THE MEANING OF GAL 5:18 ?

[Dan Perez]

This what Gal 5:18 is really means >

#1 YE BE LED // AGO is in the Present Tense and is speaking to present time of to today , and in the Passive Voice , which means that is God leading the action of all believers , and is in the Indicative Mood which means all should believe what Paul is writing to those believers of Today , is in the Plural '

#2 OF THE SPIRIT // PNEUMA is in the Dative Case which means ,it designates some one or some thing that is associated with the action . and in the Neuter that means Mal and Female .

#3 YE ARE // ESTE , in the PRESENT TENSE which it is happening today , and in the Indicative Mood , means better believe it , is in the Plural .

#4 NOT // MU , is a DIJJUNCATIVE PARTICILE NEGATIVE that Grace believers are NOT under the following 2 coming Greek words .

#5 THE LAW // NOMOS , is in the ACCUSATIVE CASE and denotes , Destination or Goal and is in the Greek SINGULAR .

There are many with good intentions that still believe , that they still are to KEEP the Moses Law and there are many that believe that Grace believers are under the New Covenant ,

I believe that our Apostle , Paul has written to set this ISSUE RIGHT ON !!

dan p

 

[Clare73]

This what Gal 5:18 is really means >

#1 YE BE LED // AGO is in the Present Tense and is speaking to present time of to today , and in the Passive Voice , which means that is God leading the action of all believers , and is in the Indicative Mood which means all should believe what Paul is writing to those believers of Today , is in the Plural '

#2 OF THE SPIRIT // PNEUMA is in the Dative Case which means ,it designates some one or some thing that is associated with the action . and in the Neuter that means Mal and Female .

#3 YE ARE // ESTE , in the PRESENT TENSE which it is happening today , and in the Indicative Mood , means better believe it , is in the Plural .

#4 NOT // MU , is a DIJJUNCATIVE PARTICILE NEGATIVE that Grace believers are NOT under the following 2 coming Greek words .

#5 THE LAW // NOMOS , is in the ACCUSATIVE CASE and denotes , Destination or Goal and is in the Greek SINGULAR .

There are many with good intentions that still believe , that they still are to KEEP the Moses Law and there are many that believe that Grace believers are under the New Covenant ,

I believe that our Apostle , Paul has written to set this ISSUE RIGHT ON !!

dan p

If you are led by the Spirit (born again), you are not under the curse of the law.

 

[Soyeong]

This what Gal 5:18 is really means >

#1 YE BE LED // AGO is in the Present Tense and is speaking to present time of to today , and in the Passive Voice , which means that is God leading the action of all believers , and is in the Indicative Mood which means all should believe what Paul is writing to those believers of Today , is in the Plural '

#2 OF THE SPIRIT // PNEUMA is in the Dative Case which means ,it designates some one or some thing that is associated with the action . and in the Neuter that means Mal and Female .

#3 YE ARE // ESTE , in the PRESENT TENSE which it is happening today , and in the Indicative Mood , means better believe it , is in the Plural .

#4 NOT // MU , is a DIJJUNCATIVE PARTICILE NEGATIVE that Grace believers are NOT under the following 2 coming Greek words .

#5 THE LAW // NOMOS , is in the ACCUSATIVE CASE and denotes , Destination or Goal and is in the Greek SINGULAR .

It is not a good idea for you to promote rebellion against God, so if you think that is what Galatians 5:18 is doing, then you should either conclude that you must have misunderstood that verse or that you should reject the truth of that verse. The Law of God was given by God and the Spirit is God, so it is the Law of the Spirit, and it is absurd to think that we are not under the Law of the Spirit when we are led by the Spirit, especially when the Spirit has the role of leading us to obey the Law of God (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Paul spoke about multiple categories of law other than the Law of God, such as the law of sin and works of the law, so you need to give justification for why it makes sense to interpret that verse as referring to the Law of God. For example, in Romans 7:25-8:2, Paul contrasted the Law of God with the law of sin and contrasted the Law of the Spirit with the law of sin and death. In Romans 3:27, Paul contrasted the law of works with the law of faith, and in Romans 3:31 and Galatians 3:10-12, he contrasted the law that our faith upholds with works of the law that are not of faith.

In Romans 7, Paul said that the Law of God is good and that he wanted to do good, but contrasted that with the law of sin that was working within his members to cause him not to do the good that he wanted to do. In Romans 7:7, Paul said that the Law of God is not sinful, but is how we know what sin is, and when our sin is revealed, then that leads us to repent and causes sin to decrease, however, the law of sin stirs up sinful passions in order to bear fruit unto death, so it is sinful and causes sin to increase.

In Galatians 5:16-18, Paul spoke about the desires of the flesh causing us not to do the good that we want to do, which matches his description of the law of sin in Romans 7, so that is the law that we are not under when we are led by the Spirit. In Romans 8:4-7, Paul contrasted those who walk in the Spirit with those who have minds set on the flesh who are enemies of God who refuse to submit to the Law of God. Moreover, in Galatians 5:19-23, everything listed as works of the flesh that are against the Spirit are also against the Law of God while all of the fruits of the Spirit are in accordance with it.

There are many with good intentions that still believe , that they still are to KEEP the Moses Law and there are many that believe that Grace believers are under the New Covenant ,

I believe that our Apostle , Paul has written to set this ISSUE RIGHT ON !!

dan p

In Psalms 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey the Mosaic Law, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before Him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith. In Jeremiah 31:33, the New Covenant involves God putting the Mosaic Law in our minds and writing it on our hearts. So you are rejecting both the Grace of God and the New Covenant.

 

[Dan Perez]

It is not a good idea for you to promote rebellion against God, so if you think that is what Galatians 5:18 is doing, then you should either conclude that you must have misunderstood that verse or that you should reject the truth of that verse. The Law of God was given by God and the Spirit is God, so it is the Law of the Spirit, and it is absurd to think that we are not under the Law of the Spirit when we are led by the Spirit, especially when the Spirit has the role of leading us to obey the Law of God (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Paul spoke about multiple categories of law other than the Law of God, such as the law of sin and works of the law, so you need to give justification for why it makes sense to interpret that verse as referring to the Law of God. For example, in Romans 7:25-8:2, Paul contrasted the Law of God with the law of sin and contrasted the Law of the Spirit with the law of sin and death. In Romans 3:27, Paul contrasted the law of works with the law of faith, and in Romans 3:31 and Galatians 3:10-12, he contrasted the law that our faith upholds with works of the law that are not of faith.

In Romans 7, Paul said that the Law of God is good and that he wanted to do good, but contrasted that with the law of sin that was working within his members to cause him not to do the good that he wanted to do. In Romans 7:7, Paul said that the Law of God is not sinful, but is how we know what sin is, and when our sin is revealed, then that leads us to repent and causes sin to decrease, however, the law of sin stirs up sinful passions in order to bear fruit unto death, so it is sinful and causes sin to increase.

In Galatians 5:16-18, Paul spoke about the desires of the flesh causing us not to do the good that we want to do, which matches his description of the law of sin in Romans 7, so that is the law that we are not under when we are led by the Spirit. In Romans 8:4-7, Paul contrasted those who walk in the Spirit with those who have minds set on the flesh who are enemies of God who refuse to submit to the Law of God. Moreover, in Galatians 5:19-23, everything listed as works of the flesh that are against the Spirit are also against the Law of God while all of the fruits of the Spirit are in accordance with it.


In Psalms 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey the Mosaic Law, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before Him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith. In Jeremiah 31:33, the New Covenant involves God putting the Mosaic Law in our minds and writing it on our hearts. So you are rejecting both the Grace of God and the New Covenant.

Since I wrote ONLY the words that Paul wrote , that the HOLY SPIRIT caused Paul to write , why are you saying that the HOLY SPIRIT words PROMOTE REBELLION ??

dan p

 

[Soyeong]

Since I wrote ONLY the words that Paul wrote , that the HOLY SPIRIT caused Paul to write , why are you saying that the HOLY SPIRIT words PROMOTE REBELLION ??

dan p

You are unjustifiably interpreting what Paul wrote in Galatians 5:18 as referring to the Mosaic Law, so you are the one who is promoting rebellion, not the Spirit.

 

[Dan Perez]

You are unjustifiably interpreting what Paul wrote in Galatians 5:18 as referring to the Mosaic Law, so you are the one who is promoting rebellion, not the Spirit.

And that does NOT means the Law of Moses ?

I say that I am right one !!

And say what Law , then means as the word LAW appears many times as LAW in the bible . Like Rom 6:14 , Rom 2:12 . Matt 12:5 and Matt 22:36 !!

dan p

 

[Soyeong]

And that does NOT means the Law of Moses ?

I say that I am right one !!

The interact with what I said about why it shouldn't be interpreted as referring to the Law of Moses and give justification for why it should be interpreted rather than just insisting that you are right.

And say what Law , then means as the word LAW appears many times as LAW in the bible . Like Rom 6:14 , Rom 2:12 . Matt 12:5 and Matt 22:36 !!

dan p

"Law" can refer to variety of different categories, such as traffic laws, copyright laws, tax laws, criminal laws, and international laws, and the Bible also uses "law" to refer to a variety of different categories. Again in Romans 7:25, Paul contrast the Law of God with the law of sin, so it should at least be word investigate whether Galatians refers to the Law of God, the law of sin, or some other law.

 

[bbbbbbb]

The interact with what I said about why it shouldn't be interpreted as referring to the Law of Moses and give justification for why it should be interpreted rather than just insisting that you are right.


"Law" can refer to variety of different categories, such as traffic laws, copyright laws, tax laws, criminal laws, and international laws, and the Bible also uses "law" to refer to a variety of different categories. Again in Romans 7:25, Paul contrast the Law of God with the law of sin, so it should at least be word investigate whether Galatians refers to the Law of God, the law of sin, or some other law.

Got it! Now I can be happily antinomian, knowing that God cannot and will not judge me for spitting on the sidewalks of Singapore.

 

[Soyeong]

Got it! Now I can be happily antinomian, knowing that God cannot and will not judge me for spitting on the sidewalks of Singapore.

What does that have to do with what I've said?

 

[bbbbbbb]

What does that have to do with what I've said?

If "law" can refer to any form of commandment, as you said, and it is a commandment not to spit on the sidewalk in Singapore (which it is), then I am good to go. Therefore, if I choose to apply that meaning (sidewalk spitting) to "law" in the Bible, virtually nobody will come under God's condemnation.

 

[Soyeong]

If "law" can refer to any form of commandment, as you said, and it is a commandment not to spit on the sidewalk in Singapore (which it is), then I am good to go. Therefore, if I choose to apply that meaning (sidewalk spitting) to "law" in the Bible, virtually nobody will come under God's condemnation.

The fact that “law” can refer to a variety of categories does not mean that we are free to insert whatever laws that we choose, especially because there are many laws like the one against spitting on the sidewalk that it would be very unlikely for Paul to be referring to. We can narrow it down the categories of law that Paul named and then determine which one of those makes the most sense in context. For example, in Romans 7:25, Paul contrasted the Law of God with the law of sin, so we should consider whether it would make the most sense for Galatians 5:18 to be referring to one of those or to one of the other categories of law that Paul mentioned rather than just assume that he must have been speaking about the Law of God regardless of whether that makes sense.

 

[oikonomia]

You are unjustifiably interpreting what Paul wrote in Galatians 5:18 as referring to the Mosaic Law, so you are the one who is promoting rebellion, not the Spirit.

Galatians 5:18 does refer to the Mosiac Law. The interpretation is fully justified.

It is the law he refers to that Christ was born under.
God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under law, (Gal. 4:4b)

It is the law which Paul entreats his audience to listen to.
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? (4:21)

It is the law everyone who is circumcized for saving is obligated to keep.
every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to do the whole law. (5:3)

It is the law which has the commandment to love the neighbor as ourselves.
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (v.14)

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Gal. 5:18)
It is obvious that the result of walking by the Spirit is the way to nullify the works of the flesh
in the following verses 19-21. And this walk produces the fruits of the Spirit
which positively fulfill the requirement of the law in verses 22-25.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

But they who are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and its lusts.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (vs. 22-25)

 

[NewLifeInChristJesus]

You are unjustifiably interpreting what Paul wrote in Galatians 5:18 as referring to the Mosaic Law, so you are the one who is promoting rebellion, not the Spirit.

Here are all the verses in Galatians that contain the word, "law".

• Gal 2:16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
• Gal 2:19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.
• Gal 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
• Gal 3:2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—
• Gal 3:5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
• Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
• Gal 3:11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”
• Gal 3:12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”
• Gal 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
• Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.
• Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
• Gal 3:19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.
• Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
• Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
• Gal 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
• Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
• Gal 4:5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
• Gal 4:21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?
• Gal 5:3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
• Gal 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
• Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
• Gal 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
• Gal 5:23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
• Gal 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
• Gal 6:13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.

Galatians is a treatise (i.e., "a written work dealing formally and systematically with a subject" per Web Dictionary) against legalistic Christian living. And it promotes the alternative. If you walk in lock step with the Spirit, you will not gratify the lusts of the flesh. And with the Lord God Himself as your leader and guide, you do not need the law to order your steps. So, stand fast in the freedom that Christ has won for you, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

 

[bbbbbbb]

The fact that “law” can refer to a variety of categories does not mean that we are free to insert whatever laws that we choose, especially because there are many laws like the one against spitting on the sidewalk that it would be very unlikely for Paul to be referring to. We can narrow it down the categories of law that Paul named and then determine which one of those makes the most sense in context. For example, in Romans 7:25, Paul contrasted the Law of God with the law of sin, so we should consider whether it would make the most sense for Galatians 5:18 to be referring to one of those or to one of the other categories of law that Paul mentioned rather than just assume that he must have been speaking about the Law of God regardless of whether that makes sense.

However, you seem to be promoting an alternative understanding of "law" such that "law" can be defined in any sense that fits the reader. You don't seem to like "law" as referring to the Law as given in the Old Testament, but seem to prefer "law of sin", whatever that may be construed to mean.

The fact that I decided that "law" could be taken to mean the Singapore city ordinance against spitting on the sidewalk is no less valid than taking "law" to mean "law of sin". The fact that my spin on "law" is absurd in the context does not invalidate the means of deriving this meaning, does it?

 

[Soyeong]

However, you seem to be promoting an alternative understanding of "law" such that "law" can be defined in any sense that fits the reader. You don't seem to like "law" as referring to the Law as given in the Old Testament, but seem to prefer "law of sin", whatever that may be construed to mean.

The fact that I decided that "law" could be taken to mean the Singapore city ordinance against spitting on the sidewalk is no less valid than taking "law" to mean "law of sin". The fact that my spin on "law" is absurd in the context does not invalidate the means of deriving this meaning, does it?

I have not said anything thing like that “law” can be defined in any sense that fits the reader, so you are burning a straw man. My point is simply that Paul spoke about multiple different categories of law, which includes the Mosaic Law, so we need to use the context to determine which category of law he should be interpreted as referring to rather than unjustifiably assuming that he was always referring to the Mosaic Law regardless of whether or not that makes sense. I made the case from the context for why it would make the most sense to interpret Galatians 5:18 as referring to he law of sin and why it would make sense to interpret it as referring to the Mosaic Law, but for some reason you are ignoring that and are acting as though I am speaking about what I like or prefer.

 

[Soyeong]

Here are all the verses in Galatians that contain the word, "law".

• Gal 2:16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
• Gal 2:19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.
• Gal 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
• Gal 3:2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—
• Gal 3:5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
• Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
• Gal 3:11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”
• Gal 3:12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”
• Gal 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
• Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.
• Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
• Gal 3:19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.
• Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
• Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.
• Gal 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
• Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
• Gal 4:5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
• Gal 4:21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?
• Gal 5:3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
• Gal 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
• Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
• Gal 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
• Gal 5:23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
• Gal 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
• Gal 6:13 For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.

Thank you, those verses should be interpreted as referring to multiple different categories of law, such as Galatians 5:18 and 6:2 don’t both refer to the Law of Christ, and to multiple categories even within the same verse, such as in Galatians 2:19. There is a law that is God’s instructions for how to bear fruit for Him and a law the hinders us from bearing fruit for God that we need to die to in order to be free to live to God, but if someone if someone doesn’t bother to discern which law is being referred to, then they can easily misinterpret Galatians 2:19 as many do as saying that we need to die to the Law of God that is His instructions for how to bear fruit for Him and embrace the law of sin that hinders us from obey the Law of God. Likewise, if someone is not careful, then they can mistake what Paul said against being justified by works of the law as speaking against obeying the Law of God. This is why Galatians is easily the most misunderstood book of the Bible.

Galatians is a treatise (i.e., "a written work dealing formally and systematically with a subject" per Web Dictionary) against legalistic Christian living. And it promotes the alternative. If you walk in lock step with the Spirit, you will not gratify the lusts of the flesh. And with the Lord God Himself as your leader and guide, you do not need the law to order your steps. So, stand fast in the freedom that Christ has won for you, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

What exactly do you mean by legalistic Christian living? If God is legalistic for graciously giving us the gift of His law and Jesus is legalistic for spending his ministry graciously teaching us to obey it by word and by example, then we should all be legalistic, but that is not what I think it means to be legalistic. The lusts of the flesh are all against the Mosaic Law, so the Spirit leading us to not gratify the lusts of the flesh means that the Spirit is leading us to obey the Mosaic Law. God guides is by graciously teaching us His instructions, so it is contradictory to think that God leading means that we don’t need God’s instructions to order our steps. The freedom that we have in Christ is the freedom from sin, not the freedom to do the things that God has revealed to be sin through the Mosaic Law. In Psalms 119:142, the Mosaic Law is truth, and in John 8:31-36, it is sin in transgression of Mosaic Law that puts us into bondage while it is the truth that sets us free.

 

[bbbbbbb]

I have not said anything thing like that “law” can be defined in any sense that fits the reader, so you are burning a straw man. My point is simply that Paul spoke about multiple different categories of law, which includes the Mosaic Law, so we need to use the context to determine which category of law he should be interpreted as referring to rather than unjustifiably assuming that he was always referring to the Mosaic Law regardless of whether or not that makes sense. I made the case from the context for why it would make the most sense to interpret Galatians 5:18 as referring to he law of sin and why it would make sense to interpret it as referring to the Mosaic Law, but for some reason you are ignoring that and are acting as though I am speaking about what I like or prefer.

It does appear to me that, but defining "law" in Galatians as being "the law of sin" as opposed to the Law given in the OT, which has been substantially demonstrated by other posters here, you have made the determination to define "law" according to your own understanding.

Precisely, how do you define "the law of sin"?

 

[Soyeong]

Galatians 5:18 does refer to the Mosiac Law. The interpretation is fully justified.

It is the law he refers to that Christ was born under.
God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under law, (Gal. 4:4b)

It is the law which Paul entreats his audience to listen to.
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? (4:21)

It is the law everyone who is circumcized for saving is obligated to keep.
every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to do the whole law. (5:3)

It is the law which has the commandment to love the neighbor as ourselves.
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (v.14)

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Gal. 5:18)
It is obvious that the result of walking by the Spirit is the way to nullify the works of the flesh
in the following verses 19-21. And this walk produces the fruits of the Spirit
which positively fulfill the requirement of the law in verses 22-25.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

But they who are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and its lusts.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (vs. 22-25)

Paul can refer to multiple categories of law even within one verse, such as in Romans 7:25, he contrasts the Law of God with the law of sin, so the fact that there are other verses in Galatians that refer to the Mosaic Law does not justify interpreting Galatians 5:18 as referring to the Mosaic Law, just as the fact that Galatians 6:2 refers to the Law of Christ does not justify interpreting Galatians 5:18 as referring to the Law of Christ. In Galatians 5:16-23, the desires/works of the flesh are contrary to the Mosaic Law while the fruits of the Spirit are in accordance with it, but if we are no longer under the Mosaic Law, then we are free to give in to the desires of the flesh, which is contrary to everything else in Galatians 5:16-23.

 

[Soyeong]

It does appear to me that, but defining "law" in Galatians as being "the law of sin"

I did not define “law” in Galatians as referring to “the law of sin”, but rather I said that Galatians refers to multiple different categories of law. At times it refers to the OT law, to works of the, or to the law of sin depending upon the context of how it is used.

In Acts 5:32, the Spirit has been given to those who obey God, so obedience to God is part of the way to receive the Spirit, however, Galatians 3:1-2 denies that “works of the law” are part of the way to receive the Spirit, therefore that phrase does not refer to obedience to God. In Romans 3:27-31, Paul contrasted a law of works with a law of faith, so works of the law are of works while he said that our faith upholds God’s law, so it is of faith, and a law that our faith upholds can’t be referring to the same category of law as the works of the law that are not of faith in Galatians 3:10-12. God is trustworthy, therefore His law is also trustworthy (Psalms 19:7), so the way to trust God is by obediently trusting in His instructions, it is contradictory to think that we should have faith in God, but not in His instructions, and to interpret Galatians 3:10-12 as referring to God’s law as being untrustworthy/not of faith rather than works of the law is to deny the trustworthiness/faithfulness of God.

as opposed to the Law given in the OT, which has been substantially demonstrated by other posters here, you have made the determination to define "law" according to your own understanding.

Where have any of the other posters done this? No one has interacted with what I said in post #3 to explain why they disagree with my reasoning and no one has given justification for interpreting Galatians 5:18 as referring to the Mosaic Law other than insisting that it does.

Precisely, how do you define "the law of sin"?

In Romans 7, Paul said that the Law of God is good, that he wanted to do good, and that he delighted in obeying it, but contrasted that with the law of sin that was working within his members to cause him not to do the good that he wanted to do. In Romans 7:7, the Law of God is not sinful, but is how we know what sin is, and when our sin is revealed, then that leads us to repent and causes sin to decrease, however, the law of sin stirs up sinful passions in order to bear fruit unto death, so it is sinful and causes sin to increase. So verses that refer to a law that is sinful, that causes sin to increase, or that hinders us from obeying the Law of God should be interpreted as referring to the law of sin rather than to the Law of God, such as Romans 5:20, Romans 6:14, Galatians 2:19, Galatians 5:16-18, and 1 Corinthians 15:56. Case in point:

Galatians 5:16-18 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The desires of the flesh causing us not to do the good that we want do is exactly how Paul described his struggle with the law of sin in Romans 7. The Mosaic Law is God's instructions for how to do good works and the desires of the flesh are contrary to it, so it would make no sense to to say that the desires of the flesh are contrary to the Spirit and then interpret Galatians 5:18 as saying that if we are led by the Spirit we are free to gratify the desires of the flesh because we aren't under the Mosaic Law, especially when everything listed as works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-23 that are contrary to the Spirit are also contrary to the Mosaic Law while all of the fruits of the Spirit are in accordance with it. If we are not free to do things that are contrary to the Mosaic Law when we are led by the Spirit, then there would be no point in saying that we are not under the Mosaic when we are led by the Spirit.

 

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I did not define “law” in Galatians as referring to “the law of sin”, but rather I said that Galatians refers to multiple different categories of law. At times it refers to the OT law, to works of the, or to the law of sin depending upon the context of how it is used.

In Acts 5:32, the Spirit has been given to those who obey God, so obedience to God is part of the way to receive the Spirit, however, Galatians 3:1-2 denies that “works of the law” are part of the way to receive the Spirit, therefore that phrase does not refer to obedience to God. In Romans 3:27-31, Paul contrasted a law of works with a law of faith, so works of the law are of works while he said that our faith upholds God’s law, so it is of faith, and a law that our faith upholds can’t be referring to the same category of law as the works of the law that are not of faith in Galatians 3:10-12. God is trustworthy, therefore His law is also trustworthy (Psalms 19:7), so the way to trust God is by obediently trusting in His instructions, it is contradictory to think that we should have faith in God, but not in His instructions, and to interpret Galatians 3:10-12 as referring to God’s law as being untrustworthy/not of faith rather than works of the law is to deny the trustworthiness/faithfulness of God.


Where have any of the other posters done this? No one has interacted with what I said in post #3 to explain why they disagree with my reasoning and no one has given justification for interpreting Galatians 5:18 as referring to the Mosaic Law other than insisting that it does.


In Romans 7, Paul said that the Law of God is good, that he wanted to do good, and that he delighted in obeying it, but contrasted that with the law of sin that was working within his members to cause him not to do the good that he wanted to do. In Romans 7:7, the Law of God is not sinful, but is how we know what sin is, and when our sin is revealed, then that leads us to repent and causes sin to decrease, however, the law of sin stirs up sinful passions in order to bear fruit unto death, so it is sinful and causes sin to increase. So verses that refer to a law that is sinful, that causes sin to increase, or that hinders us from obeying the Law of God should be interpreted as referring to the law of sin rather than to the Law of God, such as Romans 5:20, Romans 6:14, Galatians 2:19, Galatians 5:16-18, and 1 Corinthians 15:56. Case in point:

Galatians 5:16-18 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The desires of the flesh causing us not to do the good that we want do is exactly how Paul described his struggle with the law of sin in Romans 7. The Mosaic Law is God's instructions for how to do good works and the desires of the flesh are contrary to it, so it would make no sense to to say that the desires of the flesh are contrary to the Spirit and then interpret Galatians 5:18 as saying that if we are led by the Spirit we are free to gratify the desires of the flesh because we aren't under the Mosaic Law, especially when everything listed as works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-23 that are contrary to the Spirit are also contrary to the Mosaic Law while all of the fruits of the Spirit are in accordance with it. If we are not free to do things that are contrary to the Mosaic Law when we are led by the Spirit, then there would be no point in saying that we are not under the Mosaic when we are led by the Spirit.

Thank you!