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The Epistle to the Galatians Chapter 5:1-21 Stand Fast in the Freedom Christ has Given 5.1. For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. The Galatian Christians were in danger of reverting back to the bondage of the law and regulations of religion. Therefore, Paul exhorts them to remain faithful and true to the freedom that Jesus Christ has obtain for them through His atoning death on the cross and not be ensnared again to a yoke of slavery. We need not confine this to the Law and regulations for as we shall see there is the law of sin in our bodies (Rom. 7: 23 - 25) that once had dominion over us (Rom. 6: 14). Jesus Christ has set us free from the bondage of sin and the demands of the Law (John 8: 36). 5.2 - 4. Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! Paul who was a Jew, a Pharisee, (Phil. 3: 5) and therefore circumcised tells them straight that if they should be circumcised it will not accomplish anything it is only an outward sign and that it has nothing to do with salvation. In fact, if anyone becomes circumcised believing that it is necessary in order to be saved they are saying that they do not trust in the complete work of salvation that Christ obtained through the Cross. If a man becomes circumcised for this purpose then he removes himself from grace and is under an obligation to keep the whole law. Indeed, he separates himself from Christ for he is declaring that God’s grace is insufficient. 5.5. For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. As believers we are enabled by the Spirit through faith to wait for the blessing of the fulfilment of our salvation when Christ returns. 5.6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight — the only thing that matters is faith working through love. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ there is no benefit in being circumcised or uncircumcision for faith that is expressed through our works of love.