Part CIX on Galatians Study

Isaiah 61:10
"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness,..."


Galatians 5:6
"For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."
Now what love are we first and foremost talking about? The love of Christ as He poured out Himself during the last Supper and then on the Cross for us. Lets turn to Philippians Chapter 2 and look at a verse, and remember what we're talking about - The love of Christ that sent Him to the Cross. 


Philippians 2:5-8
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; Who, being in the form of God, (He was Yehovah-God) thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But (as Yehovah-God) made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, (in our humanity and flesh, a bond slave) and was made in the likeness of men: (for a short period of time, now here it comes. The word `love' isn't used but certainly implied) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
What was the engine that drove His obedience? Love! His love for his creation, mankind, His love for the Father drove Him to accept the cup and its required obedience to the work of the Cross. And death on that Cross, which becomes our cup of obedience as well. This death was the most horrible death a person could possibly experience. Now another verse we need to look at is found in II Corinthians Chapter 5 and verse 14.
 
II Corinthians 5:14
"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:"
But why did He die for all? Because of the love that constrains, denoting union with by force. There is another good one in the Book of Romans Chapter 13. This is Paul writing to believers, and this is one of those areas of Scripture that is so practical. There's nothing pie in the sky about any of these things that he writes, this is everyday practicality.

Romans 13:8
"Owe no man any thing, (defraud no one) but to love one another: for he that loveth another (under Grace of course) hath fulfilled the law."
Isn't that amazing? We don't have to have Temple worship, or a priesthood, or animal sacrifices, or the Ten Commandments constantly drilled into us. Once we've stepped under the Light of Grace and the Holy Spirit empowers us, God's Agape Love becomes the whole motivating power behind everything that we do, and then we automatically fulfill the Law. As we've said so often, can we steal from somebody you love? We can't comprehend it. Can we bear false witness, or can we gossip openly about someone you love? No. Can we covet something that a loved one owns and you wish it was yours instead of theirs? No. When love is operating, the Ten Commandments automatically fall away. They no longer become something that we must be taught and have drilled into us. For the Holy Spirit has written them on our re-birthed heart (now circumcised) and impressed them on our conscience. We thereby do them without knowing or thinking about doing them. Now reading on.
 
Romans 13:9-10
"For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery. (if your Christian love is operating you won't commit adultery.) Thou shalt not kill, (that's obvious. You certainly are not going to kill somebody you love.) Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (now here it is in a nutshell) Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
Isn't that simple and practical? Now let's come back to Galatians Chapter 5 once again. Now verse 7, and don't lose the concept of this letter. These Gentiles had come out of paganism as a result of Paul's Gospel and now they were being deluged and undermined by the teaching of having to keep the Law - and now he says: