Galatians 5:6 contains a wonderful expression for describing the life of a Christian: “faith working through love.” Each lends meaning and clarity to the other. Faith must be primarily evidenced and demonstrated by love, without which it loses its credence, integrity, and quality. Love, which includes serving one another (5:13), loving others as oneself (5:14), and the fruit of the Spirit (5:22-23), therefore takes precedence over and also guides other potential expressions of faith. At the same time, love is shaped and directed by faith. In the context of the letter, faith is believing in Jesus, “who gave himself for our sins” (Gal 1:14) so that we might “be justified by faith in Christ” (2:16). Love therefore is not to be generic or indiscriminate; rather, it particularly reflects and witnesses to the faith from which it proceeds. Faith thus produces a love that is theologically informed.
Paul is also making the point that this is what ultimately matters before God. The full verse reads, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” Human beings are notoriously adept at coming up with all sorts of different achievements to boast in and judge others by, whether circumcision or some other standard. Yet Paul would say that anything that is not faith working through love counts for nothing, that is, adds nothing to one's righteousness before God and standing on the day of judgment. This is a reprimand to those “who want to make a good showing in the flesh” (6:12), but for the humble it is good news. It means we can be freed from the anxiety of trying to “please man” (1:10) by meeting their contrived standards. Rather, we need only to believe in the sound teaching about Jesus and do good to others, and in so doing we can be assured that we have approval with God.