Life by the Spirit
Galatians 5:13-25:
"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.
But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh;
rather, serve one another humbly in love.
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit,
and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.
They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
But if you are led by the Spirit,p you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious:
sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage,
selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and 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.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Against such things there is no law.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
My question is this: how do we respond to one another when we see someone using their freedom in Christ to gratify the desires of the flesh? It is very painful to watch, and we are called to not judge, not to bite and devour one another.
So what is the response? To pray. To love. To pray some more. And to stay close to God so that nothing comes out of our mouths except for what God wants us to say. Lord help us when one part of the Body is hurting, because we all hurt.
I love You Lord, Help me act like it today.
Galatians 5:13-25:
"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.
But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh;
rather, serve one another humbly in love.
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit,
and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.
They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
But if you are led by the Spirit,p you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious:
sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage,
selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and 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.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Against such things there is no law.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
My question is this: how do we respond to one another when we see someone using their freedom in Christ to gratify the desires of the flesh? It is very painful to watch, and we are called to not judge, not to bite and devour one another.
So what is the response? To pray. To love. To pray some more. And to stay close to God so that nothing comes out of our mouths except for what God wants us to say. Lord help us when one part of the Body is hurting, because we all hurt.
I love You Lord, Help me act like it today.
RSS Feed
