7/25 - Galatians 5

This was an excellent followup to Galatians 4. For the most part, I felt Paul was reiterating how futile is was to follow the law and by following the law they were denying their promise of salvation through faith in Christ. Also there were a great many points made by Paul like the attributes of the Spirit of Love and the command to Love thy neighbor as thyself.

But yesterday I had posted that I felt like God was calling me to "....break free of my "weak and miserable principles" that I have lived by and to follow him through faith. As with any bad habit, these are self appointed values that I unconsciously turn to throughout the day. I will make a point to pray that God will give me the foresight to see these as they arise and combat them head on." And now, in his Grace, he has showed me how to do this!

In verses 16-18 God is telling me that my struggles are not something that I fight alone. "....live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." By immersing myself in his word and living by the Spirit I/he will begin to choke out the desires of my sinful nature. I'm not pretending that I won't be open to temptation, but I believe a life in Christ will give me the tools and character to combat my weak and miserable principles.

Galatians 5
Freedom in Christ
1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

2Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

7You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9"A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." 10I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. 11Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

13You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature[a]; rather, serve one another in love. 14The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."[b] 15If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
Life by the Spirit
16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.