Fathers

Galatians 5

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Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. I would they were even cut off which trouble you. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

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What the Fathers say

Galatians 5:25

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

Since then such is the power of the Spirit, let us live therein and be content therewith... being governed by His laws. For this is the force of the words "let us walk," that is, let us be content with the power of the Spirit, and seek no help from the Law. ...

Homily on Galatians 5 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

If, he says, such is the power of the Spirit, then by it let us also live, and by it let us be content. For the expression: "let us also walk in the Spirit" is used instead of: let us be content with the power of the Spirit and not seek the help of the law.

Commentary on Galatians ↗

Oecumenius

"let us also walk by the Spirit." Therefore we too ought to live according to the will of the Spirit. Since we are going to crucify the flesh of ours once for all, "let us also walk by the Spirit," he says, that is, let us be satisfied with the grace given by the Holy Spirit, and not seek to be saved by the law.

Commentary on Galatians ↗

Western Saints

Jerome

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us use this testimony against those who do not want to understand the Scriptures spiritually. But who is the one who lives by the Spirit, if not our hidden self, who sometimes tends to live according to the flesh? But when he lives by the Spirit, he walks by the Spirit. When he desires to walk in the flesh, he is alive but dead. The perfect man in Christ always lives in the Spirit: he obeys the Spirit, he never lives in the flesh. …

Commentary on Galatians ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit," he mentions the third benefit of the Holy Spirit, namely, the conferring of life. First, he mentions this benefit of the Spirit of God; Secondly, he rejects the vices of the spirit of the world (v. 26). Therefore, including himself with those to whom he writes, he says: I say that we ought to walk by the Spirit, because we live by Him and not by the flesh: "We are debtors not to the flesh to live according to the flesh" (Rom 8:12). …

Commentary on Galatians ↗