For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Natural transition to the hortatory part.
For - I wish their excision (Galatians 5:12): not that I would emancipate you from law; FOR your "liberty" from legalism is quite distinct from fleshly license. YE is emphatic, from its position in the Greek, 'Ye brethren,' etc.; as opposed to those legalists. Unto liberty, х ep' (G1909) eleutheria (G1657)] - 'for liberty.' The object for which ye were called is liberty. Gospel liberty consists in three things-freedom from the Mosaic yoke, from sin (1 Thessalonians 4:7; John 8:34-36), and from slavish fear.
Only ... Translate, 'only turn not your х teen (G3588)] liberty into an occasion for the flesh.' Do not give the flesh the handle (Romans 7:8, "occasion") for indulgence, which it eagerly seeks: do not let it make Christian "liberty" its pretext for indulgence (Galatians 5:16-17; 1 Peter 2:16; 2 Peter 2:19; Jude 1:4).
But by love serve one another - `be servants [be in bondage: douleuete (G1398)] to one another.' If ye must be servants, then be servants to one another in love. While free as to legalism, be bound by love [in the abstract, tees (G3588) agapees (G26): else 'your love'] to serve one another (1 Corinthians 9:19). He hints at their unloving strifes springing out of lust of power, which 'is the mother of heresies' (Chrysostom).