서론
無標題
简体中文
英文原文
In this chapter the apostle comes to make application of his foregoing discourse. He begins it with a general caution, or exhortation (Ga 5:1), which he afterwards enforces by several considerations, Ga 5:2-12. He then presses them to serious practical godliness, which would be the best antidote against the snares of their false teachers; particularly, I. That they should not strive with one another, Ga 5:13-15. II. That they would strive against sin, where he shows, 1. That there is in every one a struggle between flesh and spirit, Ga 5:17. 2. That it is our duty and interest, in this struggle, to side with the better part, Ga 5:16,18. 3. He specifies the works of the flesh, which must be watched against and mortified, and the fruits of the Spirit, which must be brought forth and cherished, and shows of what importance it is that they be so, Ga 5:19-24. And then concludes the chapter with a caution against pride and envy.
1-12
Exhortation to Stedfastness; Persuasives to Stedfastness (56 AD)
简体中文
务要坚固的劝勉；劝人坚固的论证（主后56年）
¹ 基督释放了我们，叫我们得以自由。所以要站立得稳，不要再被奴仆的轭挟制。
² 我保罗告诉你们：若受割礼，基督就与你们无益了。
³ 我再指着凡受割礼的人确实地说，他是欠着行全律法的债。
⁴ 你们这要靠律法称义的，是与基督隔绝，从恩典中坠落了。
⁵ 我们靠着圣灵，凭着信心，等候所盼望的义。
⁶ 原来在基督耶稣里，受割礼不受割礼全无功效，惟独使人生发仁爱的信心才有功效。
⁷ 你们向来跑得好，有谁拦阻你们，叫你们不顺从真理呢？
⁸ 这样的劝导不是出于那召你们的。
⁹ 一点面酵能使全团都发起来。
¹⁰ 我在主里很信你们必不怀别样的心；但搅扰你们的，无论是谁，必担当他的罪名。
¹¹ 弟兄们，我若仍旧传割礼，为什么还受逼迫呢？若是这样，那十字架讨厌的地方就没有了。
¹² 恨不得那搅乱你们的人把自己割绝了。
使徒在本章前半段警告加拉太人，要他们防备那些奉割礼的教师，那些人竭力要把他们带回到律法的奴役之下。他先前已经与他们论证过，并已详尽地显明那些教师的原则和心志与福音的灵何等相背；如今这可以说就是那全篇论述的总推论或应用。既然借着上面所说已经显明：我们唯有借着信耶稣基督才能称义，而不是靠律法的义，并且摩西律法已不再有效，基督徒也没有任何义务顺服它；因此他要他们「站立得稳，不要再被奴仆的轭挟制」。在此注意：1. 在福音之下我们得了释放，被带入自由的状态——在其中我们脱离了仪文律法的轭，也脱离了道德律的咒诅；因此我们既不再受前者的约束，也不再受后者的严苛所拘——道德律咒诅一切不常守其中所记之事去行的人（加3:10）。2. 我们这自由当归功于耶稣基督。是他叫我们得了自由：他以自己的功劳满足了被破坏之律法的要求，又以他作君王的权柄免除了我们服犹太人那些属肉体操练的义务。3. 因此我们当尽的本分，就是「在这自由中站立得稳」——恒切而忠心地持守福音及其自由，不容自己因任何考虑「再被奴仆的轭挟制」，也不容自己被说服归回摩西律法。这就是那个总的告诫或劝勉；在加5:13-26中，使徒又从几个理由或论证来加以强调。诸如：
一、他们若顺服割礼、倚靠律法的行为称义，便是含蓄地否定了他们作为基督徒的信仰，并丧失了一切借耶稣基督所得的益处（加5:2-4）。在此我们可以观察：1. 使徒以何等的郑重宣告这事：「我保罗告诉你们」（加5:2），又重申（加5:3），「我再……确实地说」——他仿佛说：「我——既已证明自己是基督的使徒、又从他所领受了权柄和教训的——宣告，并愿以自己的信用和名声担保：你们若受割礼，基督就与你们无益了」等等；借此他表明他现在所说的，不仅是一件极重要的事，而且是完全可以确信依赖的。他绝非传割礼的人（如有人可能这样论及他）；相反，他认为他们不接受割礼乃是最要紧的事。2. 他如此郑重而确信地宣告的，是什么内容：他们「若受割礼，基督就与他们无益了」等等。我们不能以为使徒在此所说的仅仅是割礼本身，也不能以为他的用意是说凡受割礼的人都不能从基督得益；因为旧约的圣徒都受了割礼，他自己也曾赞同给提摩太行割礼。当理解为指着奉割礼的教师所强加的那种割礼——他们教训人「若不受割礼、守摩西律法，就不能得救」（徒15:1）。他既是这个意思，便可见于加5:4——他在那里以「靠律法称义」或寻求借律法的行为称义来表达同一件事。在这种情形中，他们若按这意义受割礼，他便宣告「基督就与他们无益」、他们「欠着行全律法的债」、「基督与他们隔绝了」、「从恩典中坠落了」。从这一切说法可见，他们借此弃绝了神所确立的称义之路；是的，他们使自己在他眼前称义成为不可能——因为他们成了欠行全律法之债的人，而律法所要求的顺服是他们无力履行的，又对其中失败的人宣告咒诅，因此只能定他们的罪，却不能称他们为义；结果他们既如此背弃了基督、把盼望建立在律法之上，基督便对他们无益，也对他们无功效。这样，他们既因受割礼而背弃了基督教，也就使自己断绝了一切借基督而得的益处；因此他们最有理由坚定持守所已接受的教义，不容自己被带到这奴役之轭下。注意：（1）虽然耶稣基督能拯救到底，但仍有群众是他所不能有益于他们的。（2）凡寻求靠律法称义的人，便因此使基督对自己无功效。他们把盼望建立在律法的行为上，便丧失了一切从他而来的盼望；因为他不愿作任何不承认他、不倚靠他作独一救主之人的救主。
二、为说服他们在福音的教义和自由上坚固，他把自己的榜样——以及别的已归信基督教的犹太人的榜样——摆在他们面前，并告诉他们所指望的是什么，那就是：「他们靠着圣灵，凭着信心，等候所盼望的义。」他们虽生来是犹太人，在律法之下长大，却借着圣灵被带到认识基督的地步，便弃绝了对律法行为的一切倚靠，只借信他而指望称义和得救；因此那些从未服在律法之下的人，竟任凭自己被带到服于其下、并把盼望建立在它的行为上，便是何等的愚妄。在此我们可以观察：1. 基督徒所等候的是什么——「所盼望的义」，主要地我们当理解为来世的福乐。这被称为基督徒的盼望，因为它是他们盼望的伟大对象，是他们超越一切所渴望所追求的；又称为「义」的盼望，因为他们对它的盼望是建立在义上——不是自己的义，而是我们主耶稣的义：因为虽然行义的生活是通向这福乐之路，却唯独基督的义为我们取得了它，我们也是因他的义才可指望得以承受它。2. 他们指望如何得着这福乐——乃是借着信，即在我们主耶稣基督里的信——不是靠律法的行为，也不是他们所能作什么来配得的，唯有借信——接受他、倚靠他作「我们的义」。唯有如此他们才指望在此有权享受它、在彼得着承受。3. 他们如此等候「所盼望的义」，是从何而来——乃是「靠着圣灵」。他们是在圣灵的引导和感动之下如此行；是在他的引导下、借着他的帮助，他们才被说服并得着能力信基督，并借着他等候所盼望的义。当使徒这样描绘基督徒的情形时，便暗示他们若指望以别的方式称义得救，便可能要失望；因此他们当大大留意，持守他们所已接受的福音教义。
三、他从基督教设立的性质和目的来论证——其目的就是要废除犹太人和外邦人之间的区分，并确立信基督作为我们蒙神悦纳的道路。他告诉他们（加5:6），「在基督耶稣里」——或在福音的安排之下——「受割礼不受割礼全无功效」。虽然律法的状态存续之时，犹太人和希腊人之间、受割礼和未受割礼的人之间，确有区分——前者被接纳进入神教会的特权，后者被排除在外；但在福音的状态下便不是如此：「律法的总结」基督既已来到，如今人受割礼不受割礼都无关紧要；他因前者不会更好，因后者也不会更坏，二者都不能把他举荐给神；因此他们的奉割礼教师把割礼强加给他们、迫使他们守摩西律法，是何等不合理，他们顺从这些教师，也是何等不明智。虽然他向他们保证，受割礼不受割礼都不能使他们蒙神悦纳，他却告诉他们什么能——那就是「使人生发仁爱的信心」：一种因着对神和对邻舍真诚的爱而证明其真实无伪的对基督的信。他们若有这个，受不受割礼都无关紧要；但若没有，没有别的事物能对他们有什么帮助。注意：1. 没有对我们主耶稣真诚的信心，任何外在的特权和宣告都不能使我们蒙神悦纳。2. 信心若是真实的，便是作工的恩典：它借着爱作工——爱神，爱弟兄；信心既借着爱如此作工，便是我们基督教中的一切。
四、为使他们从退后的光景中回转，又为使他们日后更加坚固，他提醒他们起头的好光景，并呼召他们省察自己：他们是从何时开始与从前大大不同（加5:7）。
1. 他告诉他们：「你们向来跑得好」——他们最初在基督教上起步时，行为极其可称赞，他们甘心地接受了基督教，并在其中道路和工作上显出适当的热心；他们在洗礼中既归于神、又宣告自己是基督的门徒，他们的行为便与他们的身份和宣告相符。注意：（1）基督徒的生命是一场赛跑，他必须奔跑、必须坚持，才能得奖赏。（2）仅仅借基督教的宣告在这场赛跑中奔跑还不够，我们必须借着活出那宣告来跑得好。这些基督徒曾如此行了一阵子，但他们在前进中受了阻碍，或被引离正路，或至少在其中变得消沉、动摇。因此，
2. 他问他们，又呼召他们自问：「有谁拦阻你们？」他们既开始跑得那么好，怎么没有坚持？他非常清楚拦阻他们的是谁、是什么；但他要他们把这问题问自己，认真思想自己是否有充分理由听从那些搅扰他们的人，那些人所提供的，是否足以使如今的行为正当化。注意：（1）许多在宗教上起头很好、奔跑过一阵子的人——曾在赛程所定的界限内跑、又带着热心和敏捷跑——后来或在前进中受了阻碍，或被引离了正路。（2）那些曾跑得好、如今却开始偏离正路或在其中疲倦的人，当省察拦阻他们的是什么。年轻的归信者当预料撒但要在他路上放置绊脚石，并竭尽所能引他离开他所走的道路；但每当他发觉自己有被引离的危险时，便当好好思想拦阻他的是谁。无论拦阻这些基督徒的是谁，使徒告诉他们：他们因听从他们，便「不顺从真理」，并因此有失去他们在宗教上所作之益处的危险。他所传给他们、他们也已接受并宣告的福音，他向他们保证就是真理；唯有其中才完全启示了称义和得救的真正道路；他们若要享受其中的益处，就必须顺从它——坚定地持守它，并继续按照它的指引来调整自己的生活和盼望。因此他们若任凭自己被引离它，便是犯了极大的软弱和愚妄。注意：[1] 真理不仅当信，更当顺从——不仅当在光中接受，更当在爱和能中接受。[2] 凡不坚定持守真理的，就没有正确地顺从真理。[3] 我们顺从真理的理由，与我们接受真理的理由相同：因此那些在基督徒赛程中起头跑得好、却任凭自己被拦阻以至不能坚持的人，行事是极不合理的。
五、他从那引诱他们偏离真道的劝导之不良来源，为他们当在福音的真道和自由上坚固而论证（加5:8）：「这样的劝导不是出于那召你们的。」使徒在此所说的意见或劝导，无疑是指他们必须受割礼、守摩西律法的意见，或指他们要把律法的行为与信基督在称义之事上搀杂的意见。这正是奉割礼的教师竭力要强加给他们的，也是他们太容易陷入的。为要说服他们在这事上的愚妄，他告诉他们这劝导并非出自那召他们的——即不是出于神（正是凭他的权柄福音才传给他们、他们才蒙召进入其相交），也不是出于使徒自己（他曾作蒙召他们归于此的器皿）。这不可能出于神，因为它与神所确立的称义和得救之路相背；他们也不可能从保罗自己接受它；因为无论有些人怎样假装，他一向是反对割礼的，而非传割礼的；倘若他在某件事上为和平起见曾容许过割礼，他也从未把割礼的施行强加于基督徒，更没有把它作为得救所必要而强加于人。既然这劝导并非出自那召他们的，他便让他们自己判断它是从何而来，并充分暗示它只能归因于撒但和他的工具——他们正是借这手段试图推翻他们的信心、阻碍福音的进展；因此加拉太人有充足的理由拒绝它，继续坚定在他们先前所接受的真理中。注意：1. 为要正确判断基督徒中间在宗教上各种不同的劝导，我们当查问它们是否出自那召我们的——是否建立在基督和他使徒的权柄上。2. 若经过查问显明它们没有这样的根基，那么无论别人多么热衷要把它们强加给我们，我们都绝不可顺服，而当拒绝它们。
六、这种毒素蔓延的危险，以及它可能对别人产生的不良影响，是使徒进一步用来反对他们附从假师傅在他们所要强加之事上的论证。或许为减轻他们的过失，他们可能要说：在他们中间竭力要引他们陷入这种劝导和行为的教师并不多；又或者他们只是附从了他们在一些小事上——他们虽受割礼、守犹太律法的几样礼仪，却绝没有背弃基督教、转去犹太教。或者，假定他们如此附从真如他所描绘的那样有错，或许他们还要进一步说：他们中间如此行的人并不多，因此他不必为此如此挂虑。为预防这样的借口，并说服他们其中所含的危险远超他们所知，他告诉他们（加5:9）：「一点面酵能使全团都发起来」——整个基督教的团可能因这样一个错谬原则而被玷污败坏，或说基督徒社会的整个团可能因其中一个成员而被感染；因此他们大有理由不在这一件事上让步，或若有人已如此行，便当竭力用一切正当方法从中除净这感染。注意：基督教会鼓励其中那些心存毁坏性错谬——尤其是竭力传播的人，是危险的。这正是此处的情形。假师傅所竭力传播、这些教会中有些人已被引入的教义，是颠覆基督教本身的，正如使徒上文所已显明的；因此，无论这两者中哪一方数目多少，鉴于其致命的趋势和人性的败坏——别人太容易受其感染——他不愿他们因此便安心无虑，而当记得「一点面酵能使全团都发起来」。这些若被纵容，毒素可能很快蔓延得更广更远；他们若任凭自己在这件事上被强加，可能很快便导致福音真理和自由的彻底毁灭。
七、为要使他所说的话得着更大的重视，他表达了对他们的盼望（加5:10）：「我在主里很信你们必不怀别样的心。」虽然他对他们有许多恐惧和疑虑（这也是他对他们如此坦白恳切的原因），他却盼望借着神在他所写的话上赐福，他们可以被带至与他同心，承认并持守他所传给他们的福音真理和自由——他如今正设法在其中坚固他们。借此他教导我们：即使对那些我们有理由担忧最坏的人，我们也当盼望他们最好的一面。为叫他们不至因他为他们信仰上的不坚固所给的责备而太过不悦，他把其中的过犯多归在别人身上，而非他们自己身上；因为他加上：「但搅扰你们的，无论是谁，必担当他的罪名。」他意识到「有些人搅扰他们，要把基督的福音更改了」（如加1:7），他或许是指着某个比别人更忙碌、更突出的人，可能正是他们中间混乱的主要工具；他把他们的偏离或不坚定多归在这人身上，而非他们自己里面任何因素。这可以让我们留意：在责备罪和错谬时，我们当常常区分领头的人和被领的人——那些竭力把别人拉进去的人，与那些被他们拉走的人。使徒就是这样，即使在责备他们的时候，也减轻这些基督徒的过失，好更容易说服他们归回并坚守基督所赐的自由；至于那搅扰他们的，无论是谁，他宣告「必担当他的罪名」——他不怀疑神必按他们所应得的对待他们，并且出于对他作为基督和他教会之仇敌的义愤，他巴不得「他们把自己割绝了」——并非从基督割绝、断绝借他得救的盼望，而是借教会的惩戒被割绝——教会当见证反对这样败坏福音纯洁的教师。无论是牧者还是别人，凡竭力颠覆福音真道、扰乱基督徒平安的，便因此丧失了基督徒相交的特权，理当被割绝于其外。
八、为要劝阻这些基督徒听从他们奉割礼的教师，并使他们从这些教师所造成的不良印象中回转，他把他们描绘为用极卑鄙、极不诚实的方法来达到目的的人——他们歪曲了保罗，好更容易在他们身上得逞。他们所图谋的，是要他们顺服割礼、把犹太教搀杂在他们的基督教中；为更好地成就这个图谋，他们在他们中间散布说，保罗自己也是传割礼的：因为当他说（加5:11），「弟兄们，我若仍旧传割礼」，显然他们曾这样论及他，并曾以此为论据说服加拉太人顺服割礼。他们大概以他曾给提摩太行割礼（徒16:3）作为这传言的根据。虽然他因正当理由在那件事上容许了割礼，他之作为传割礼者——尤其是按他们所强加的意义——他全然否认。为证明这指控的不公，他提出了一些论证，他们若肯自己思想，便不能不被说服。1. 他若传割礼，便可以避免逼迫。「我若仍旧传割礼，」他说，「为什么还受逼迫呢？」他之被犹太人痛恨和逼迫是明显的，他们也不能不感觉到；但他若与他们妥协到传割礼、守摩西律法为得救所必要的地步，他们对他的这种行为又能作何解释？这正是他们所争执的要点；他若在这事上与他们妥协，便不会暴露在他们的怒气之下，反倒可能蒙他们悦纳。因此他既受他们的逼迫，便明显证明他没有与他们妥协；是的，他远非传他被指控的那个教义，宁可如此行，也甘愿使自己暴露在最大的危险中。2. 他若在这事上向犹太人让步，「那十字架讨厌的地方就没有了」。他们便不会如他们所行的那样对基督教的教义如此反感，他和别人也不会如他们所经历的那样为它受那么多苦。他告诉我们（林前1:23），传钉十字架的基督（或说唯独借信钉十字架的基督而称义得救的教义），「在犹太人为绊脚石」。他们在基督教中最反感的是：借它割礼和整个律法行政体制都被视为不再有效而搁置一旁。这最惹动他们大声反对它，并激动他们去反对逼迫信奉它的人。如今若保罗和别人能附和这种意见——以为割礼仍当保留，守摩西律法当与信基督一同作为得救所必要——他们对此的反感便在很大程度被除去，他们也许便能避免为它所受的苦。虽然别人——尤其是那些如此热衷于诬蔑他为这教义的传扬者的人——能轻易附和，他却不能。他宁可冒险放弃自己的安逸和声望，甚至自己的性命，也不愿如此败坏真理、放弃福音的自由。正因如此，犹太人才持续对基督教如此反感，也对他作为传扬者如此反感。这样，使徒便为自己洗清了仇敌所泼在他身上的不公正的污蔑，同时又显明那些能用如此不义的方式待他的人，理当受到何等少的重视，他又有何等多的理由巴不得他们把自己割绝了。
英文原文
Exhortation to Stedfastness; Persuasives to Stedfastness (56 AD)
¹ Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
² Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
³ For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
⁴ Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
⁵ For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
⁶ For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
⁷ Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
⁸ This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
⁹ A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
¹⁰ 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.
¹¹ And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
¹² I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
In the former part of this chapter the apostle cautions the Galatians to take heed of the judaizing teachers, who endeavoured to bring them back under the bondage of the law. He had been arguing against them before, and had largely shown how contrary the principles and spirit of those teachers were to the spirit of the gospel; and now this is as it were the general inference or application of all that discourse. Since it appeared by what had been said that we can be justified only by faith in Jesus Christ, and not by the righteousness of the law, and that the law of Moses was no longer in force, nor Christians under any obligation to submit to it, therefore he would have them to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and not to be again entangled with the yoke of bondage. Here observe, 1. Under the gospel we are enfranchised, we are brought into a state of liberty, wherein we are freed from the yoke of the ceremonial law and from the curse of the moral law; so that we are no longer tied to the observance of the one, nor tied up to the rigour of the other, which curses every one that continues not in all things written therein to do them, Ga 3:10. 2. We owe this liberty to Jesus Christ. It is he who has made us free; by his merits he has satisfied the demands of the broken law, and by his authority as a king he has discharged us from the obligation of those carnal ordinances which were imposed on the Jews. And, 3. It is therefore our duty to stand fast in this liberty, constantly and faithfully to adhere to the gospel and to the liberty of it, and not to suffer ourselves, upon any consideration, to be again entangled in the yoke of bondage, nor persuaded to return back to the law of Moses. This is the general caution or exhortation, which in the Ga 5:13-26 the apostle enforces by several reasons or arguments. As,
I. That their submitting to circumcision, and depending on the works of the law for righteousness, were an implicit contradiction of their faith as Christians and a forfeiture of all their advantages by Jesus Christ, Ga 5:2-4. And here we may observe, 1. With what solemnity the apostle asserts and declares this: Behold, I Paul say unto you (Ga 5:2), and he repeats it (Ga 5:3), I testify unto you; as it he had said, "I, who have proved myself an apostle of Christ, and to have received my authority and instructions from him, do declare, and am ready to pawn my credit and reputation upon it, that if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing, etc.," wherein he shows that what he was now saying was not only a matter of great importance, but what might be most assuredly depended on. He was so far from being a preacher of circumcision (as some might report him to be) that he looked upon it as a matter of the greatest consequence that they did not submit to it. 2. What it is which he so solemnly, and with so much assurance, declares; it is that, if they were circumcised, Christ would profit them nothing, etc. We are not to suppose that it is mere circumcision which the apostle is here speaking of, or that it was his design to say that none who are circumcised could have any benefit by Christ; for all the Old-Testament saints had been circumcised, and he himself had consented to the circumcising of Timothy. But he is to be understood as speaking of circumcision in the sense in which the judaizing teachers imposed it, who taught that except they were circumcised, and kept the law of Moses, they could not be saved, Ac 15:1. That this is his meaning appears from Ga 5:4, where he expresses the same thing by their being justified by the law, or seeking justification by the works of it. Now in this case, if they submitted to circumcision in this sense, he declares that Christ would profit them nothing, that they were debtors to do the whole law, that Christ had become of no effect to them, and that they were fallen from grace. From all these expressions it appears that thereby they renounced that way of justification which God had established; yea, that they laid themselves under an impossibility of being justified in his sight, for they became debtors to do the whole law, which required such an obedience as they were not capable of performing, and denounced a curse against those who failed in it, and therefore condemned, but could not justify them; and, consequently, that having thus revolted from Christ, and built their hopes upon the law, Christ would profit them nothing, nor be of any effect to them. Thus, as by being circumcised they renounced their Christianity, so they cut themselves off from all advantage by Christ; and therefore there was the greatest reason why they should stedfastly adhere to that doctrine which they had embraced, and not suffer themselves to be brought under this yoke of bondage. Note, (1.) Though Jesus Christ is able to save to the uttermost, yet there are multitudes whom he will profit nothing. (2.) All those who seek to be justified by the law do thereby render Christ of no effect to them. By building their hopes on the works of the law, they forfeit all their hopes from him; for he will not be the Saviour of any who will not own and rely upon him as their only Saviour.
II. To persuade them to stedfastness in the doctrine and liberty of the gospel, he sets before them his own example, and that of other Jews who had embraced the Christian religion, and acquaints them what their hopes were, namely, That through the Spirit they were waiting for the hope of righteousness by faith. Though they were Jews by nature, and had been bred up under the law, yet being, through the Spirit, brought to the knowledge of Christ, they had renounced all dependence on the works of the law, and looked for justification and salvation only by faith in him; and therefore it must needs be the greatest folly in those who had never been under the law to suffer themselves to be brought into subjection to it, and to found their hopes upon the works of it. Here we may observe, 1. What it is that Christians are waiting for: it is the hope of righteousness, by which we are chiefly to understand the happiness of the other world. This is called the hope of Christians, as it is the great object of their hope, which they are above every thing else desiring and pursuing; and the hope of righteousness, as their hopes of it are founded on righteousness, not their own, but that of our Lord Jesus: for, though a life of righteousness is the way that leads to this happiness, yet it is the righteousness of Christ alone which has procured it for us, and on account of which we can expect to be brought to the possession of it. 2. How they hope to obtain this happiness, namely, by faith, that is, in our Lord Jesus Christ, not by the works of the law, or any thing they can do to deserve it, but only by faith, receiving and relying upon him as the Lord our righteousness. It is in this way only that they expect either to be entitled to it here or possessed of it hereafter. And, 3. Whence it is that they are thus waiting for the hope of righteousness: it is through the Spirit. Herein they act under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit; it is under his conduct, and by his assistance, that they are both persuaded and enabled to believe on Christ, and to look for the hope of righteousness through him. When the apostle thus represents the case of Christians, it is implied that if they expected to be justified and saved in any other way they were likely to meet with a disappointment, and therefore that they were greatly concerned to adhere to the doctrine of the gospel which they had embraced.
III. He argues from the nature and design of the Christian institution, which was to abolish the difference between Jew and Gentile, and to establish faith in Christ as the way of our acceptance with God. He tells them (Ga 5:6) that in Christ Jesus, or under the gospel dispensation, neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision. Though, while the legal state lasted, there was a difference put between Jew and Greek, between those who were and those who were not circumcised, the former being admitted to those privileges of the church of God from which the other were excluded, yet it was otherwise in the gospel state: Christ, who is the end of the law, having come, now it was neither here nor there whether a man were circumcised or uncircumcised; he was neither the better for the one nor the worse for the other, nor would either the one or the other recommend him to God; and therefore as their judaizing teachers were very unreasonable in imposing circumcision upon them, and obliging them to observe the law of Moses, so they must needs be very unwise in submitting to them herein. But, though he assures them that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision would avail to their acceptance with God, yet he informs them what would do so, and that is faith, which worketh by love: such a faith in Christ as discovers itself to be true and genuine by a sincere love to God and our neighbour. If they had this, it mattered not whether they were circumcised or uncircumcised, but with out it nothing else would stand them in any stead. Note, 1. No external privileges nor profession will avail to our acceptance with God, without a sincere faith in our Lord Jesus. 2. Faith, where it is true, is a working grace: it works by love, love to God and love to our brethren; and faith, thus working by love, is all in all in our Christianity.
IV. To recover them from their backslidings, and engage them to greater stedfastness for the future, he puts them in mind of their good beginnings, and calls upon them to consider whence it was that they were so much altered from what they had been, Ga 5:7.
1. He tells them that they did run well; at their first setting out in Christianity they had behaved themselves very commendably, they had readily embraced the Christian religion, and discovered a becoming zeal in the ways and work of it; as in their baptism they were devoted to God, and had declared themselves the disciples of Christ, so their behaviour was agreeable to their character and profession. Note, (1.) The life of a Christian is a race, wherein he must run, and hold on, if he would obtain the prize. (2.) It is not enough that we run in this race, by a profession of Christianity, but we must run well, by living up to that profession. Thus these Christians had done for awhile, but they had been obstructed in their progress, and were either turned out of the way or at least made to flag and falter in it. Therefore,
2. He asks them, and calls upon them to ask themselves, Who did hinder you? How came it to pass that they did not hold on in the way wherein they had begun to run so well? He very well knew who they were, and what it was that hindered them; but he would have them to put the question to themselves, and seriously consider whether they had any good reason to hearken to those who gave them this disturbance, and whether what they offered was sufficient to justify them in their present conduct. Note, (1.) Many who set out fair in religion, and run well for awhile—run within the bounds appointed for the race, and run with zeal and alacrity too—are yet by some means or other hindered in their progress, or turned out of the way. (2.) It concerns those who have run well, but now begin either to turn out of the way or to tire in it, to enquire what it is that hinders them. Young converts must expect that Satan will be laying stumbling blocks in their way, and doing all he can to divert them from the course they are in; but, whenever they find themselves in danger of being turned out of it, they would do well to consider who it is that hinders them. Whoever they were that hindered these Christians, the apostle tells them that by hearkening to them they were kept from obeying the truth, and were thereby in danger of losing the benefit of what they had done in religion. The gospel which he had preached to them, and which they had embraced and professed, he assures them was the truth; it was therein only that the true way of justification and salvation was fully discovered, and, in order to their enjoying the advantage of it, it was necessary that they should obey it, that they should firmly adhere to it, and continue to govern their lives and hopes according to the directions of it. If therefore they should suffer themselves to be drawn away from it they must needs be guilty of the greatest weakness and folly. Note, [1.] The truth is not only to be believed, but to be obeyed, to be received not only in the light of it, but in the love and power of it. [2.] Those do not rightly obey the truth, who do not stedfastly adhere to it. [3.] There is the same reason for our obeying the truth that there was for our embracing it: and therefore those act very unreasonably who, when they have begun to run well in the Christian race, suffer themselves to be hindered, so as not to persevere in it.
V. He argues for their stedfastness in the faith and liberty of the gospel from the ill rise of that persuasion whereby they were drawn away from it (Ga 5:8): This persuasion, says he, cometh not of him that calleth you. The opinion or persuasion of which the apostle here speaks was no doubt that of the necessity of their being circumcised, and keeping the law of Moses, or of their mixing the works of the law with faith in Christ in the business of justification. This was what the judaizing teachers endeavoured to impose upon them, and what they had too easily fallen into. To convince them of their folly herein, he tells them that this persuasion did not come of him that called them, that is, either of God, by whose authority the gospel had been preached to them and they had been called into the fellowship of it, or of the apostle himself, who had been employed as the instrument of calling them hereunto. It could not come from God, for it was contrary to that way of justification and salvation which he had established; nor could they have received it from Paul himself; for, whatever some might pretend, he had all along been an opposer and not a preacher of circumcision, and, if in any instance he had submitted to it for the sake of peace, yet he had never pressed the use of it upon Christians, much less imposed it upon them as necessary to salvation. Since then this persuasion did not come of him that had called them, he leaves them to judge whence it must arise, and sufficiently intimates that it could be owing to none but Satan and his instruments, who by this means were endeavouring to overthrow their faith and obstruct the progress of the gospel, and therefore that the Galatians had every reason to reject it, and to continue stedfast in the truth which they had before embraced. Note, 1. In order to our judging aright of the different persuasions in religion which there are among Christians, it concerns us to enquire whether they come of him that calleth us, whether or no they are founded upon the authority of Christ and his apostles. 2. If, upon enquiry, they appear to have no such foundation, how forward soever others may be to impose them upon us, we should by no means submit to them, but reject them.
VI. The danger there was of the spreading of this infection, and the ill influence it might have upon others, are a further argument which the apostle urges against their complying with their false teachers in what they would impose on them. It is possible that, to extenuate their fault, they might be ready to say that there were but few of those teachers among them who endeavoured to draw them into this persuasion and practice, or that they were only some smaller matters wherein they complied with them—that though they submitted to be circumcised, and to observe some few rites of the Jewish laws, yet they had by no means renounced their Christianity and gone over to Judaism. Or, suppose their complying thus far was as faulty as he could represent it, yet perhaps they might further say that there were but few among them who had done so, and therefore he needed not be so much concerned about it. Now, to obviate such pretences as these, and to convince them that there was more danger in it than they were aware of, he tells them (Ga 5:9) that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump—that the whole lump of Christianity may be tainted and corrupted by one such erroneous principle, or that the whole lump of the Christian society may be infected by one member of it, and therefore that they were greatly concerned not to yield in this single instance, or, if any had done so, to endeavour by all proper methods to purge out the infection from among them. Note, It is dangerous for Christian churches to encourage those among them who entertain, especially who set themselves to propagate, destructive errors. This was the case here. The doctrine which the false teachers were industrious to spread, and which some in these churches had been drawn into, was subversive of Christianity itself, as the apostle had before shown; and therefore, though the number either of the one or the other of these might be but small, yet, considering the fatal tendency of it and the corruption of human nature, whereby others were too much disposed to be infected with it, he would not have them on that account to be easy and unconcerned, but remember that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. If these were indulged the contagion might soon spread further and wider; and, if they suffered themselves to be imposed upon in this instance, it might soon issue in the utter ruin of the truth and liberty of the gospel.
VII. That he might conciliate the greater regard to what he had said, he expresses the hopes he had concerning them (Ga 5:10): I have confidence in you, says he, through the Lord, that you will be none otherwise minded. Though he had many fears and doubts about them (which was the occasion of his using so much plainness and freedom with them), yet he hoped that through the blessing of God upon what he had written they might be brought to be of the same mind with him, and to own and abide by that truth and that liberty of the gospel which he had preached to them, and was now endeavouring to confirm them in. Herein he teaches us that we ought to hope the best even of those concerning whom we have cause to fear the worst. That they might be the less offended at the reproofs he had given them for their unstedfastness in the faith, he lays the blame of it more upon others than themselves; for he adds, But he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. He was sensible that there were some that troubled them, and would pervert the gospel of Christ (as Ga 1:7), and possibly he may point to some one particular man who was more busy and forward than others, and might be the chief instrument of the disorder that was among them; and to this he imputes their defection or inconstancy more than to any thing in themselves. This may give us occasion to observe that, in reproving sin and error, we should always distinguish between the leaders and the led, such as set themselves to draw others thereinto and such as are drawn aside by them. Thus the apostle softens and alleviates the fault of these Christians, even while he is reproving them, that he might the better persuade them to return to, and stand fast in, the liberty wherewith Christ had made them free: but as for him or those that troubled them, whoever he or they were, he declares they should bear their judgment, he did not doubt but God would deal with them according to their deserts, and out of his just indignation against them, as enemies of Christ and his church, he wishes that they were even cut off—not cut off from Christ and all hopes of salvation by him, but cut off by the censures of the church, which ought to witness against those teachers who thus corrupted the purity of the gospel. Those, whether ministers or others, who set themselves to overthrow the faith of the gospel, and disturb the peace of Christians, do thereby forfeit the privileges of Christian communion and deserve to be cut off from them.
VIII. To dissuade these Christians from hearkening to their judaizing teachers, and to recover them from the ill impressions they had made upon them, he represents them as men who had used very base and disingenuous methods to compass their designs, for they had misrepresented him, that they might the more easily gain their ends upon them. That which they were endeavouring was to bring them to submit to circumcision, and to mix Judaism with their Christianity; and, the better to accomplish this design, they had given out among them that Paul himself was a preacher of circumcision: for when he says (Ga 5:11), And I brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, it plainly appears that they had reported him to have done so, and that they had made use of this as an argument to prevail with the Galatians to submit to it. It is probable that they grounded this report upon his having circumcised Timothy, Ac 16:3. But, though for good reasons he had yielded to circumcision in that instance, yet that he was a preacher of it, and especially in that sense wherein they imposed it, he utterly denies. To prove the injustice of that charge upon him, he offers such arguments as, if they would allow themselves to consider, could not fail to convince them of it. 1. If he would have preached circumcision, he might have avoided persecution. If I yet preach circumcision, says he, why do I yet suffer persecution? It was evident, and they could not but be sensible of it, that he was hated and persecuted by the Jews; but what account could be given of this their behaviour towards him, if he had so far symbolized with them as to preach up circumcision, and the observance of the law of Moses, as necessary to salvation? This was the great point they were contending for; and, if he had fallen in with them herein, instead of being exposed to their rage he might have been received into their favour. When therefore he was suffering persecution from them, this was a plain evidence that he had not complied with them; yea, that he was so far from preaching the doctrine he was charged with, that, rather than do so, he was willing to expose himself to the greatest hazards. 2. If he had yielded to the Jews herein, then would the offence of the cross have ceased. They would not have taken so much offence against the doctrine of Christianity as they did, nor would he and others have been exposed to so much suffering on the account of it as they were. He informs us (1Co 1:23) that the preaching of the cross of Christ (or the doctrine of justification and salvation only by faith in Christ crucified) was to the Jews a stumbling-block. That which they were most offended at in Christianity was, that thereby circumcision, and the whole frame of the legal administration, were set aside, as no longer in force. This raised their greatest outcries against it, and stirred them up to oppose and persecute the professors of it. Now if Paul and others could have given into this opinion, that circumcision was still to be retained, and the observance of the law of Moses joined with faith in Christ as necessary to salvation, then their offence against it would have been in a great measure removed, and they might have avoided the sufferings they underwent for the sake of it. But though others, and particularly those who were so forward to asperse him as a preacher of this doctrine, could easily come into it, yet so could not he. He rather chose to hazard his ease and credit, yea his very life itself, than thus to corrupt the truth and give up the liberty of the gospel. Hence it was that the Jews continued to be so much offended against Christianity, and against him as the preacher of it. Thus the apostle clears himself from the unjust reproach which his enemies had cast upon him, and at the same time shows how little regard was due to those men who could treat him in such an injurious manner, and how much reason he had to wish that they were even cut off.
13-26
Practical Godliness Enforced; Works of the Flesh and of the Spirit; The Fruits of the Spirit (56 AD)
简体中文
当尽实际的敬虔；肉体的作为与圣灵的果子；圣灵的果子（主后56年）
¹³ 弟兄们，你们蒙召是要得自由，只是不可将你们的自由当作放纵情欲的机会，总要用爱心互相服事。
¹⁴ 因为全律法都包在「爱人如己」这一句话之内了。
¹⁵ 你们要谨慎，若相咬相吞，只怕要彼此消灭了。
¹⁶ 我说，你们当顺着圣灵而行，就不放纵肉体的情欲了。
¹⁷ 因为情欲和圣灵相争，圣灵和情欲相争，这两个是彼此相敌，使你们不能作所愿意作的。
¹⁸ 但你们若被圣灵引导，就不在律法以下。
¹⁹ 情欲的事都是显而易见的，就如奸淫、污秽、邪荡、
²⁰ 拜偶像、邪术、仇恨、争竞、忌恨、恼怒、结党、纷争、异端、
²¹ 嫉妒、醉酒、荒宴等类。我从前告诉你们，现在又告诉你们，行这样事的人必不能承受 神的国。
²² 圣灵所结的果子，就是仁爱、喜乐、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信实、
²³ 温柔、节制；这样的事没有律法禁止。
²⁴ 凡属基督耶稣的人，是已经把肉体连肉体的邪情私欲同钉在十字架上了。
²⁵ 我们若是靠圣灵得生，就当靠圣灵行事。
²⁶ 不要贪图虚名，彼此惹气，互相嫉妒。
使徒在本章后半段开始劝勉这些基督徒，务要严肃地操练实际的敬虔，作为抵挡假师傅网罗的最佳解毒剂。他特别强调两件事：
一、他们不可彼此相争，而当彼此相爱。他告诉他们（加5:13），他们「蒙召是要得自由」，他要他们在基督所赐他们的自由中站立得稳；然而他也要他们非常小心，不可将这自由「当作放纵情欲的机会」——不可借机放纵自己任何败坏的情感和行为，尤其不可纵容那些可能在他们中间造成隔阂和不睦、成为争吵和纷争之根的事；相反，他劝他们「总要用爱心互相服事」——保持那彼此相爱的爱慕之情，尽管他们之间可能有次要的分歧，这爱慕之情必使他们彼此尽基督教所要求的那些敬重和善意的本分。注意：1. 我们作为基督徒所享的自由，并非放荡的自由：基督虽救赎我们脱离了律法的咒诅，却没有解除我们对律法的义务；福音是「敬虔的道理」（提前6:3），它非但不给罪最小的纵容，反而使我们负有最强的义务去避免并治服它。2. 我们固然当在基督徒的自由中站立得稳，却不可为此坚持到破坏基督徒爱心的地步；我们不可把它作为与那些可能和我们见解不同的同作基督徒者相争相竞的机会，而当始终保持彼此之间的心志，使我们能用爱心互相服事。为说服这些基督徒，使徒向他们提出两个考虑：（1）「全律法都包在『爱人如己』这一句话之内了」（加5:14）。爱是全律法的总纲；爱神概括了第一块法版的本分，爱人则概括了第二块法版的本分。使徒在此提及后者，因为他正在论到他们彼此之间的行为；当他以此作为论据说服他们彼此相爱时，他既暗示这是他们在宗教上真诚的好证据，也是消除他们中间那些不和与分裂的最有可能的方法。当我们「彼此相爱」时，便显出我们实在是基督的门徒了（约13:35）；这心志若能保持，即使不能完全熄灭基督徒中间那些不幸的争执，至少也能使之大大缓和，以致防止其致命的后果。（2）相反的行为所带来的可悲而危险的趋势（加5:15）：他说，倘若你们不用爱心互相服事——在其中成全神的律法——反而「相咬相吞，只怕要彼此消灭了」。倘若他们不像人和基督徒那样行事，反而更像无理性的畜类，彼此撕裂，他们所能预期的后果，无非是彼此消灭；因此他们最有理由不去放纵这样的争吵和敌意。注意，弟兄之间彼此相争，若持续下去，可能导致共同的毁灭；那些彼此吞吃的人，正走在彼此消灭的路上。基督教会只能被自己的手所毁；倘若基督徒——本应彼此相助、彼此同乐——竟像无理性的畜类那样相咬相吞，还能期望什么呢？岂不是那爱的神要向他们收回他的恩典，爱的灵要离开他们，而那要毁灭他们全体的邪恶之灵要得胜吗？
二、他们都当与罪相争；倘若基督徒能把自己一切的争竞都吞没在这件事——与罪相争——之中，教会便有福了；倘若他们不是因见解不同而彼此相咬相吞，而是齐心合力地对付自己里面以及自己所在之地的罪，那该多好。这才是我们当主要对付的，也是我们当超越一切别的事去反对和压制的事。为激发基督徒如此行，并帮助他们在此事上，使徒指出：
1. 在每个人里面都有肉体与圣灵之间的挣扎（加5:17）：「情欲」——我们里面败坏和属肉体的部分——「和圣灵相争」，它以力量和活力挣扎抗拒圣灵一切的运行，抵挡一切属灵的事。另一方面，「圣灵」——我们里面更新的部分——「和情欲相争」，抵挡它的意愿和欲望；由此便发生「使你们不能作所愿意作的」。我们里面恩典的原则既不容我们作尽败坏天性所促使我们作的恶，照样我们也不能作尽我们所愿意作的善——因我们从那败坏而属肉体的原则所遭遇的抵挡。正如在一个天然的人里面也有某种挣扎（他良心的谴责和他心里的败坏彼此相争；他的谴责要压制他的败坏，他的败坏要使他的谴责沉默），照样在一个重生的人里面——既有某种良善的原则——旧天性和新天性之间、罪的残余和恩典的起头之间也有挣扎；基督徒当预料，只要他们仍在这世上，这便是他们的功课。
2. 我们在这挣扎中当站在较好的一边——这是我们的本分和益处：当站在我们的谴责一边去对付我们的败坏，站在我们的恩典一边去对付我们的私欲。使徒把这描绘为我们的本分，并指引我们走向其中最有效的成功之道。倘若有人问：我们当采取什么方法，才能使较好的那一边得胜？他给我们一条总规则——若能正当遵守，便是防止败坏得胜的最有效的良药——那就是「顺着圣灵而行」（加5:16）：「我说，你们当顺着圣灵而行，就不放纵肉体的情欲了。」这里的「圣灵」可指圣灵自己——他愿降卑地住在他所更新所成圣之人的心中，引导并帮助他们尽本分之路；也可指他在他百姓灵魂中所栽种的那个恩典的原则——它与肉体相争，正如那仍留在他们里面的败坏原则与之相争一样。因此这里所推荐给我们的本分，便是我们要在蒙福之圣灵的引导和感动之下，并照着我们里面新天性的运行和趋向而行动；我们若在平常生活的进程和总归中以此为本分，便可信赖：虽然我们未必能免去败坏天性的骚动和反对，却必蒙保守不去放纵它的情欲；它虽仍在我们里面，却不能在我们身上得着辖制。注意，抵挡罪的毒害的最佳解毒剂，乃是顺着圣灵而行——多与属灵的事相交，注重灵魂——人属灵的部分——的事，过于身体——人属肉体的部分——的事；把自己交托给神的话语来引导——圣灵在其中向我们显明神对我们所定的旨意；并在尽本分的路上倚靠他的帮助和感动。如此行既是保守他们不去放纵肉体情欲的最佳途径，也是他们实在是基督徒的好证据；因为使徒说（加5:18）：「你们若被圣灵引导，就不在律法以下。」他仿佛说：「只要你们还在世上，便当预料情欲与圣灵之间有挣扎——情欲要和圣灵相争，正如圣灵和情欲相争一样；但若在你们生活的主要倾向和总归上你们『被圣灵引导』——若你们在圣灵和他所赐的属灵天性和心志的引导和管治之下行事——若你们以神的话语为准则、以神的恩典为原则——便由此显明你们不在律法之下，不在其定罪之下（虽然仍在它的命令之下）；因为『如今那些在基督耶稣里的，就不定罪了；他们不随从肉体，只随从圣灵而行』；『凡被 神的灵引导的，都是 神的儿子』」（罗8:1-14）。
3. 使徒具体列举了必须警惕和治死的「肉体的作为」，以及必须培养和结出的「圣灵的果子」（加5:19等）；借着具体列举，他进一步阐明他所论的。圣灵所结的果子，就是仁爱、喜乐、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信实、温柔、节制。（1）他先论「肉体的作为」，它们既多，又都是显而易见的。他在这里所论的事，毫无疑问是肉体的作为，或说败坏而堕落的天性的产物，这是无可争议的；其中大多数连自然之光本身也予以定罪，全部都为圣经之光所定罪。他所列举的属于各种不同的类别；有的是干犯第七条诫命的罪，如奸淫、污秽、邪荡——这些不仅指这些罪恶的严重行为，也包括一切有趋势趋向那大罪的思想、言语和行为。有的是干犯第一、第二条诫命的罪，如拜偶像和邪术。另一些是干犯邻舍的罪，与弟兄相爱的至尊律法相悖，如仇恨、争竞、忌恨、恼怒、结党，这些常引起纷争、异端、嫉妒，有时甚至爆发为谋杀——不仅是对同胞的名声和名誉，也是对他们的性命。还有的是对自己的罪，如醉酒、荒宴；他以一个 et cetera（等等）结束这个清单，并向众人发出公正的警告，要他们防备这些事——正如他们指望将来能坦然无惧见神的面一样。论到这些和「等类」的事，他说：「我从前告诉你们，现在又告诉你们，行这样事的人，无论他们怎样以虚妄的盼望自欺，必不能承受 神的国。」这些是必将人关在天门之外的罪。属灵的世界对于那些沉浸于肉体污秽之中的人，永远不会是舒适的；公义而圣洁的神也绝不会接纳他们进入他的恩惠和面前，除非他们先「奉主耶稣基督的名，借着我们 神的灵」洗净、成圣、称义了（林前6:11）。（2）他列举「圣灵的果子」，或说更新的天性——我们作为基督徒当结出的（加5:22,23）。在此我们可以观察：罪之所以称为「肉体的作为」，是因为肉体或败坏的天性是推动和激动人去犯它的原则；照样恩典之所以称为「圣灵的果子」，是因为它完全出自圣灵，正如果子出于根一样；使徒上文主要列举的肉体作为，不仅对人自己有害，也使他们彼此相害；照样他在这里主要注意的圣灵果子，是有使基督徒彼此相悦、又使自己舒畅之趋势的；这与他在上文所给的告诫或劝勉（加5:13）十分相符——他们「不可将自由当作放纵情欲的机会，总要用爱心互相服事」。他特别向我们推荐：「仁爱」——尤其是爱神，并为他的缘故彼此相爱；「喜乐」——借此可理解为与朋友交谈中的开朗，或更恰当地说，是在神里面恒久的喜乐；「和平」——与神与良心和好，或对他人性情的温和与行为的和睦；「忍耐」——推迟发怒的忍耐，以及甘心忍受伤害的知足；「恩慈」——一种性情的甜美，尤其是对下属，使我们平易近人、礼貌周到，被得罪时容易受劝；「良善」（仁慈、厚恩）——这显于随时把握机会向众人行善；「信实」——在我们所宣告所应许给人的事上的忠信、公义和诚实；「温柔」——用以管理我们的情绪和怒气，以致不轻易发怒，即使被激怒也很快平息；「节制」——在饮食和生活的其他享受上，使用它们不过度、不过分。论到这些事，或这些圣灵果子所在的人，使徒说：「没有律法禁止」他们，没有律法定罪惩罚他们。是的，由此显明他们不在律法之下，乃在恩典之下；因为这些圣灵的果子无论在谁身上被发现，都明明表明这样的人是「被圣灵引导」，因此他不在「律法之下」（加5:18）。使徒既借着列举这些肉体的作为和圣灵的果子，指引我们当避免反对什么、当培养栽培什么，他又（加5:24）告诉我们，这是一切真实基督徒真诚的关切和努力：「凡属基督耶稣的人」（就是名副其实的基督徒——不只在表面和宣告上，也在真诚和真实上），「是已经把肉体连肉体的邪情私欲同钉在十字架上了」。正如他们在洗礼中对此负有义务（因为受洗归入基督的人，是受洗归入他的死，罗6:3），照样他们如今也在此事上真诚地运用自己，并效法他们的主和元首，竭力向罪死，正如他曾经为罪而死。他们尚未取得完全的胜利；他们里面仍有肉体，也有圣灵，肉体仍有其邪情私欲，继续不断地大大搅扰他们；但它既不如今在他们「必死的身上作王，使你们顺从它」（罗6:12），他们便在寻求将它彻底倾覆和毁灭，并要把它置于我们主耶稣为我们所受的那种羞辱而痛苦的、虽是缓慢的死。注意，我们若要表明自己是属基督的——是与他联合、与他有分的人——就必须以钉死肉体及其邪情私俗为恒久的事奉和事业。基督绝不承认那些把自己献为罪之奴仆的人属他。使徒虽在此只提到钉死肉体连同其邪情私欲作为真实基督徒的关切和特征，无疑其中也含蓄地暗示，另一方面我们当结出他刚刚列举的圣灵的果子；这与前者同样是我们当尽的本分，也同样是显明我们在宗教上真诚所必要的。我们「止住作恶」还不够，更要「学习行善」。我们的基督教不仅要求我们向罪死，更要求我们向义活；不仅要求我们抵挡肉体的作为，更要求我们结出圣灵的果子。因此，我们若要显明自己实在属乎基督，这便是我们当真诚关切和努力的方向，与前者一样；使徒有意把这两件事都描绘为我们的本分，并都是支持我们作为基督徒之品格所必要的，这可从下文推知（加5:25）：他加上：「我们若是靠圣灵得生，就当靠圣灵行事」——意思是我们若宣称自己受了基督的灵，或说我们在「心志上改换一新」，并得着了属灵生命的原则，就当在我们的生活中结出圣灵适当的果子来表明这事。他在上文告诉我们，基督的灵是赐给一切神儿女的特权（加4:6）。「如今，」他说，「我们若宣称自己属于这个数目，并作为这样的人已得着这特权，就当以与此相符的心志和行为来显明它；当以好行为来印证我们的好原则。」我们的为人，必常与我们受其引导和管治的原则相符：正如「随从肉体的人体贴肉体的事」，照样「随从圣灵的人体贴圣灵的事」（罗8:5）。因此我们若要显明自己属基督，并同分于他的灵，就必须借着「不随从肉体、只随从圣灵而行」来显明。我们必须认真地既治死身体的恶行，又在新生命中行走。
4. 使徒以对骄傲和嫉妒的告诫来结束本章（加5:26）。他先前曾劝勉这些基督徒「用爱心互相服事」（加5:13），并提醒他们若不如此行，反倒「相咬相吞」，后果将如何（加5:15）。如今，作为促使他们行前者并保守他们脱离后者的方法，他在此告诫他们不可贪图虚浮的荣耀，或不可纵容对人的尊敬和掌声的不当贪求——因为这若被纵容，必导致他们彼此惹气、彼此嫉妒。这种心志在基督徒中间一旦蔓延，他们便要轻视那些他们看为不及自己的人，又因他们以为别人亏欠了他们所当得的尊重而不悦；他们也要嫉妒那些有可能使他们的名声受损的人：如此便为那些争吵和纷争埋下了祸根——这些既与基督徒当彼此保持的爱心相悖，也大大损害宗教本身的尊荣和益处。因此使徒要我们务必防备这事。注意：（1）从人而来的荣耀是虚浮的荣耀，我们不当贪求，倒当向它死。（2）对人的称许和掌声的不当重视，是基督徒中间不幸的争吵和纷争的一大根源。
英文原文
Practical Godliness Enforced; Works of the Flesh and of the Spirit; The Fruits of the Spirit (56 AD)
¹³ For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
¹⁴ For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
¹⁵ But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
¹⁶ This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
¹⁷ 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.
¹⁸ But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
²⁰ Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
²¹ 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.
²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
²⁴ And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
²⁶ Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
In the latter part of this chapter the apostle comes to exhort these Christians to serious practical godliness, as the best antidote against the snares of the false teachers. Two things especially he presses upon them:—
I. That they should not strive with one another, but love one another. He tells them (Ga 5:13) that they had been called unto liberty, and he would have them to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ had made them free; but yet he would have them be very careful that they did not use this liberty as an occasion to the flesh—that they did not thence take occasion to indulge themselves in any corrupt affections and practices, and particularly such as might create distance and disaffection, and be the ground of quarrels and contentions among them: but, on the contrary, he would have them by love to serve one another, to maintain that mutual love and affection which, notwithstanding any minor differences there might be among them, would dispose them to all those offices of respect and kindness to each other which the Christian religion obliged them to. Note, 1. The liberty we enjoy as Christians is not a licentious liberty: though Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, yet he has not freed us from the obligation of it; the gospel is a doctrine according to godliness (1Ti 6:3), and is so far from giving the least countenance to sin that it lays us under the strongest obligations to avoid and subdue it. 2. Though we ought to stand fast in our Christian liberty, yet we should not insist upon it to the breach of Christian charity; we should not use it as an occasion of strife and contention with our fellow Christians, who may be differently minded from us, but should always maintain such a temper towards each other as may dispose us by love to serve one another. To this the apostle endeavours to persuade these Christians, and there are two considerations which he sets before them for this purpose:— (1.) That all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, Ga 5:14. Love is the sum of the whole law; as love to God comprises the duties of the first table, so love to our neighbour those of the second. The apostle takes notice of the latter here, because he is speaking of their behaviour towards one another; and, when he makes use of this as an argument to persuade them to mutual love, he intimates both that this would be a good evidence of their sincerity in religion and also the most likely means of rooting out those dissensions and divisions that were among them. It will appear that we are the disciples of Christ indeed when we have love one to another (Joh 13:35); and, where this temper is kept up, if it do not wholly extinguish those unhappy discords that are among Christians, yet at least it will so far accommodate them that the fatal consequences of them will be prevented. (2.) The sad and dangerous tendency of a contrary behaviour (Ga 5:15): But, says he, if instead of serving one another in love, and therein fulfilling the law of God, you bite and devour one another, take heed that you be not consumed one of another. If, instead of acting like men and Christians, they would behave themselves more like brute beasts, in tearing and rending one another, they could expect nothing as the consequence of it, but that they would be consumed one of another; and therefore they had the greatest reason not to indulge themselves in such quarrels and animosities. Note, Mutual strifes among brethren, if persisted in, are likely to prove a common ruin; those that devour one another are in a fair way to be consumed one of another. Christian churches cannot be ruined but by their own hands; but if Christians, who should be helps to one another and a joy one to another, be as brute beasts, biting and devouring each other, what can be expected but that the God of love should deny his grace to them, and the Spirit of love should depart from them, and that the evil spirit, who seeks the destruction of them all, should prevail?
II. That they should all strive against sin; and happy would it be for the church if Christians would let all their quarrels be swallowed up of this, even a quarrel against sin—if, instead of biting and devouring one another on account of their different opinions, they would all set themselves against sin in themselves and the places where they live. This is what we are chiefly concerned to fight against, and that which above every thing else we should make it our business to oppose and suppress. To excite Christians hereunto, and to assist them herein, the apostle shows,
1. That there is in every one a struggle between the flesh and the spirit (Ga 5:17): The flesh (the corrupt and carnal part of us) lusts (strives and struggles with strength and vigour) against the spirit: it opposes all the motions of the Spirit, and resists every thing that is spiritual. On the other hand, the spirit (the renewed part of us) strives against the flesh, and opposes the will and desire of it: and hence it comes to pass that we cannot do the things that we would. As the principle of grace in us will not suffer us to do all the evil which our corrupt nature would prompt us to, so neither can we do all the good that we would, by reason of the oppositions we meet with from that corrupt and carnal principle. Even as in a natural man there is something of this struggle (the convictions of his conscience and the corruption of his own heart strive with one another; his convictions would suppress his corruptions, and his corruptions silence his convictions), so in a renewed man, where there is something of a good principle, there is a struggle between the old nature and the new nature, the remainders of sin and the beginnings of grace; and this Christians must expect will be their exercise as long as they continue in this world.
2. That it is our duty and interest in this struggle to side with the better part, to side with our convictions against our corruptions and with our graces against our lusts. This the apostle represents as our duty, and directs us to the most effectual means of success in it. If it should be asked, What course must we take that the better interest may get the better? he gives us this one general rule, which, if duly observed, would be the most sovereign remedy against the prevalence of corruption; and that is to walk in the Spirit (Ga 5:16): This I say, then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. By the Spirit here may be meant either the Holy Spirit himself, who condescends to dwell in the hearts of those whom he has renewed and sanctified, to guide and assist them in the way of their duty, or that gracious principle which he implants in the souls of his people and which lusts against the flesh, as that corrupt principle which still remains in them does against it. Accordingly the duty here recommended to us is that we set ourselves to act under the guidance and influence of the blessed Spirit, and agreeably to the motions and tendency of the new nature in us; and, if this be our care in the ordinary course and tenour of our lives, we may depend upon it that, though we may not be freed from the stirrings and oppositions of our corrupt nature, we shall be kept from fulfilling it in the lusts thereof; so that though it remain in us, yet it shall not obtain a dominion over us. Note, The best antidote against the poison of sin is to walk in the Spirit, to be much in conversing with spiritual things, to mind the things of the soul, which is the spiritual part of man, more than those of the body, which is his carnal part, to commit ourselves to the guidance of the word, wherein the Holy Spirit makes known the will of God concerning us, and in the way of our duty to act in a dependence on his aids and influences. And, as this would be the best means of preserving them from fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, so it would be a good evidence that they were Christians indeed; for, says the apostle (Ga 5:18), If you be led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. As if he had said, "You must expect a struggle between flesh and spirit as long as you are in the world, that the flesh will be lusting against the spirit as well as the spirit against the flesh; but if, in the prevailing bent and tenour of your lives, you be led by the Spirit,—if you act under the guidance and government of the Holy Spirit and of that spiritual nature and disposition he has wrought in you,—if you make the word of God your rule and the grace of God your principle,—it will hence appear that you are not under the law, not under the condemning, though you are still under the commanding, power of it; for there is now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; and as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God," Ro 8:1-14.
3. The apostle specifies the works of the flesh, which must be watched against and mortified, and the fruits of the Spirit, which must be cherished and brought forth (Ga 5:19, etc.); and by specifying particulars he further illustrates what he is here upon. (1.) He begins with the works of the flesh, which, as they are many, so they are manifest. It is past dispute that the things he here speaks of are the works of the flesh, or the product of corrupt and depraved nature; most of them are condemned by the light of nature itself, and all of them by the light of scripture. The particulars he specifies are of various sorts; some are sins against the seventh commandment, such as adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, by which are meant not only the gross acts of these sins, but all such thoughts, and words, and actions, as have a tendency towards the great transgression. Some are sins against the first and second commandments, as idolatry and witchcraft. Others are sins against our neighbour, and contrary to the royal law of brotherly love, such as hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, which too often occasion seditions, heresies, envyings, and sometimes break out into murders, not only of the names and reputation, but even of the very lives, of our fellow-creatures. Others are sins against ourselves, such as drunkenness and revellings; and he concludes the catalogue with an et cetera, and gives fair warning to all to take care of them, as they hope to see the face of God with comfort. Of these and such like, says he, I tell you before, as I have also told you in times past, that those who do such things, how much soever they may flatter themselves with vain hopes, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. These are sins which will undoubtedly shut men out of heaven. The world of spirits can never be comfortable to those who plunge themselves in the filth of the flesh; nor will the righteous and holy God ever admit such into his favour and presence, unless they be first washed and sanctified, and justified in the name of our Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, 1Co 6:11. (2.) He specifies the fruits of the Spirit, or the renewed nature, which as Christians we are concerned to bring forth, Ga 5:22,23. And here we may observe that as sin is called the work of the flesh, because the flesh, or corrupt nature, is the principle that moves and excites men to it, so grace is said to be the fruit of the Spirit, because it wholly proceeds from the Spirit, as the fruit does from the root: and whereas before the apostle had chiefly specified those works of the flesh which were not only hurtful to men themselves but tended to make them so to one another, so here he chiefly takes notice of those fruits of the Spirit which had a tendency to make Christians agreeable one to another, as well as easy to themselves; and this was very suitable to the caution or exhortation he had before given (Ga 5:13), that they should not use their liberty as an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. He particularly recommends to us, love, to God especially, and to one another for his sake,—joy, by which may be understood cheerfulness in conversation with our friends, or rather a constant delight in God,—peace, with God and conscience, or a peaceableness of temper and behaviour towards others,—long-suffering, patience to defer anger, and a contentedness to bear injuries,—gentleness, such a sweetness of temper, and especially towards our inferiors, as disposes us to be affable and courteous, and easy to be entreated when any have wronged us,—goodness (kindness, beneficence), which shows itself in a readiness to do good to all as we have opportunity,—faith, fidelity, justice, and honesty, in what we profess and promise to others,—meekness, wherewith to govern our passions and resentments, so as not to be easily provoked, and, when we are so, to be soon pacified,—and temperance, in meat and drink, and other enjoyments of life, so as not to be excessive and immoderate in the use of them. Concerning these things, or those in whom these fruits of the Spirit are found, the apostle says, There is no law against them, to condemn and punish them. Yea, hence it appears that they are not under the law, but under grace; for these fruits of the Spirit, in whomsoever they are found, plainly show that such are led by the Spirit, and consequently that they are not under the law, as Ga 5:18. And as, by specifying these works of the flesh and fruits of the Spirit, the apostle directs us both what we are to avoid and oppose and what we are to cherish and cultivate, so (Ga 5:24) he informs us that this is the sincere care and endeavour of all real Christians: And those that are Christ's, says he (those who are Christians indeed, not only in show and profession, but in sincerity and truth), have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. As in their baptism they were obliged hereunto (for, being baptized into Christ, they were baptized into his death, Ro 6:3), so they are now sincerely employing themselves herein, and, in conformity to their Lord and head, are endeavouring to die unto sin, as he had died for it. They have not yet obtained a complete victory over it; they have still flesh as well as Spirit in them, and that has its affections and lusts, which continue to give them no little disturbance, but as it does not now reign in their mortal bodies, so as that they obey it in the lusts thereof (Ro 6:12), so they are seeking the utter ruin and destruction of it, and to put it to the same shameful and ignominious, though lingering death, which our Lord Jesus underwent for our sakes. Note, If we should approve ourselves to be Christ's, such as are united to him and interested in him, we must make it our constant care and business to crucify the flesh with its corrupt affections and lusts. Christ will never own those as his who yield themselves the servants of sin. But though the apostle here only mentions the crucifying of the flesh with the affections and lusts, as the care and character of real Christians, yet, no doubt, it is also implied that, on the other hand, we should show forth those fruits of the Spirit which he had just before been specifying; this is no less our duty than that, nor is it less necessary to evidence our sincerity in religion. It is not enough that we cease to do evil, but we must learn to do well. Our Christianity obliges us not only to die unto sin, but to live unto righteousness; not only to oppose the works of the flesh, but to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit too. If therefore we would make it appear that we do indeed belong to Christ, this must be our sincere care and endeavour as well as the other; and that it was the design of the apostle to represent both the one and the other of these as our duty, and as necessary to support our character as Christians, may be gathered from what follows (Ga 5:25), where he adds, If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit; that is, "If we profess to have received the Spirit of Christ, or that we are renewed in the Spirit of Christ, or that we are renewed in the spirit of our minds, and endued with a principle of spiritual life, let us make it appear by the proper fruits of the Spirit in our lives." He had before told us that the Spirit of Christ is a privilege bestowed on all the children of God, Ga 4:6. "Now," says he, "if we profess to be of this number, and as such to have obtained this privilege, let us show it by a temper and behaviour agreeable hereunto; let us evidence our good principles by good practices." Our conversation will always be answerable to the principle which we are under the guidance and government of: as those that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, so those that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit, Ro 8:5. If therefore we would have it appear that we are Christ's, and that we are partakers of his Spirit, it must be by our walking not after the flesh, but after the spirit. We must set ourselves in good earnest both to mortify the deeds of the body, and to walk in newness of life.
4. The apostle concludes this chapter with a caution against pride and envy, Ga 5:26. He had before been exhorting these Christians by love to serve one another (Ga 5:13), and had put them in mind of what would be the consequence if, instead of that, they did bite and devour one another, Ga 5:15. Now, as a means of engaging them to the one and preserving them from the other of these, he here cautions them against being desirous of vain-glory, or giving way to an undue affectation of the esteem and applause of men, because this, if it were indulged, would certainly lead them to provoke one another and to envy one another. As far as this temper prevails among Christians, they will be ready to slight and despise those whom they look upon as inferior to them, and to be put out of humour if they are denied that respect which they think is their due from them, and they will also be apt to envy those by whom their reputation is in any danger of being lessened: and thus a foundation is laid for those quarrels and contentions which, as they are inconsistent with that love which Christians ought to maintain towards each other, so they are greatly prejudicial to the honour and interest of religion itself. This therefore the apostle would have us by all means to watch against. Note, (1.) The glory which comes from men is vain-glory, which, instead of being desirous of, we should be dead to. (2.) An undue regard to the approbation and applause of men is one great ground of the unhappy strifes and contentions that exist among Christians.
使徒在本章开始将他前面所讲的应用出来。他先以一个总的告诫或劝勉开始（加5:1），随后从几个方面加以强调（加5:2-12）。接着他催促他们务要严肃地操练实际的敬虔，这乃是抵挡他们假师傅网罗的最佳解毒剂；特别是：一、不要彼此相争（加5:13-15）。二、要与罪相争，他在这里指出：1. 在每个人里面，肉体与圣灵之间都有一种挣扎（加5:17）。2. 在这挣扎中，站在较好的一边是我们的本分和益处（加5:16,18）。3. 他具体列举了必须警惕和治死的「肉体的作为」，以及必须结出和培养的「圣灵的果子」，并说明这事何等重要（加5:19-24）。然后他以对骄傲和嫉妒的告诫来结束本章。