_Stand fast therefore in the liberty_, &c. The apostle (chap. 3.) having, from Abraham's justification by faith, proved, 1st, That all who believe in Christ, and in the promises of God through him, are the seed of Abraham, whom God in the covenant promised to justify by faith: 2d, That the law of Mo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, I Paul_ A divinely-commissioned apostle of Christ; _say, that if ye be circumcised_ And seek to be justified by that rite, or if you depend on any part of the ceremonial law, as your righteousness, and necessary to salvation; _Christ_ The Christian institution; _will profit you nothing_ For... [ Continue Reading ]
_For we_ Who believe in Christ, and are his true disciples, having been savingly enlightened in the knowledge of the truth; do, _through the_ influences of the _Spirit_ Without any of these carnal ordinances; _wait for_ In sure confidence of obtaining; _the hope of righteousness_ That is, the righte... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye did run well_ In the race of faith, love, and obedience; in true, genuine Christianity; believing its truths, experiencing its graces, enjoying its privileges, performing its duties. The exercises of faith and holiness, enjoined in the gospel, are often in Scripture compared to the ancient athle... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I, brethren_ If, as my enemies insinuate; _I yet preach circumcision_ As necessary to salvation, and urge it upon the believing Gentiles; _why do I yet suffer persecution_ From the Jews, as one apostatized from their religion? Probably the person that troubled them took occasion, from Paul's ha... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye have been called_ By the gospel; _into liberty_ From the bondage of the Mosaic ceremonies, as well as of sin and misery: _only use not liberty for an occasion of the flesh_ So as to nourish or gratify any corrupt principle in yourselves or others. _But by love serve one another_ Use your liberty... [ Continue Reading ]
_I say then_ He now explains what he proposed Galatians 5:13; _Walk in_, or by, _the Spirit_ Namely, the Spirit of God: follow his guidance, exercise his graces, and bring forth his fruits: at all times endeavour to conduct yourselves as under his influence, and in a way agreeable to the new nature... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now the works of the flesh_ By which that inward corrupt principle is discovered; _are manifest_ Are plain and undeniable. He says _works_, in the plural, because those of the flesh are distinct from, and often inconsistent with each other. But the _fruit_ of the Spirit is mentioned in the singular... [ Continue Reading ]
_But the fruit of the Spirit_ He says _the fruit_ of the Spirit, to signify that the graces here mentioned are the natural, genuine product of the influences of the Spirit upon the mind of man. It is not possible to give a higher praise to any temper of mind, or course of life, than to say, it is th... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they that are Christ's_ Who are true believers in him, and therefore possessed of union with him, and shall be finally owned as belonging to him; _have crucified the flesh_ Have doomed it to a certain death, like the body of one that is nailed to a cross, and left to expire upon it; _with the a... [ Continue Reading ]
_If we live in_, or by, _the Spirit_ If we are indeed raised from the death of sin, and made alive to God by the operation of his Spirit, and if this spiritual life is continued to us by his indwelling presence in our souls; _let us walk_ by and _in the Spirit_ Being under his influence, and followi... [ Continue Reading ]