Free to Walk: Galatians 5:13-6:18

Intro:

the last in our teaching series - it's been like looking at a precious jewel from different sides, seeing the many facets of grace and understanding what makes belonging to Jesus so precious, so beautiful and so freeing. 

Freedom - from, law, obeying false teachers, free from guilt and activity as the way to know and be known by God...

This week met with a young woman - daughter of good friends, who got caught up in a cult. She was on the edge of being taken in - a 'church' who insisted that baptism by them was the way to be saved, the way to be faithful was to 'save' others (by getting them to join their church). She said "the Manipulation was WILD - i went from not knowing these people and then three intense weeks later considering moving in with a family so that I could 'become a christian'/be saved"

The stuff we've been looking at in Galatians is not about then and there but here and now. As I listened to her story and spoke about church. She asked me if everyone who comes to my church is SUPER happy all the time - and I honestly said no, some of us are broken, we're sad, we're grieving, we're just bumping along. Many of us are happy but some of us are miserable - everyone is welcome. 

Paul’s final appeal in Galatians is clear: Christian freedom is in teh real world, it's never about throwing off responsibility, about thinking simple rules can fix complex hearts. It’s about stepping into a new way of living—led by the Spirit, shaped by love.

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (Gal 5:13)

We're freed From slavery to sin and we're freed to know and serve God as His beloved children.

Free to walk.

Walking - one step, one day at a time. Sometimes it's a walk by the beach in the sun, other times its a walk up Tongariro in the wind and rain - but it's walking - it's walking. 

That's the image that Paul often, most often, uses for life in fiath in Jesus - walking... walking...

not running

not riding a horse

not driving a car

not flying in a plane

walking. slow, deliberate, steps in the direction of Jesus.But we're not alone, we're not left alone and we're not left powerless.

Galatians 5:13–6:18 “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.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.”

‭‭

3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

7 Do not be deceived: God cannotbe mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to pleasetheir flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows toplease the Spirit, from the Spiritwill reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, forat the proper time we will reap aharvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to allpeople, especially to those whobelong to the family of believers.

11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my ownhand! 12 Those who want toimpress people by means of theflesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the crossof Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep thelaw, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. 

14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule – to the Israel of God. 17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

‭‭ Slide: Freedom to walk is Freedom to W A L K

W – War Within

(The Fight: Flesh vs. Spirit – Galatians 5:13–18)

Key Idea: Christian freedom doesn’t remove struggle — it reframes it. The war isn’t solved by rules but by walking with the Spirit. In 5:13–18, Paul warns the Galatians not to exchange slavery to the law for slavery to the flesh. True freedom is not self-indulgence, nor is it rigid rule-keeping — it’s the freedom to love through the Spirit. Paul is not promoting escape. He isn’t advocating for a new set of regulations or rejecting the body as bad — that’s not the gospel. He rejects both legalism and license. He names the deeper issue: a war within.

“Flesh” (sarx) here is our self-centred, rebellious nature. Not the body — but the ego - inner appetites - that want control.

Freedom doesn’t end the battle — it relocates it.

Now it’s not between rules and rebellion… but between flesh and Spirit.

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (5:16)

And the war is fierce:

“This is the Christian conflict—fierce, bitter and unremitting. Moreover, it is a conflict in which by himself the Christian simply cannot be victorious.”

— John Stott, The Message of Galatians, p.149

We all feel this inner tug-of-war. Wanting to serve God — and wanting to serve ourselves.

Illustration: Letting a toddler run with scissors. That’s “freedom” without the Spirit — it’s not liberating, it’s dangerous.

Paul ends this section with a clear encouragement: The Spirit is present. The Spirit is active. You CAN walk by the Spirit — even in the middle of the conflict.

stott's commentary has been so helpful as i and others have worked through this book. I'll quote him 4 times today.

This is the Christian conflict—fierce, bitter and unremitting. Moreover, it is a conflict in which by himself the Christian simply cannot be victorious.

Stott, J. R. W. (1986). The message of Galatians: Only one way (p. 149). InterVarsity Press.

A – Align with the Spirit Galatians 5:19–26

Key Idea: We don’t win the war by working harder. We align ourselves with the Spirit who produces a new kind of life in us.

The passage turns from inner tension to outward transformation.

Walk (5:16), Be led (5:18), Keep in step (5:25): relational language — not about pace, but about presence and alignment.

The image is not sprinting alone — it’s walking with the Spirit, side-by-side. Like people swaying together on a rope bridge — constant attention, mutual adjustment.

Fruit vs. Works:

Works of the flesh (vv. 19–21): efforts from self — destructive, disordered, relationally toxic.

Paul’s not being polite here — he’s throwing the lights on. When we invest in this flesh-life, feeding the ego, life gets dark fast. Self is served and Sex turns selfish - we behave was we want and shelf God’s good plan. Faith turns fake - idolatry and withcraft arise, two different symptoms of the same disease. Relationships turn toxic: Anger flares, jealousy simmers, pride takes over, and we tear each other apart.

We chase pleasure and drown pain, hoping no one notices the emptiness inside. This is self-destruction in turning away from God. It is deeply bitter. And Paul’s point is clear: if this is what your life smells and tastes like, it’s not the Spirit’s work — no matter how religious it looks, it is not what Jesus died for, not the freedom the Spirit gives.

Fruit of the Spirit (vv. 22–23): not achieved, but grown — a unified character of love, shown in joy, peace, patience… on the other hand…. When we keep in step with the Spirit, something beautiful happens. We stop trying to force growth and start seeing fruit. Real fruit. A life that tastes like love — not performance. Joy that isn’t fake. Peace that holds when the pressure comes. Patience where we used to snap. Kindness that interrupts selfishness. Goodness that costs something. Faithfulness that sticks around. Gentleness that heals. Self-control that actually sets us free. These aren’t spiritual party tricks. This is what the Spirit produces in ordinary people who say, “Yes — I’ll walk with You today.” And when a whole church walks that way? You can smell the grace in the room:

It’s not nine fruits. It’s one fruit — a life that tastes like love. Analogy: like a layered dish in a Michelin-starred kitchen — one plate, many flavours. Or a complex wine — notes of joy, hints of peace, full-bodied patience. This is what life tastes like with the Spirit.

We can tell what a church is like — what our church is like — by the flavour of its fruit.

Spirit-filled communities are sweet, nourishing, life-giving.

Flesh-filled environments are bitter, toxic, and hard.

To walk with the Spirit is not some airy fairy experiences…“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (5:24) It is daily and deliberate work.

We tend the soil. We pull the weeds. We don’t feed what was meant to die.

"When we came to Jesus Christ, we repented. We ‘crucified’ everything we knew to be wrong. We took our old self-centred nature, with all its sinful passions and desires, and nailed it to the cross... So, Paul says, if we crucified the flesh, we must leave it there to die."

John Stott (1986). The message of Galatians: Only one way (p.151). IVP.

L - LIVE IT OUT Galatians 6:1–10

(Real Freedom in Real Life – Galatians 6:1–10)

Key Idea: Spirit-led freedom shows up in real life, not the idealised version. It's all found in the principal of sowing and reaping - sow to the flesh or to the spirit and reap a harvest that you plan.

Not KARMA but life - not simplistic, legalism, but truth and wisdom.

Paul doesn’t just tell us to walk and die by the Spirit, but to LIVE—he paints a picture of what that walk looks like in real life. 

It’s not mystical, it’s deeply relational. You’ll know you’re keeping in step with the Spirit when you’re gentle with the fallen, humble in yourself, generous with others, intentional in your choices, and patient when the harvest feels slow

the Law of love - the whole law (5:14) 

bear one another's burdens - too heavy to lift alone.

bear yourself in humility - self aware but not self obsessed nor self loathing - neither conceited (superior/condescending) nor resentful (inferior/envious)

bear your own responsibility (backpack)

freedom is seen not in superiority but in compassion, not in perfectionism but in empathy, not in how quick we spot a sin in others but in how much it moves us into action - not in finger pointing but in brotherly and sisterly love

"If we detect somebody doing something wrong, we are not to stand by doing nothing… Nor are we to despise or condemn [them] in our hearts and say ‘Serves [them] right’… Nor are we to report [them] to the minister, or gossip… we are to ‘restore’... to ‘set [them] back on the right path’."

John Stott (1986) The message of Galatians: Only one way (p. 160) IVP

K – Keep the Cross Central

(The Focus  Boast in Jesus – Galatians 6:11–18)

Paul grabs the pen himself here. This is personal.

His final focus: not law, not rules, not anything but the cross of Christ.

New Creation vs Old Religion

He unveils the heart of those who push legalism and the law - it's all about them and their power, security and comfort. It's about avoiding the cost of following jesus. But we are free to walk in Jesus - as god's beloved children, as spirit filled family.

The freedom won by Jesus is freedom that re-creates the human heart - gifts eternal life. Circumcision means nothing, being uncircumcised means nothing - only faith in Jesus and being born again, remade counts for anything. in this newness of life we are Free to walk, to live, love. Free from sin and death and judgement and law.

Free to live not for ourselves but for God - and free to live for eternity. Walk in step with the Spirit. LIVE.

Stott on the clsoe of the letter - authentic living is free and is family. We together are free to walk.

"the authentic characteristic of the gospel is ‘the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ’, and of the gospel preacher ‘the marks of Jesus’. This is so for all God’s people. Paul bore the marks of Jesus on his body and the grace of Jesus in his spirit. And he desired his readers to have the same, for they were his ‘brethren’—the last word of the Epistle—in the family of God."

John Stott (1986). The message of Galatians: Only one way (p.183). IVP.

Free to W A L K…

Take a Pause before we come to communion.

As you consider your heart in this - Nathan and Gabby will come abd sing a song they've written from Galatians. with this song—a song written out of this very series. It’s a prayer. A confession. A declaration of grace.

What is the Spirit saying to you from this book of Galatians - we’re about to come to communion - think as we prepare. A meal for those who’ve been set free in Christ. Those who are trusting in Jesus and turning from sin. The invite is open to you today.

“I put my faith in Christ alone…”

(elements distributed during the song)

We’ve just sung it:

“I put my faith in Christ alone… It was Your grace that bought my freedom.”

And that’s what this table declares.

Not our striving.

Not our performance.

Not a perfect record or a polished reputation.

Just Jesus.

When we keep in step with the Spirit, we walk the path of grace — and this table reminds us where that path began:

with a body broken, and blood poured out,

not to shame us into obedience, but to love us into freedom.

So if you’ve come today weary, doubting, joyful, struggling — this meal is for you.

Not because you’ve earned it, but because Christ gave Himself for you.

Let’s come to the table — not in fear, but in faith —

and eat and drink in step with the Spirit.

Let’s pray.