Pastor Luther Walker teaches on Galatians 5:1-6 and related passages, emphasizing standing firm in the liberty believers have in Christ, which frees them from the Mosaic law and living under legalism. He explains that circumcision (and any attempt to be justified by law) profits nothing and renders Christ of no effect, as it places one under obligation to the entire law and causes a fall from grace—not losing salvation, but failing to live in the grace already possessed. Living by law strengthens the sin nature, while the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets believers free from the law of sin and death.
He defines biblical hope as confident expectation based on God’s promises, not wishful thinking, illustrated through Abraham’s faith and the gospel promise in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (Christ died for sins, was buried, and rose again according to the Scriptures). Faith requires an object—the gospel message—and is the substance of things hoped for, providing evidence of unseen accomplished deeds. Righteousness comes out from faith, not law, and true strength in Christ lies in faith working through God’s quality of love (agape), described in detail from 1 Corinthians 13 as long-suffering, kind, not envious, not puffed up, rejoicing in truth, bearing all things, and never failing.
The Christian life is rational and logical, not rigid rule-keeping. Believers train their senses to discern good from evil (Hebrews 5:14), use their renewed mind to prove God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will (Romans 12:2), and reject conformity to the legal age. Liberty in Christ is not a license to sin or opportunity for the flesh, but a call to serve one another through love. Victory over the sin nature comes by knowing one’s co-crucifixion and co-resurrection with Christ, reckoning oneself dead to sin and alive to God, and yielding members to righteousness (Romans 6). Believers are legitimate born children of God, not merely adopted, and are called to walk worthy of their position by faith in the Son of God who loved them.
Paul warns against being hindered from obeying the truth through legalistic teachings that undermine grace and liberty.
