Galatians 4-5

 Paul teaches that "... when the appointed time arrived, God sent forth His Son..."  Jesus was born "of a woman, born under the Law".  The CJB puts it this way.. "He was born from a woman, born into a culture in which legalistic perversion of the Torah was the norm.. "  Jesus came to redeem those enslaved to legalism.. to set them free to become God's sons.  He also came  to redeem the Gentiles who were not slaves to the Law, but to "beings which in reality are non-gods" for they did not know God.   But, now that they know the One True God and are "known by God".. they are also free in Christ Jesus.

There were Jewish "believers"  who had yet to let go of the "legalistic perversions" of the Law.  They were convincing the Galatian believers to be circumcised and converted to Judaism.  Paul warned the church in Galatia not to follow these "zealous" but self- serving teachers.  Their ways would only make them slaves again. They were not called to be slaves.. but sons!  For Messiah came to free them and us!

To try to become righteous through the Law would be to reject the work of Jesus the Messiah.  It would separate them from God's grace.  The truth is  that "... it is by the power of the Spirit, who works in us because we trust and are faithful. that we confidently expect our hope of attaining righteousness to be fulfilled."

We are called to be free.  We are called to "run [our] lives by the Spirit".  We are either led by our old human, unredeemed nature.. or we are led by the Spirit of God.  If we are led by the Spirit then we are not "in subjection to the system that results from perverting the Torah into legalism." 

Paul gives us the distinct contrast between a life led by the old nature and the life led by the Spirit of God (v19-25):

The old nature - sexual immorality, impurity, indecency, occultism, drugs, feuding, fighting, jealousy, anger, selfish ambition, factionalism, intrigue, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and "things like these." 

But, the Spirit led life will result in - "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, self- control.  Nothing in the Torah stands against such things." 

"Since it is through the Spirit that we have Life, let it also be through the Spirit that we order our lives day by day." 

Father in heaven, we thank You for sending Jesus at the right time so that we can be redeemed and set free from everything that is false.  Jesus is the Truth and He is the way and the life.. Hallelujah!
Help us to live our lives, led by Your Spirit, in trusting faithfulness to the glory and honor of Your Name.  May Jesus Christ be praised!  Amen and amen.