Galatians 5 v 23b – 26 – Law and the Fruit of the Breath

 ‘…down opposing that of this sort, there is absolutely no law that exists, 24 and those of Jesus the anointed have crucified their own flesh together with the strong emotions and lustful desires. 25 If we are alive by Breath, we should also be walking by Breath, 26 not becoming boastful, provoking one another, envying one another’, (Galatians 5 v 23b - 26).

There is no law in existence, including divine law, that comes down to oppose and condemn practical benevolent love, joy, wholeness, forbearance, useful kindness, goodness, entrustment, mildness and enlightened self-control. By co-working with God and carrying across these qualities from within into their speech and behaviour as a result of the indwelling of the set-apart Breath of God, Christians walk around in the Breath and bring the Messiah to completion, being transformed into his image or likeness. And those that are of Jesus, the anointed of God, by being immersed in union with the Messiah by means of the set-apart Breath, have crucified the flesh. They do not look to their natural, fleshly ability or strength to try to observe the written codes and regulations of Sinai Covenant law as means to obtaining or maintaining divine judicial approval. Nor do they willingly follow or submit to the raw passions, energies and impulses within their fleshly constitution in the way that they did before God brought them forth. 

Paul appeals once again to logical consistency. Christians have not been brought to a position of divine approval by means of their human nature, natural ability, or their attempts to observe the written codes of Sinai Covenant law. They have been brought forth by the work of the set-apart Breath leading them to perceive and entrust the Messiah, immersing them in union with God’s anointed deliverer. So Paul says, ‘Be consistent. If we are brought to Life by means of the set-apart Breath, then we should also be walking around by means of Breath. It is inconsistent for us to turn back to rely on our own ability – our flesh - to observe the injunctions of divine law in order to maintain divine judicial approval’. 

Finally he adds a few more practical considerations. Walking around within the sphere of the set-apart Breath not only means that Christians begin to display the qualities – the fruit – that he has listed over the previous few verses, but also it means that Christian do not do not happily indulge in certain other behaviours. The Breath is in opposition to the flesh, so if Christians are walking in the Breath then they are ‘not becoming boastful, provoking one another, envying one another’, (verse 26). This is a similar point to one that he makes in I Corinthians. There is indeed a desire for excellence in Christians, a desire for godliness, but such an aim must not lead to divisions, schisms, or to Christians boasting or provoking one another. Christians who are ambitious for honour may indeed provoke other Christians, whom they regard as inferiors, by a having a proud and contemptuous manner toward them. They may look on some other Christians with contempt, pass by some other Christians with disdain, as if they are beneath their notice, and this provokes hard feelings and even hatred. This was the problem at Corinth. 

Sometimes the opposite happens. Christians don’t celebrate the good of others, either desiring their portion, or being troubled that they fare so well. Both errors are traceable to one and the same root - the excessive wish to be thought well of by others.