The Effect of the Gospel

Paul has explained that the Law is powerless to bring about a righteous life (Gal 2:16). However, he does not want Christians to think that, because of this, they no longer have any moral obligation. The righteousness given through new life in the Spirit is to be seen in both the individual believer's life and also in the corporate life of the church. It is not a matter of seeking to achieve righteousness through keeping regulations, but of choosing to live out the new life implanted by God through faith in Jesus Christ (Gal 4:6). The new life is opposed to the old life (Gal 5:17). Self-centredness has been replaced by love, dissension by peace, anger by joy, jealousy by generosity. Compare the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 with the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Which do you prefer? How then do you choose to live?