“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
Galatians 5:19-26 ESV
We live in a time when we are encouraged to be true to ourselves. We live in a time when we are encouraged to follow our heart. And we live in a time when we’re told that God wants only for us to be happy.
We, then, are encouraged to gratify our desires. If we desire these things, we are told, they cannot be sinful. In fact, we’re told these desires have been given to us by God.
According to Scripture, however, we do have sinful impulses. And, because they are sinful, we are encouraged to resist them. We are encouraged to flee from them.
Paul had encouraged the Galatians to walk by the Spirit. If they did so, he said, they would not gratify the desires of the flesh. If they did so, they would not gratify the desires of their sinful nature.
This is necessary because, as believers, we live continually with a tension between the two. Our sinful nature pulls us to do things that will gratify its desires. And, in the same way, the Spirit of God leads us to do those things that will glorify God.
In the above passage, he goes on to give several examples of the works of the flesh. He lists several works that are contrary to the desires of the Spirit. And, as we look at this list, we can each find ourselves in several of them.
Paul says that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. And we have to be careful with this. Paul isn’t saying that if we’ve ever fallen into any of these sins, even once, we stand condemned.
He’s referring to those who keep doing these things. He’s referring to those who make a practice of doing these things. He’s referring to those who perform these actions repeatedly or habitually. In essence, he’s referring to those who are living in unrepentance. He’s saying that, if we defy God ongoingly, if we violate his will without remorse, we stand condemned.
He then goes on to list for us the fruit of the Spirit. In other words, these are the qualities that the Spirit of God will produce in our life. And it’s in these qualities that we are called to live.
Those who belong to Christ, he says, have crucified the flesh along with its passions and desires. In other words, they have sacrificed their flesh. They have put their sinful desires to death. They have rejected these desires, casting them aside, in favor of the Spirit’s leading.
If we live by the Spirit, we’re to keep in step with the Spirit. If he’s the source of our life, we will follow his leading. If he is our life, we will follow his guidance.
In short, Paul is calling us to a life of repentance and faith. Even though our sinful nature is a part of us, and will remain a part of us until the end, we are to turn from its desires. We’re to turn from its desires and live according to the Spirit of God.
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