people are highly skilled in deceiving others.  However, their duplicity pales in comparison with the endlessly creative ways in which each and every one of us deceives our self. (Benner, 58.)  

It is very easy for us to deceive ourselves and think of ourselves more highly than we should.  Better that we constantly see ourselves as flawed sinners who are still, nevertheless, deeply loved by God.  If we can hold on to that viewpoint, we will be able to help others. 

It might seem like a disconnect between this verse and one preceding, about carrying one another's burdens.  What does this have to do with carrying someone else’s burdens?  However, the connection is there.  In carrying one another’s burdens there should be no burden that is beneath us.  That would be true humility. (If we think more highly of ourselves than we should, when we are striving to carry another’s burdens, the temptation will be there to be judgmental.)

After being told that we are to keep a proper perspective on ourselves, Paul tells us next that we should take the time to examine our own work. Note that he doesn’t tell us to examine each other’s work.  In fact, we are to look at what we have done without making comparisons to others.  It is not a contest.  We are to look at ourselves and strive to get better each day. 

Paul says in the Greek,”τότε εἰς ἑαυτὸν μόνον τὸ καύχημα ἕξει” (tote eis heauton monon to kauchēma hexei). A word-for-word translation would be “then as to himself alone the something to boast about he will have.” 

Obviously the Greek doesn’t flow the same way that English does.  So what does this mean? It seems thaat the words ἑαυτὸν μόνον, or himself alone, are important here.  We are to examine ourselves, but not so that we can brag about how awesome we are, and any boasting that we may do goes to ourselves alone. 

Within the context of saying that we must not think more highly of ourselves than we should, boasting of any kind, even to ourselves, seems out of place.  That is why it seems to me that Paul is talking about self-comparison.  For example, I might ask myself, “Am I growing spiritually?”  If I can answer positively, then I can boast a little to myself about that, without comparing myself to others.  

Douglas Moo makes an important point here.  Paul is talking about self-assessment, and at this point in his letter, we have to understand that our self-assessment needs to come within the context of God’s standard and His grace. (Moo, 380.) 

Also, Paul has just told us that in carrying each other’s burdens we fulfill the Law of Christ.  Coupling that with verse 4, we see that we please Christ when we love each other, not when we judge each other. 

Verse five seems to go against what Paul has just said.  He has just told them that they should carry one another’s burdens.  Now, in verse 5, he tells them that each one of them should carry their own burdens.  Why would he say such seemingly contradictory statements, back to back? 

We have a responsibility to do both.  We carry our own burdens, and help carry the burdens of others.  Paul has commanded others to help me carry my own burdens, but that does not absolve me from the weight of my own.  I can’t just say, “The church will take care of me,” and then expect it to.

 

In 6:6, Paul says, “Those being taught should share all good things with their teacher.”  According to Moo, there are two trains of thought about what Paul means here.  It is unclear whether the good things to be shared are to be spiritual or physical in nature.  (Moo, 383.)  Moo states that most scholars tend to hold with the latter, that students should materially support their teacher.  All three commentaries that I have been reading took the ‘material support’ view.  While I do support the idea of financial support for ministers and Bible teachers. 

I tend to take a different view here. The Greek words πᾶσιν ἀγαθοῖς. (pasin agathois) mean ‘all good things.”  First, I don’t think that it has to be mutually exclusive, material or spiritual.  “All good things” can include both.  However, if I had to choose, I would think that he is talking about the spiritual.  

          David Benner. The Gift of Being Yourself, Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press, 2004. 

          Douglas Moo, Galatians, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 2013. 

The Law of Christ

Hello everyone.

Today. we begin the final chapter of the book of Galatians.  We will examine the first two verses: 

1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught up in some sin, those among you who are spiritually minded, should restore that person in a spirit of humility.  But, guard yourself so that you are not also enticed to sin. 2 Carry one another’s burdens.  This way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Paul again addresses the Galatians as ‘brothers and sisters.’  Perhaps it is a reminder that they were all family, and that Christianity is not a contest to see who can be the most devout. In the spirit of family, Paul instructs them to go to those among them that get caught up in a sin, and restore them back into the community. 

Paul gives two qualifications to those who do the restoring:

• They must be spiritual-minded.
• They must be humble, as the restoration is to take place in the spirit of humility.

Note: Πραΰτητος (prautatos) can be translate as gentleness or humility.  Both make a lot of sense here, but to me, humility is the better fit.  Thomas Schreiner says, “A gentle and humble spirit does not provoke one who has sinned but treats that person with dignity, and such gentleness is the fruit of the Spirit.” (Schreiner, 358.) 

Paul also gives the restorer a warning.  He, or she, must be careful thexplanations for the sin that the restorer must guard against:at they do not allow the situation to lead them into sin.  Douglas Moo offers three possible 

• Anger toward the offender. 
• Self-righteousness and pride.
• Being drawn into the same sin. 

To be honest, the first two easily go together in response to the sinner who seeks restoration. One who is self-righteous and prideful can easily come into a situation like this with great anger. So, it makes a lot of sense that Paul would urge them to go into a situation like humbly and gently. 

In verse 2, as Paul continues, he tells them to carry one another’s burdens.  Paul again is offering family, or community input.  The verb βαστάζετε, (bastazete) is an imperative, not a suggestion.  We, as the family of God, are to help each other.  

Is this related to verse 1 and the restoration of the sinner, or does this command apply across the whole community of believers?  The answer to that question is ‘yes.’  

Paul goes on to say that in carrying one another’s burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ.  What is the Law of Christ and how do we fulfill it? Based on the context, it seems that Paul is referring to love as the Law of Christ. Jesus is on record for having said that the loving God and loving people are the commands that all of the rest of the Law hangs.  Love is the most important thing.  

Paul has just commanded them to carry one another’s burdens.  Certainly, this is rooted in love.  In 1 Corinthians as Paul is about to define love for us, he first tells that love is the ‘most excellent way.” (1 Cor. 12:31.)  It seems that Paul is presenting love as the Law of Christ. 

Paul has spent considerable time in the letter explaining how and why the time of the Law of Moses has passed.  A new era has come, marked by grace, faith, freedom and love.   This era has a new law, the Law of Christ, a law based in love. We fulfill that new law when we take care of each other, and carry each other’s burdens. 

With this verse, some have suggested that carrying one another’s burdens may be connected to the previous verse, where those who are spiritual-minded are called upon to gently restore the sinner.  Is this the burden that we are to carry?  It certainly fits that we should help carry that burden, but certainly this falls within the realm of a universal call to all disciples to carry each other’s burdens. 

It is in building community and family, loving and helping each is what Paul is calling the fulfillment of the law of Christ. 

Spirit Vs. Flesh, Part 4

Greetings.

As we continue Paul's discussion of the Spirit vs. the flesh, we will be wrapping up chapter 5.  Here are verses 24-26: 

24 But those who are in Jesus, the Christ, have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  25 If we live by the Spirit, we should therefore, keep in step with the Spirit.  26 Let us make sure that we don’t become conceited, provoking and envying one another. 

In verse 24, Paul says: “But those who are in Jesus, the Christ, have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Those who are in Christ no longer live according to the flesh.  The flesh has been crucified with Christ, and the Holy Spirit takes its  place. 

Paul has talked about this idea before.  Think about Gal. 2:20.   “I have been crucified with Christ.  I no longer live, but now Christ lives in me. The life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who has loved me and given himself up for me.”  This concept has been a consistent part of Paul’s message.  The old self, the flesh, it is now gone.  God’s Spirit resides in us now.  Our life is in Him, and we are his temples. He enables us to live differently.  What we failed to do under our own power, He has given us the ability to do, and the passions and desires of the flesh no longer have the same effect on us.  

Paul says that we have crucified the flesh with its desires, but we all know that the temptations of the flesh still come.  The important thing to remember here is that these desires no longer rule over us.  

Going back to verse 16: Paul has told us to ‘walk in the Spirit/’ and now in verse 25 he tells us that since we live by the Spirit, we should "keep in step with the Spirit."  We have all of Paul’s comparison of the works of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit sandwiched between two statements about walking with the Holy Spirit. We choose to walk according to the Spirit or to live according to the flesh.  The flesh will continue to seek those things that satisfy it, while the Spirit offers self-control. 

These statements about walking in the Spirit should give the Galatians guidance. As they are striving to be obedient to the Law, the should ask whether what they are doing is really in step with what the Spirit is doing. He does add a conditional statement in verse 25.  “If we live by the Spirit.”  In other words, if you are going to live by the Law, then go live by the Law, but if you are going to live by the Holy Spirit, quit trying to keep in step with the Law. 

Moo sums up the discussion of the Holy Spirit really well.  (Moo, 371.) I am going to turn his lengthy summation into bullet points:

• The Spirit:
• Transforms the hearts of God’s people. (3:14)
• Produces in us the character traits that please Him (5:22-23a)
• Provides the power to inaugurate the Christian life. (3:3)
• And bring it to completion. (5:5) 
• Leads and guides believers (5:18)
• So, we really should walk by the Spirit. 

We close chapter 5 with a statement about behavior that is not consistent with walking with the Spirit.  “Let us make sure that we don’t become conceited, provoking and envying one another.”  Conceit, envy, provoking others,  those are really works of the flesh, as they damage the community of believers.  They are not in line with the Spirit, or His fruits, (love, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, humility, goodness)  I speculate that Paul added this in here because this was going on among them.  It is certainly a reasonable assumption that the false teachers that had been influencing them were guilty of these things. 

For the Galatians and for us, Keeping in step with the Spirit is a better way to live.