by Jen | Dec 30, 2025 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Welcome back!
Last Week’s Work
COMPARISONS
This time, my study focused on two main contrasts:
Freedom of faith in Christ with the Spirit vs. slavery to the law (vv1-6; 13-18):
I discovered that belief in Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for all sin means we don’t have to depend on obedience to the law (for example, circumcision requirements) to be considered sin-free and acceptable to God. Our faith alone is enough. That faith also brings our Helper, the Holy Spirit, into the picture to enable us to understand God’s Word and do His will. Under the law, though, God requires higher behavior standards than any human can reach. Nothing we do will be enough to save ourselves from sin and death.
Listed works of the flesh vs. listed fruit of the Spirit (vv19-23):
Works are the result of human effort. Since the fall of mankind, though, works can never be good enough to please God. And fruit is part of the natural reproduction process, ultimately successful only when God chooses, irrespective of human effort. As I looked at the two lists, it occurred to me so many of the works seem to be corruptions of the fruit. Isn’t that fitting of human attempts to appropriate God’s sovereignty? Where positive, beautiful things make up the fruit of the Spirit, the works of the flesh describe warped, destructive versions of the same.
CAUSES/MOTIVATIONS
How did the Spirit work with you as you examined causes in this text? I felt Him emphasizing the connections in verse 1 (which were a little challenging in the ESV, huh?) and verses 4-6. Here’s how I worked through them:
Verse 1
Action: Christ has set us free
Connector: for (because)
Reason: freedom
Christ set you free for freedom’s sake. This relates to Paul’s argument in Galatians 4:21-31 that the Galatians inherited freedom through Abraham and Sarah.
Reason: Christ has set us free
Connector: therefore (because Christ has set us free)
Action: stand firm and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery
Remember, with therefore, the reason comes first. Paul says they should stand firm and not submit to slavery [to the law] because Christ had set them free. Paul wanted them to fully benefit from the freedom that faith in Jesus brings.
Verses 4-6
Action: You who would be justified by the law are severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace (v4)
Connector: for (because)
Reason: through the Spirit, by faith, we… eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness (v5).
Those who embrace the law have fallen away from grace because mankind can’t obey the law well enough to obtain the necessary righteousness. It only comes through the Spirit and by faith in Christ.
Action: through the Spirit, by faith, we … wait for the hope of righteousness (v5)
Connector: for (because)
Reason: in Jesus, [the law (i.e., circumcision) doesn’t count]; only faith working through love counts for anything (v6). We wait for righteousness by faith through the Spirit because faith working through love is the only thing that gets us there.
CONDITIONS/METHODS
In this exercise, the Spirit drew my attention to repetition I didn’t even notice before:
- Through love in verse 6 (how the Spirit and our faith work to bring about the hope of righteousness) and verse 13 (how Paul wanted the Galatians to serve each other). In other words, the Spirit, Christian love, and faith work together for our righteousness, so we don’t need to earn it by keeping every jot and tittle of the law.
- With that in mind, Paul advises them to walk by the Spirit and avoid the works of the flesh (v16). He also says being led by the Spirit frees them from the law (v18); and if we live by the Spirit, we should keep in step with the Spirit.
Dig-In Challenges
This week, I’ll start refining my understanding of this passage:
- PRAY. Of course!
- REFINE my understanding of this text by skimming Galatians to determine which of the following types of writing appears most often there: instruction, law, letter, narrative, poetry, or prophecy. Then I’ll reread chapter 5 to see what (if any) other types are in use. I’ll note the types I find and from that determine whether the text should be interpreted literally.
- REFINE: Next, I’ll research the book’s historical context by referencing an introduction to the book of Galatians. Many bound Bibles have an intro section immediately before Galatians 1, but I’m going to use the ESV online intro to Galatians. This reference, written by Bible publishers, provides historical details like who wrote the book, to whom, and when. It often also contains a summary of the book’s content. If you’re working along with me, note any relevant or interesting facts you uncover in your review of these materials. Based on what you discover about writing type and in the introduction, should Galatians 5 be interpreted literally?
- REFINE: Last, I’ll be looking up the meaning of a few words and phrases from my focus verse using an interlinear Bible tool. I like Biblehub.com’s Greek tool for this research. To use it, follow the link above. You can scroll to the verse(s) you want to examine by clicking the blue arrow to the right of the verse citation (“Galatians 5:9”) for higher-numbered verses or the arrow to the left to view verses 1 through 8. Once you locate the verse, click the number in the Strong’s column that corresponds to the English word or phrase you’re researching. Note anything the Spirit highlights for you in the information provided.
I encourage you to use these tools and dig as much as you can this week. I pray the Spirit will bless your efforts, my friend!
GO TO WEEK 6 >
by Jen | Dec 23, 2025 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Hello again. Here’s what the Spirit helped me find this week:
Last Week’s Work
REPETITION
I noticed six emphasized terms in my review for repetition:
- free/freedom in v1 (twice) and v13 (twice).
- love in vv6, 13-14, 22.
- circumcision/uncircumcision in vv2-3, 6, 11.
- the law in vv3, 4, 14, 18, 23.
- desires in vv13, 16-17, 24.
- the flesh in vv17, 19, 24.
Paul tells the Galatians they were called to freedom, and it’s the reason Christ set them free. He cautions them not to abuse freedom by prioritizing obedience to law (which I suspect circumcision represents) over love. Nor should they succumb to the desires of the flesh. He points out love of neighbor fulfills all law and emphasizes love as the first listed fruit of the Spirit.
SPECIAL STATEMENTS:
I noticed several of these:
Six commands:
- stand firm (v2)
- do not submit … to a yoke of slavery (v2)
- do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh (v13)
- through love serve one another (v13)
- you shall love your neighbor as yourself (v14)
- walk by the Spirit (v16)
Three promises:
- the hope of righteousness (v5).
- in Christ Jesus … only faith working through love counts (v6).
- if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law (v18).
Three curses:
- those who seek justification by the law are severed from Christ and have fallen away from grace (v4).
- the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty (v10).
- those who do [works of the flesh] will not inherit the kingdom of God (v21).
Six warnings:
- if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you (v2).
- every man who accepts circumcision … is obligated to keep the whole law (v3).
- this persuasion isn’t from him who calls you (v8).
- a little leaven leavens the whole lump (v9) (though I don’t yet know what he means by this).
- if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another (v15).
- those who do [works of the flesh] will not inherit the kingdom of God (v21).
Two requests:
- let’s keep in step with the Spirit (v25).
- let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another (v26).
LISTS
The fifteen listed works of the flesh (vv19-21) are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, plus a catchall phrase, things like these.
Then he listed nine fruit(s?) of the Spirit (vv22-23): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Next week in my comparison notes, I’ll comment more about the contrasts I see between these lists.
Dig-In Challenges
This week, let’s wrap up Step 3 by:
- PRAYING: Use the prayer we wrote for Step 1.
- MINING: Read through the passage again looking for comparisons in or related to your focus verses. These may be statements of similarity featuring key words such as like, as, or so; qualitative comparisons indicating how one item is more or less than another; and/or contrasts that highlight or discuss how one concept differs from another.
- MINING: Next, look for causes or motives by focusing on key words or phrases I call cause connectors. In this study text, look for four connectors: therefore, for (where it means the same as because), that (where it means so that), and to (where it means in order to). Then check the text surrounding the connector for an action and the reason or explanation for that action. For example: in the sentence, I went to the store, for I was out of milk:
the action = I went to the store for [because] the reason = I was out of milk.
NOTE A: the words for, to, and that don’t always connect an action and a reason. To determine if they do here, read the sentences containing each, substituting the original word with the synonymous word or phrase below:
For: substitute because
To: substitute in order to
That: substitute so that
If the sentence(s) created from this exercise make(s) sense and mean(s) the same as the original, note (1) the action statement (typically before the for, to, or that); and (2) the reason (after the for, to, or that).
NOTE B: In Galatians 5:1, the action-connector-reason order above may not apply depending on your translation. If you’re using my (ESV) Scripture study sheet, you’ll find both the actions and reasons before the for and therefore in that verse. It might be easier for you to use a different translation (for example, the New American Standard Bible) to search in verse 1.
- MINING: Finally, see if you can find any conditions that trigger action in this narrative and/or descriptions of how action happens or should happen.
– For example, does the text say if or when a certain condition exists, some action should or does take place?
And/or
– Does the author describe a particular method by which something happens? In other words, does he describe specific action(s) that achieve(s) something (e.g., in Romans 12:1, how does the author recommend the Romans accomplish spiritual worship)?
Or
– Does he indicate how action is accomplished more generally by or through attributes or actions, e.g., saved by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8)?
Finally,
– Does the text include any adverbs (typically words ending in ly) that describe how action happens?
These exercises are more involved, I know, but I’m confident you can do this with the Holy Spirit! Don’t forget to check your How to Dig Into Scripture Ourselves guide, and you can always reach out to me at [email protected] if you have questions.
GO TO WEEK 5 >
by Jen | Dec 16, 2025 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Welcome back! Where in Galatians 5 have you sensed the Spirit leading you to explore? Last week I mentioned why I felt His clear direction to dig deeper into verse 9, so this time, I was only going to discuss the setting of the passage (characters, locations, and timeframes). Except in my studies, I didn’t find any locations or timeframes in the text! That doesn’t mean the Spirit won’t show you something he didn’t reveal to me, though, so if you did find a location or timeframe, I’d love for you to share that at [email protected] or my contact page.
Last Week’s Work
WHO (CHARACTERS)
Here’s what I discovered about the main characters in this passage:
- Christ Jesus (him, the Lord): set us free (v1); accepting circumcision makes Christ of no advantage to you (v2), and it means you are severed from him (v4); in him, only faith working through love counts, circumcision doesn’t (v6); Paul has confidence in the Lord you will take no other view than the truth (v8); those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh (v24).
- Us (we ourselves, one another) [the writer and recipients of this letter]: have been set free by Christ (v1); eagerly await the hope of righteousness (v5); if we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (v25); let’s not become conceited, provoking or envying one another (v26).
- Paul [the writer]: he says if you accept circumcision, Christ is no advantage to you (v2), he testifies if you accept circumcision, you’re obligated to keep the whole law (v3); he has confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view (v10); If he still preaches circumcision, why is he still persecuted (v11); he wishes those who unsettle you would harm themselves (v12), he says walk in the Spirit and you won’t gratify the desires of the flesh (v16); he repeats a warning to you that those who do the works of the flesh will not inherit God’s kingdom (v21).
- You (brothers, your, yourself) [recipients of the letter]: in addition to statements about you recorded in other bullets here, I noted: you were running well (v7); Paul was confident the one who troubled you would bear the penalty (v10); you were called to freedom, but don’t use it as an opportunity for the flesh (v13); the whole law is fulfilled by loving your neighbor as yourself (v14); if you bite and devour one another, watch out you’re not consumed by each other (v15); the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit are opposed to each other to keep you from doing what you want to do (v17); if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law (v18).
- The Spirit: in addition to statements about the Spirit recorded in the above bullets, I noticed: we wait for the hope of righteousness through the Spirit and by faith (v5); the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (v22).
Dig-In Challenges
Here’s my plan for this week:
- PRAY the prayer I wrote last week before I study. Then I’ll…
- MINE: Look for repeated words or phrases in this passage and check for synonyms or pronouns that refer to the same concepts.
- MINE: Locate any special statements (blessings, commands, curses, prayers, promises, requests, and/or warnings) in the passage.
- MINE: Note any lists (3 or more similar items) mentioned in Galatians 5.
- As always, record what the Spirit prompts so we can use it in Steps 4 and 5.
Remember, you can download this printable summary of the DISO process for more specific instructions.
I’ll share what I discover with you next week, so I hope you’ll join me then.
GO TO WEEK 4 >
by Jen | Dec 9, 2025 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Hello again. This week, I’m so excited to share how God blessed me as I started studying Galatians 5!
Last Week’s Work
MY PRAYER
Thank You, Father, for this chance to dig into Galatians 5 a second time! I am so grateful Your Word never changes. Yet every time I approach it, Your Holy Spirit teaches me something new. Open my eyes, ears, and heart right now to see what You have for me today, to hear the Spirit’s guidance, and to follow where You lead in this study, no matter how challenging. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen!
HUH? and WOW! MOMENTS
This week I experienced something I have to share! For the first time since I began using Huh? and Wow! moments to direct my personal studies, I knew without further prayer exactly which verse would be my study focus over the next seven weeks: A little leaven leavens the whole lump (Galatians 5:9 ESV). That’s because just two days ago this same metaphor appeared in another passage (1 Corinthians 5:6-8) I discovered in the Advent Bible reading list from Precept Ministries I’m following this year. And I was moved to write about it in my personal journal that day! Once again, the God who orders all things has aligned otherwise unconnected references in my environment. Like the star the magi followed to Jesus, I believe this is clear direction for my path in this study. What an awesome Christmas present from my heavenly Father! How can I not be excited about what’s in store in this study?!
Dig-In Challenges
If you’re studying along with me, listen to the Spirit’s guidance this week and choose your own topic from Galatians 5 (a personal treasure) to dig more deeply into. It can be anything you noticed in your survey of the text that raises a question or resonates with you, or you can work with the leaven metaphor, too. We’ll start out digging into the whole chapter and later focus on just the verse(s) that pertain to our individual treasures.
- PRAY for the Spirit to direct your focus for the remainder of this study. In your journal, record the personal treasure He identifies, along with any verse(s) relating to it from the study text.
- MINE: Read Galatians 5, focusing on three factors setting the stage in this text: note anything the Spirit emphasizes about the characters involved, any locations mentioned, and any timeframes discussed.
I’m looking forward to sharing my notes with you next week!
GO TO WEEK 3 >
by Jen | Dec 2, 2025 | DISO studies, Galatians 5, Introduction
Hello! I’m so glad you’re joining me for this eight-week study of Galatians Chapter 5.
This is the final study in my current Restoration series of a dozen or so previously examined passages. The original studies are no longer available online. Rather than repost those earlier versions I created using previous iterations of my study method, I’m redoing them here with the current DISO process. I’ve loved having those earlier posts for comparison as I work through familiar passages, but when this study ends in eight weeks, I feel the Spirit leading me into passages I haven’t yet explored. So, stay tuned for new adventures in Bible study! In the meantime, though…
Let’s Study Galatians 5!
This week, I’ll begin by praying and surveying Galatians 5. If you want to study on your own with me, here’s what I recommend you have ready:
- A copy of Galatians 5, plus access to the entire letter to the Galatians.
I like to refer often to the text I’m studying and sometimes make notes on it, so I copy the passage from blueletterbible.org, paste it into a word processing program like Google Docs or MS Word, change the formatting to suit my preferences, and print it out. If you want to use the ESV translation, here’s a pdf of my Scripture study sheet with lots of room for doodles and notes.
- A study journal.
We’ll spend the next seven weeks immersed in and learning about Galatians 5. And the work we’ll do each week builds on what came before, so plan to record at least some highlights from your work over the coming weeks. I’m old-school and like the pen-and-paper method for journaling my studies, but it’s okay if that doesn’t work for you. If you can’t or don’t want to write your notes, consider dictating them into a notes app or recording audio files instead.
Or, you may decide to just read the entries posted here, and that’s great, too. You’ll get familiar with the process and see how the Spirit speaks to my situation. Either way, I appreciate you checking in with me, even if you can’t dig into Galatians 5 yourself this time.
Dig-In Challenges
So, here’s how I’ll be studying this week:
- PRAY: I’ll be creating a prayer with which I’ll start each of my weekly study sessions. If you’ve studied with me before, you know I usually just adapt a previous prayer. Though I’ve pretty much memorized my prayer, I still write it in my study journal as a reminder to pray each time I start studying.
- SURVEY: Then I’ll read Galatians 5, noting anything that makes me say, “huh?” (as in, “I wonder what that means?”) or “wow” (as in, “that is so awesome!”). I’ll record these and later ask the Spirit to direct me to the one I should dig into right now.
If you’d like more information about these steps, check out this printable summary of the process I’ll be using over the next eight weeks. Or, you can always reach out to me with your questions through my contact page or at [email protected]. I’m looking forward to sharing what I discover in this process with you, along with relevant snippets of my previous study from 2021, so I hope you’ll keep checking in with me each week!
GO TO WEEK 2 >
by Jen | Nov 25, 2025 | DISO studies, Romans 12
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Hi — Here are my responses to last week’s challenges!
Last Week’s Work
LESSON(S) LEARNED
As I thought about everything the Spirit showed me in Romans 12, I realized Paul was coaching the Roman church to behave like good relatives: to accept one another as equal members of the family under the authority of our heavenly Father. This is a challenge for me. I have only one vague memory of my earthly father and lots of experience competing with my older brother and sister for positive reinforcement from adults in our extended family. But the focus on think (v3) in this study helps me realize family can mean something different than my experiences. I’m chewing on a couple comments: there is no such thing as Lone Ranger Christianity (Jim Gerrish), and the Christian Church… is still the place where all earthly distinctions are gone (William Barclay). In other words, it doesn’t matter who we were before Jesus. Salvation means our old persona died with Christ, and our new selves born of water and the Spirit might look the same as we did, but we’re not. We are children of God, Jesus is our brother, and none of us is better or worse than anyone else in this family. The only appropriate response to that is to treat each other with love and respect.
CONVICTION
I keep hearing Sister Sledge from 1979 (yes, I remember back that far!) singing We Are Family. That’s the overarching lesson I think the Spirit is impressing upon me: that Christians are family, and our Father is supernaturally fair. We don’t need to compete for anything when we trust Him for everything.
CORRECTION
My correction verse is from a different study I recently finished with my church sisters: Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:11-13). I believe the Spirit is prompting me to see the discontent that arises when I compare myself to others. I can always find someone who is more or better than I am, and my enemy loves to point that out to sow division. Especially in God’s family.
ACTION PLAN
But if I think, I can stop my runaway brain the same way Paul did: learning the discipline of contentment. One key to this is found in Romans 12: being transformed by the renewal of [my] mind (v2). I plan to do that by (1) recognizing when I start comparing and (2) using Scripture or my personal experiences to remind myself it’s not a competition.
Our Next Study
Next week begins the last study in our Restoration series, Galatians 5:1-26. It’s a deep dive into the fruit of the Spirit. I hope you’ll join me!
