Think, Act, Be Day 47: Galatians 5:16-26
If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit
A child came into my office last week to talk about his decision to become a Christian. He asked me a great question, “How did sin start?” Paul tells us how. Sin is anything that causes my life to be focused on one person- I. The list of sins has not changed. If we could write laws to prevent people from falling into the trap, we would have already done so. But you just can’t legislate selflessness.
That’s why Paul says we need the Spirit. The Spirit plants seeds in our hearts that bear the fruit of righteous living. Just as a seed dies to blossom forth with new life, so a person that dies to herself yields a harvest of righteousness. And life starts over.
16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:16-26