Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Galatians 5:13

"For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only [use] not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another." — Galatians 5:13 (ASV)

Like v.1, this verse is transitional and marks a new beginning. “You” is emphatic, showing that Paul is building on the confidence expressed earlier as to what side the Galatians are on (v.10). He echoes here the original challenge of v.1, but follows it up this time with a warning not to allow this freedom to become an excuse for sinful self-indulgence. Here the contrast is between indulgence and the serving of one another in love.

Christians must not allow their freedom in Christ to become a beachhead for the armies of indulgence to gain a foothold (“indulge,” GK 929; cf. 2 Corinthians 11:12) in their lives. Paul’s reference to “the sinful nature” (sarx; GK 4922) means all that a person is and is capable of doing as a sinful human being apart from the unmerited intervention of God’s Spirit (see comment on v.16).

It is ironical that, having urged the Galatians not to become slaves to law, Paul should now encourage them to become slaves of one another, for that is what “serve” (GK 1526) means. It is a paradox, but the paradox is instructive. The Galatians are to be slaves of one another, though this slavery is not at all like the first. In fact—this is the paradox—it is the Christian form of being free. Slavery to sin is involuntary and terrible; a person is born into sin (Psalms 51:5) and cannot escape it (Romans 7:18). Slavery to law, which comes by choice, is foolish and burdensome. On the other hand, slavery to one another is voluntary and a source of deep joy. It is possible only because Christians are delivered through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit from the necessity of serving sin in their lives.