Galatians 5:7-15 No Impediments
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: June 22, 2020 Galatians 5:7-15
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
(Understanding the Text) Paul tells the Galatians that before the Judaizers came, their walk with Jesus was strong and healthy. Any conviction that they had that they should begin trying to become like Jews was not from Jesus. It was the conviction of being persuaded by humans. Just a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch, so just a few disciples with wrong beliefs can misrepresent the ideas of all the people, or a few wrong beliefs stuck in with the correct beliefs can eventually spread death through all of the beliefs. Paul says that he is confident that the Galatians will re-examine their ideas and go back to their original relationship with Jesus. His confidence about this is not based on his own powers of persuasion, but instead he has confidence that Jesus Himself will show this to the Galatians. Paul says that the Judaizers will bear the penalty of leading the Galatians away from their walk with Jesus, but the Galatians will be fine if they just return to their former method of relating to Jesus.
Paul says that if he had followed what the Judaizers advocated, other Jews would have accepted him eagerly, but since he preaches the salvation that alone comes from Jesus’ death on the cross, they persecute him instead. Then Paul uses strong language to say that he wishes that the ones who were pushing the Galatians to be circumcised would be re-circumcised themselves and have the knife slip when it happened so that it cut off their whole penis. This is both picturesque and shocking. Paul is using it to try to appeal to the Gentile abhorrence of the idea of cutting in that area of the body. Also, I think he feels that this is essentially what the Judaizers are attempting to do to the Galatians.
(Understanding the Text / Revelation of God) The Galatians were called to Jesus to free them from trying to make their own salvation. They do not have to do some other work to be saved. Jesus has already saved them. Now, Paul cautions them to use their freedom wisely. He wants them to choose selfless service rather than pleasing themselves. Paul knows the kinds of worldly activities that the Galatians have access to, and he wants them to understand that he is not telling them to go to the opposite extreme of not caring what they do and how it will affect themselves and others. He tells them that there is an obligation that comes with Jesus’ salvation, but it is not circumcision; it is selfless love and service to others. Thus, if they really want to obey the law as the Judaizers propose that they should, it will not be by outward forms like circumcision and keeping certain festivals. Instead, it must come from an inward transformation that brings love to others to the forefront. Loving Jesus means loving each other, but if they fight amongst themselves, they are not loving Jesus. Paul says loving each other is a fulfillment of the law of God if they are searching for a law to please God. Love will please God. Hurting their fellow Christians will hurt them and displease God.
(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that this is a timeless message that I already know but that is so easy to forget. A program is not what pleases God. Spreading His love around to others is what pleases Him. Giving a new toothbrush to someone who has slept all night in her car is what pleases God. Praying for the welfare of my fellow Christians is what pleases God. Helping where I can is what pleases God. However, none of that will give me salvation. God gives me salvation as a free gift. That other stuff is part of loving Jesus and wanting to please Him. I pray to please You.