Keep Running

Anchor Phrase: Stand Firm. Choose Love. Walk Free.

Big Idea:

True freedom is not doing whatever we want—it’s the power to do what pleases God. In Christ, we are freed from the law and for love, from the flesh and into the life of the Spirit.

Introduction — “Who Cut In On You?” (5:1, 7–8)

“You were running well—who cut in on you?”

Paul pictures the Christian life like a race. The Galatians had started strong—but someone jumped in their lane and tripped them up. They began with grace but were drifting back to legalism.

Background: In the first century, Jewish teachers called the law a “yoke of righteousness.” Paul flips that image: now that Christ has come, the law without Christ isn’t a yoke of guidance—it’s a yoke of slavery (FSB).

Illustration: Imagine training for freedom, then chaining yourself before the finish line. That’s what legalism does.

Bridge: Paul’s cry is simple: “Don’t go back.” You’ve been set free to run with purpose, love with power, and live by the Spirit.

Point 1 — Stand Firm in Freedom (5:1–6)

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

A. Freedom’s Foundation (v.1)

Galatians 5:1 NIV

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

ἐλευθερία (eleutheria) — “freedom” or “liberty.”

Paul’s opening line literally reads: “For freedom Christ freed us.”

Freedom isn’t the absence of authority; it’s life under Christ’s grace, not under the law’s weight

Christ has already accomplished freedom from the law’s curse (cf. Gal. 3:13).

Galatians 3:13 NIV

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”

The Greek indicates “for freedom Christ freed us”—our freedom has a purpose: living as redeemed sons, not slaves.

Like the Israelites delivered from Egypt, we’ve been rescued not to return to chains but to worship freely in the wilderness (FSB).

B. Freedom’s False Substitute (vv.2–4)

Galatians 5:2–4 NIV

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

Circumcision here = symbol of self-reliance.

JFB: “If righteousness of works and justification by faith coexist, Christ profits nothing.”

To trust the law’s requirements is to “fall from grace”

Not losing salvation, but severing fellowship with the sufficiency of Christ.

C. Freedom’s Focus (vv.5–6)

Galatians 5:5–6 NIV

For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Hope (elpis) is not wishful thinking

it’s confident anticipation of full redemption (Rom. 8:19–23).

Romans 8:19–23 NIV

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

The mark of true faith isn’t circumcision or rule-keeping but “faith working through love.”

Application: Teenagers often measure worth by performance or popularity. But the gospel says—Christ already made you enough.

“Freedom in Christ means you don’t have to earn what’s already been given.”

Point 2 — Keep Running: Don’t Let Legalism Trip You (5:7–12)

“You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?”

A. The Race of Grace (v.7)

Galatians 5:7 NIV

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?

Paul uses track imagery—faith is a race of endurance, not a sprint.

The danger isn’t stopping, it’s being cut off—detoured by false teaching.

B. The Leaven of Lies (vv.8–9)

Galatians 5:8–9 NIV

That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”

“A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”

Even a small distortion (“Jesus + something”) poisons grace.

Legalism starts small, but it steals joy and burdens faith.

A “little leaven” (a few teachers) was spreading unbelief through the churches (FSB).

Legalism always starts small: a subtle “Jesus + something.” But it always ends big—turning joy into bondage.

C. The Reality Check (vv.10–12)

Galatians 5:10–12 NIV

I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Paul’s righteous frustration shows the seriousness of gospel distortion.

Legalism isn’t a harmless alternative; it’s spiritual sabotage.

Application: What’s “cutting in” on your race today—peer approval, comparison, religion without relationship?

Keep running with your eyes on Jesus, not the scoreboard.

Point 3 — Choose Love Over License (5:13–15)

“You were called to freedom… only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

A. Freedom Misunderstood

Some Galatians swung from law to license—thinking grace meant “anything goes.”

Paul says, No. True freedom isn’t about doing what you want; it’s about being empowered to do what’s right.

B. Freedom Re-Purposed (v.13)

Galatians 5:13 NIV

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.

“Serve one another through love.” The Greek literally reads: “Be enslaved by love.”

“Serve one another through love.” The Greek literally means “be enslaved by love.”

The paradox of the gospel: free people choose servanthood.

free people choose service.

Every day is a choice: flesh or Spirit, selfishness or love.

Example: Using social media freedom to serve or to seek validation.

C. Love Fulfills the Law (v.14)

Galatians 5:14 NIV

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Quoting Leviticus 19:18, Paul shows that the entire law finds its completion in love of neighbor (JFB).

Love isn’t the absence of law, it’s the heartbeat of it.

Students don’t need new rules; they need new hearts. Love is the new law written by the Spirit.

D. Warning (v.15)

Galatians 5:15 NIV

If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

“If you bite and devour each other, watch out.”

“Bite and devour one another” — Paul’s vivid image: believers acting like wild animals.

When freedom loses love, fellowship falls apart.

Churches and friendships collapse when we forget grace.

Churches, families, and friendships disintegrate when we forget grace.

Freedom without love becomes friendly fire.

Point 4 — Walk by the Spirit: Win the War Within (5:16–26)

“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

A. The Conflict (vv.16–18)

Galatians 5:16–18 NIV

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

“Walk (περιπατεῖτε — peripateite) by the Spirit — πνεῦμα (pneuma) — and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh — σάρξ (sarx).”

“Walk” (peripateite) = your daily way of life (FSB).

The σάρξ (sarx) is not your body, but your self-centered nature that resists God.

The πνεῦμα (pneuma) is God’s indwelling presence that empowers obedience.

The flesh isn’t your body—it’s the self-centered nature that wants control.

FSB: “The Spirit and the flesh are not in stalemate; the Spirit frustrates the desires of the flesh.”

JFB: “We’re not promised no evil lusts, but that we will not fulfill them.”

To walk by the Spirit means dependence, not perfection.

B. The Contrast (vv.19–23)

Galatians 5:19–23 NIV

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this 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.

“But the fruit (καρπός — karpos) of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Works of the flesh are plural—divided, destructive.

Fruit of the Spirit is singular—unified character of Christ.

Over half the flesh list involves broken relationships (FSB).

Note: “Those who practice such things” (present participle, prassontes) = ongoing lifestyle, not isolated sin (FSB).

The Spirit’s fruit = evidence of transformation, not a checklist.

“Don’t turn the fruit into a new law; it’s not a performance char, it’s proof of God’s presence.”

C. The Crucifixion (v.24)

Galatians 5:24 NIV

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

“Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh (σάρξ — sarx) with its passions and desires.”

This is positional (already happened in salvation) and practical (daily self-denial).

We don’t manage sin, we mortify it.

“Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh.”

Through faith, believers participate in Christ’s death and resurrection (2:19–20; FSB).

We don’t manage sin, we mortify it.

D. The Continuation (vv.25–26)

Galatians 5:25–26 NIV

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

“Since we live by the Spirit (πνεῦμα — pneuma), let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

“Keep in step” describes marching in rhythm — steady obedience, not spurts of emotion.

JFB: “The Spirit-filled life produces humility, not hype.” Application: Don’t compare fruit — cultivate faithfulness.

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

It’s not enough to claim life by the Spirit; we must stay in rhythm with Him daily (FSB).

Don’t compare fruit, cultivate faithfulness.

JFB: “Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another.” The Spirit-filled life produces humility, not hype.

Measure yourself by obedience, not by visibility

Application: Teens measure themselves by visibility; the Spirit measures growth by obedience.

Conclusion — True freedom is not doing whatever we want; it’s the power to do what pleases God.

In Christ, we are freed from the law and for love, from the flesh and into the life of the Spirit.

True freedom isn’t doing whatever we want — it’s the power to do what pleases God.

The gospel started this race, not your strength.

So:

Stand firm in Christ’s freedom.

Choose love when your flesh demands control.

Walk by the Spirit daily, not your feelings.

Because the same πνεῦμα (pneuma) who raised Jesus from the dead now

Run Free, But Stay in Step