Christian Liberty
1 Phil. 4:1Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a Acts 15:10; Gal. 2:4yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that Acts 15:1; Gal. 5:3, 6, 11if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised (Deut. 27:26; Rom. 2:25; Gal. 3:10)that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 (Rom. 9:31)You have become estranged from Christ, you who attemptto be justified by law; Heb. 12:15; 2 Pet. 3:17you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit eagerly Rom. 8:24wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For (1 Cor. 7:19; Gal. 6:15; Col. 3:11)in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but Col. 1:4; 1 Thess. 1:3; (James 2:18, 20, 22)faith working through love.
Love Fulfills the Law
7 You 1 Cor. 9:24ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 1 Cor. 5:6A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, 1 Cor. 15:30why do I still suffer persecution? Then Rom. 9:33; (1 Cor. 1:23)the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 Josh. 7:25I could wish that those Acts 15:1, 2who trouble you would even cut themselves off!
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only (Rom. 8:2); 1 Cor. 8:9; Gal. 5:1do not use liberty as an Rom. 6:1; 1 Pet. 2:16opportunity for the flesh, but 1 Cor. 9:19; Eph. 5:21through love serve one another. 14 For Matt. 7:12; 22:40; Rom. 13:8, 10; Gal. 6:2all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39; Rom. 13:9"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
Walking in the Spirit
16 I say then: Rom. 6:12Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For Rom. 7:18, 22, 23; 8:5the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, Rom. 7:15so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But (Rom. 6:14; 7:4; 8:14; 1 Tim. 1:9)if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now Rom. 1:26–31; Eph. 5:3, 11; 2 Tim. 3:2–4the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that 1 Cor. 6:9, 10those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But (John 15:2)the fruit of the Spirit is (Rom. 5:1–5; 1 Cor. 13:4; Col. 3:12–15)love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, Rom. 15:14goodness, 1 Cor. 13:7faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. 1 Tim. 1:9Against such there is no law. 24 And those whoare Christ’s Rom. 6:6; (Gal. 2:20; 6:14)have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 (Rom. 8:4, 5)If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Phil. 2:3Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.