Galatians 5 : 6 - Faith without Love is Dead ! http : / / www . abible . com / devotions / 2004 / 20041213 - 0856 . html . . Gal 5 : 6 ( KJV ) For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing , nor uncircumcision ; but faith which worketh by love . Gal 5 : 6 ( NIV ) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value . The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love . 갈라디아서 5 : 6 ( 개역 개정 ) 그리스도 예수 안 에서 는 할례 나 무 할례 나 효력 이 없 으되 사랑 으로써 역사 하 는 믿 음 뿐 이 니라 Gal 5 : 6 ( EAV ) For [ if we are ] in Christ Jesus , neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything , but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love . In no sense does Paul condemn those who have been circumcised ; he simply warns that when a person is " in Jesus Christ " it makes no difference whether he is circumcised . The decisive factor is faith . [ SDA Commentary ] . GENUINE FAITH IS A THING OF LOVE " Faith " here once again is trust in , submission to , and commitment of oneself to Christ . This kind of faith [ works through love ] . ( UBS Translator Handbook Series ) Faith is not mere intellectual assent ( see Jas 2 : 18 - 19 ) but a living trust in God ' s grace that expresses itself in acts of love ( see 1 Th 1 : 3 ) . [ NIV SB ] This humble , holy , operative , obedient LOVE , is the grand touchstone of all human creeds and confessions of faith . Faith without this has neither soul nor operation ; in the language of the Apostle James , it is dead , ( Adam Clarke Commentary ) True faith is a working grace ; it works by love to God , and to our brethren . [ Matthew Henry Commentary ] Faith that evinces its existence by love to God , and benevolence to people . It is not a mere intellectual belief , but it is that which reaches the heart , and controls the affections . It is not a dead faith , but it is that which is operative , and which is seen in Christian kindness and affection . It is not mere belief of the truth , or mere orthodoxy , but it is that which produces trite attachment to others . A mere intellectual assent to the truth may leave the heart cold and unaffected ; mere orthodoxy , however bold and self - confident , and " sound , " may not be inconsistent with contentions , and strifes , and logomachies , and divisions . The true faith is that which is seen in benevolence , in love to God , in love to all who bear the Christian name ; in a readiness to do good to all mankind . ( Barnes ' Notes ) Faith which is made active , or energetic , by love . God acknowledges no faith , as of the operation of his Spirit , that is not active or obedient ; but the principle of all obedience to God , and beneficence to man , is love ; therefore faith cannot work unless it be associated with love . Love to God produces obedience to his will : love to man worketh no ill ; but , on the contrary , every act of kindness . ( Adam Clarke Commentary ) Faith does have " works , " but these are not the " works of the law " ( see on ch . 2 : 16 ) . Thus excluded are all " works " performed for the purpose of earning righteousness ( see p . 934 ) . The " works " that accompany genuine faith are inspired by the spirit of appreciation for the gift of divine grace , by love for God and for one ' s fellow men ( see Gal . 5 : 14 ; see on Matt . 22 : 34 - 40 ) . ... It is a counterfeit faith that does not produce the " fruit of the Spirit " in the life ( Gal . 5 : 22 , 23 ) . It is a counterfeit faith that leads a man to think himself released from obedience to the will of God as expressed in the Decalogue , which is simply a brief outline of how love toward God and man will find ｅxpression ( see on Matt . 5 : 17 , 18 ; 7 : 21 - 27 ) . .... Obedience to known duty is an inevitable result of the righteousness that comes by faith , and is the supreme test of its genuineness ( see James 2 : 18 ) . [ SDA Commentary ] . FAITH OF LOVE IS A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS VIA THE HOLY SPIRITTo Paul all that mattered was faith which works through love . That is just another way of saying that the essence of Christianity is not law but a personal relationship to Jesus Christ . The Christian ' s faith is founded not on a book but on a person ; its dynamic is not obedience to any law but love to Jesus Christ . [ Barclay Commentary ] To be " in Christ Jesus " is to be united with him in faith and in fellowship . ( UBS Translator Handbook Series ) Genuine faith is followed by love , and love by obedience . All the powers and passions of the converted man are brought under the control of Christ . His Spirit is a renewing power , transforming to the divine image all who will receive it . ... Very many follow on in their own ways and indulge their sinful desires and yet profess to be disciples of Christ . They have never submitted their hearts to God . Like the foolish virgins they have neglected to obtain the oil of grace in their vessels with their lamps . I tell you , my brethren , that a large number who profess to believe and even to teach the truth are under the bondage of sin . Base passions defile the mind and corrupt the soul . The life of him in whose heart Christ abides , will reveal practical godliness . The character will be purified , elevated , ennobled , and glorified . Pure doctrine will blend with works of righteousness ; heavenly precepts will mingle with holy practices . " Faith is viewed as the root , love as the fruit , " [ College Press NIV Commentary ] True spirituality is not indicated by possession of any particular spiritual gift , but rather by that love which is so beautifully portrayed in vv . 4 - 7 of that great chapter . ... The Christian does not demonstrate his faith by the rigor with which he keeps Moses ' Law , but by the love he or she shows in every relationship , with God and with others . [ Victor Bible Background Commentary ] Because faith expresses itself through love , you can check your love for others as a way to monitor your faith . [ Life Application SB ] Paul describes the true Christian walk in vv . 5 - 6 : our power is in the Spirit ; we receive this power by faith ; this faith produces love and works in our lives . [ Wiersbe Expository Outlines ] " Justification by faith and life in the Spirit are like two sides of one coin ; neither is present without the other . " 5 - 7 [ College Press NIV Commentary ] It ' s as if a man with a power lawnmower decided to push the mower back and forth over his yard without ever starting it . He would work harder at mowing than if the motor was on , and would get absolutely nothing done ! Paul was saying that when we rely on self - effort , guided by Law , to live the Christian life , Christ , though present within us , is " turned off . " We work so hard . And we get nothing done at all ! [ The 365 - Day Devotional Commentary ] The way we live , the things we say , the attitudes we entertain , the lifestyle we adopt , the enterprises in which we engage are all continuously producing either positive or negative results in society . Far too many people assume they can adopt a neutral stance . They feel they can be noncommittal . They try to remain detached , uninvolved with the trauma , turmoil and tension of their times . Again and again Jesus pointed out that this was impossible . " Either you are for me , or against me , " He said . " You cannot serve two masters at once . Either you hate one and love the other or vice - versa . ..." We live in an atmosphere of antagonism , an environment of enmity . Yet amid such adversity Christ calls us to produce peace . This peace is love , quietly , strongly persistently meeting every onslaught against it with good will . It is that inner attitude of tranquillity and tolerance in the face of angry attacks . It is the willingness to accept the assaults of others even at the price of personal humiliation . It implies that even though my enemies and detractors may be at war with me , I can be at peace with them . ( From Salt for Society by Phillip Keller ) APPLICATION : How do you exhibit your faith ? Do you hurry out the door after church on Sabbaths ? Or , do you take the time to greet and listen to the concerns of others ? Next Sabbath , stay and listen . Remember that listening begins to help those in need . [ Inspirational SB mod ] . FAITH OF LOVE IS FREEDOMFreedom is the privilege of those who are willing to obey . It is a privilege which carries many responsibilities . It is not an automatic right . ... Jesus said , " . . You shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free " ( John 8 : 32 ) . Truth makes us free because it gives understanding . Understanding helps us accept the necessary conditions , restrictions , and discipline which must prevail if there is to be true freedom . To obey the truth of God ' s Word makes us free from the slavery of evil habits , desires which harm us , and behavior which dishonors the Lord . Liberty is not the result of human achievement . It is the result of obedience to God . Disobedience means loss of freedom . If freedom is to be real and lasting , it must be controlled by love . Freedom to do as one pleases , without regard for others or for the circumstances , is destructive . Christian liberty is freedom to love and to serve . It is abused when it is made an excuse for loveless behavior or inconsiderate action . Real freedom is found in serving God . With our minds centered on Christ and what He would have us do , the self - centered desires and degrading habits of life are crowded out . Life is complete and happy when we surrender ourselves to God , whose yoke is easy and burden is light ( Matthew 11 . 30 ) . Lucille Sollenberger [ Time With God SB ] Paul distinguished between freedom to sin and freedom to serve . Freedom to sin is no freedom at all because it enslaves you to Satan , others , and your own evil desires . People who are slaves to sin are not free to help others ; they become preoccupied with satisfying their own selfish desires . Christians , by contrast , are free to serve . Instead of seeking personal success and recognition , they seek the best for others and thereby demonstrate their love for God . [ Small Group SB ] Christian ' s " freedom " is from domination by one ' s sinful nature , allowing opportunity to love and serve others ( vv . 13 - 15 ) . only living " by the Spirit " can release us from the domination of the sin nature --[ Victor Bible Reader ' s Companion ] Sin is slavery , not freedom . [ Disciple SB ] . FAITH OF LOVE FULFILLS THE LAWWe fulfill the law when we live in love ( Rom . 13 : 8 - 10 ) . [ Wiersbe Expository Outlines ] " All the law is fulfilled in . .. love , " the principle on which " faith worketh " ( Jamieson , Fausset , and Brown Commentary ) What counts is love , which sums up in itself all that the Law demands ( Rom 13 : 9 , 10 ) . ... Faith , operating through love , is the only workable means whereby the demands of the Law may be met . [ Wycliffe Bible Commentary ] . MISCELLANEOUSThe verb d ( energoumene , here tr . " expressing itself ") has been the subject of substantial debate within Catholicism and between others and Catholic theologians . If the verb is passive , as most Catholics maintain , then the phrase means that faith is inspired by love ; that is , love comes first , faith stemming from it . This , while linguistically possible , is not Paul ' s meaning . If the verb is in the middle voice , as it seems to be elsewhere in the NT , then the thought is as tr . in NIV . This links up with two of Paul ' s basic thoughts expressed elsewhere : first , that love is the fulfillment of the law ( Rom 13 : 10 ) , and second , that faith leads to the development of the fruit of the Spirit in which love is prominent ( Gal 5 : 22 ) . It is through love that faith reveals and proves itself , as the Epistle of James indicates . [ Expositors Bible Commentary ] It is possible , however , to interpret the verb [ works ] as passive and to understand [ love ] in the sense of God ' s love rather than human love . [ Faith that works through love ] would then mean " faith which is made effective by God ' s love . " No translation , however , has this interpretation . ( UBS Translator Handbook Series ) . APPLICATIONThe Motive for ObedienceFor this is the love of God , that we keep his commandments : and his commandments are not grievous . 1 Jo . 5 : 3 . It is the keeping of the commandments of God that honors and glorifies Him in His chosen . Wherefore every soul to whom God has given reasoning faculties is under obligation to God to search the Word and ascertain all that is enjoined upon us as God ' s purchased possession . We should seek to understand all that the Word requires of us . . . . We cannot show greater honor to our God , whose we are by creation and redemption , than to give evidence to the beings of heaven , to the worlds unfallen , and to fallen men , that we diligently hearken unto all His commandments , which are the laws that govern His kingdom . We need to study diligently that we may gain a knowledge of the laws of God . How can we be obedient subjects if we fail to understand the laws that govern the kingdom of God ? Then open your Bibles and search for everything that will enlighten you in regard to the precepts of God ; and when you discern a Thus saith the Lord , ask not the opinion of men , but whatever the cost to yourself , obey cheerfully . Then the blessing of God will rest upon you . ... Often ask prayerfully , " Lord , what wilt thou have me to do ? Am I in any way disregarding the divine precepts ? Am I in any way placing my influence on the enemy ' s side ? Am I showing a careless disregard of God ' s commandments ? Am I willing to yoke up with Christ , to lift the burdens , and to be a co - laborer with Him ? Am I studying out possible excuses for neglecting obedience to a Thus saith the Lord ? Am I risking the consequences of neglect to obey the clearly revealed precepts of Jehovah because I am not willing to come out from the world and be separate ? Shall the fear of man have a greater influence over me than the fear of God ? " Surrender yourself to God , saying , "' Here , Lord , I give myself away ; ' tis all that I can do . ' I will not be found in disobedience to Thy law , for that would place me in the enemy ' s ranks . " [ www . bibleuniverse . com ] All true obedience comes from the heart . It was heart work with Christ . And if we consent , He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims , so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will , that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses . The will , refined and sanctified , will find its highest delight in doing His service . When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him , our life will be a life of continual obedience . Through an appreciation of the character of Christ , through communion with God , sin will become hateful to us . As Christ lived the law in humanity , so we may do if we will take hold of the Strong for strength . { DA 668 } . 1 Cor 16 : 14 ( NIV ) Do everything in love . 고린 도전 서 16 : 14 ( 개역 개정 ) 너희 모든 일 을 사랑 으로 행하 라 1 Cor 16 : 14 ( CEV ) Show love in everything you do . Romans 5 : 5 b ( NIV ) And hope does not disappoint us , because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit , whom he has given us . 로마서 5 : 5 ( 개역 개정 ) 소망 이 우리 를 부끄럽 게 하 지 아니함 은 우리 에게 주 신 성령 으로 말미암 아 하나님 의 사랑 이 우리 마음 에 부 은 바 됨 이 니 .