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GALATIANS - I Have Been Crucified With Christ
Studies in the Letter of Paul to the Galatians
PART 4: FREEDOM FROM THE LAW OF MOSES IS THE FOUNDATION OF CONDUCT IN THE HOLY SPIRIT (Galatians 5:1 – 6:18)
3. Walk in the Spirit and you will overcome the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16-25)
GALATIANS 5:19-25
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
If you have carefully read the list of the works of the flesh, you may say: Such are people. But I am neither an adulterer, nor a doer of any of these abominations. Thank God, I am better than those whom Paul describes. God has kept me from grave sins.
Beware! Do you know your heart completely? Are these characteristics not found in you, potentially and speculatively? It is a favor from the Lord that he has kept you from yourself; for you are not good in yourself, but the grace has kept you that you might not be more evil than you were.
Did you thank Christ for this? How do you honor him with your faith lest you fall down? On the other hand, if you commit only one sin of the said sins, you will not enter the kingdom of God, for the unclean are not admitted to this kingdom. Study the list of the unclean works once again, and examine yourself to see if you have not sinned any one time in thought, in speech, or in deed, for this would be enough to destroy you.
In your study, you will find four kinds of sins, graded in this indecent list, first of which is adultery, fornication, uncleanness and lewdness, for whenever man moves away from faith, he loses resistance against the lusts of his body, and behaves like a senseless, unbridled animal.
The second sin is sorcery. Unfortunately, many people fear the evil eye more than they believe in the protective power of their Lord. Multitudes race to fortune-teller to clarify the future, or they communicate with unclean spirits and fall into the hands of the fierce and wrathful devil through these attempts and wrong practices.
The third sin is hatred, dislike, and unforgiving, which entail contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, partiality, and even murders. He who dislikes is like a spiteful murderer.
The fourth sin is drunkenness, revelries, and excessive interest in the things of the world. From extravagance comes covetousness, and because of their fear of unemployment, people run to sorcerers that they may tell their fortunes. From the love of money and the desire for ease and welfare come envy, theft, and all evil works. He who does not like contentedness is wrong.
Be aware that longsuffering, faith, and all goodness and self-control are gifts of the Spirit. Though no man, but God alone is good in himself, the Holy Spirit granted us this divine privilege until we who are unprofitable became profitable. How great is salvation! It makes the evil one a good one.
Did you compare the list of the fruits of the flesh with the list of the virtues of the Holy Spirit? Decide and choose, but do not deceive yourself. Either you live for your Lord as his own, and he dwells in you, or you become a malicious demon, with a smiling, hypocritical, lying face. However, those who love Christ, recognized and agreed to the miserable state of their hearts, and became by faith crucified with the Crucified, and living with him in his Spirit. The religion of Christ means clinging to the Savior in all stages of his earthly and eternal life. Lust cannot overcome us, nor do we have inclination to it, because our Lord died for these sins. Furthermore, his Spirit prompts us to follow him in all righteousness, goodness, and clean joyfulness. How beautiful is the life with Jesus!
PRAYER: O Lord Savior, we thank you because you saved us from the authority of our flesh, and created us newly that we might walk in the Spirit. We glorify you for this salvation, and ask you to strengthen our love to you that we consider ourselves dead and crucified for sins. Fill us with your Holy Spirit that we may live in righteousness, for we are weak, but your are truly the helping Victor.
QUESTION:
- What are – in your opinion – the fruits of the flesh, which prevail in human beings? What are the virtues of the Spirit, which we need?