Many saved people have their salvation threatened by those who would put us back under the law. Even more often, innocent Christians have their salvation scrutinized by the misapplication of this condemnation of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21. Galatians 5:19-21 is a passage that is often used as a salvation indicator by those who do not understand salvation by grace (see ‘Can we lose our salvation by grace?’). The passage is properly understood to be a motivator to produce the fruit of the Spirit in a saved individual.

Firstly, Paul clearly teaches that we are saved by the undeserved merit of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross (Romans 4:5). Since it is not according to our works, it can not be indicated by our works (Romans 11:6). Instead it is indicated by the work of Christ and our faith in what he performed (Eph 1:13, Romans 3:22-24). If you want a proper evaluation of your salvation then we must not look at our own works, but at the work of Christ (Romans 4:20-25). Is our trust totally in what Christ did? If so, then we have received the grace of God unto salvation.

Having an understanding of the basis of our salvation by grace negates the possibility that this passage is condemning saved members of the Body of Christ. However, it is just as wrong to believe that it is advocating using the works of the flesh to test a person’s salvation. For if we received salvation by grace then we cannot refute our salvation by our works. On the contrary, Paul uses this description of the works of the flesh in contrast to the fruit of the Spirit in order to motivate those who live in the Spirit to also walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:25).

In the context of Galatians Paul addresses the issues of salvation and justification by faith first in chapters 1 and 2. Then Paul continues to talk about the walk of a justified person. That is, he first explains grace, our position in Christ, our free justification, and then subsequently contrasts our new position with our old position to spur us onto good works for which we were ‘before ordained that we should walk’ (Eph 2:10).

Paul says in Galatians 2:17 that we know ‘that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ’. Paul continues to describe the presence of sin in the justified individual:

“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.” – (Galatians 2:17-18)

Paul says we are dead to the law, and so we do not build up our flesh again to try and reap good fruit from it. It has been crucified with Christ and no longer lives. Our new position is in Christ and not in the flesh (Gal 2:19-21).

In chapter 3 Paul continues by asking:

“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” – (Galatians 3:3)

We began in the Spirit in that we are made alive through the Spirit after we were dead under the law. Yet, this implies that we are to walk in the Spirit as well. Paul will continue to stress this idea for the next few chapters. Christ has set us free from the law and now we have a new position in Christ to walk by faith in Grace.

Paul begins chapter 5 with the statement, ‘stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage’ (Gal 5:1). We are not to entangle ourselves under the curse of the law, but instead ‘wait for the hope of righteousness by faith’ (Gal 5:5)!

We are to exhibit our liberty from sin and death through our walk in the Spirit. There is a law against the works of the flesh that works unto death. However, there is no law against the works of the Spirit which are unto life. Therefore we are to walk after the Spirit not the flesh.

The passage in Gal 5:19-21 explains the law working against the works of the flesh. Yet, our flesh is crucified on the cross, and we are Christ’s:

“And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. “ – (Gal 5:24)

So then, ‘if we live in the Spirit, we should also walk in the Spirit’ (Gal 5:25).

The works of the flesh do not condemn us because of our justification by faith in Jesus Christ. Instead it is contrasted to the fruits of the Spirit to show that there is no productive result from the works of the flesh. Those whose flesh is not crucified, and who are not in Christ, will perform the works of the flesh and not inherit the kingdom of God. We have been crucified with Christ, and as such should bear common fruit. We should walk by the way in which we live, which is, in the Spirit. (See also ‘Does Eph. 5:3-6 say Christians can lose their inheritance?’)

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