Galatians
5:16-26
16 But
I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of
the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the
flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things
you want to do. 18 But
if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual
immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry,
sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
21 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. 22 But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness,
self-control; against such things there is no law. 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 keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become
conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
It is amazing how many lists there are in scripture. These two
lists may seem to be of little significance, but they are actually something
that Christianity has lost in recent years. Christians are more than happy to
list out the gifts of the Spirit, but what about the gifts against the Spirit.
The works of the Flesh are pretty evident in the world. We do
not have to look far to find sexual immorality, likewise impurity, sensuality,
or orgies. St Paul did not have to look very hard either. St Paul looked at the
World in the Roman Empire and saw all these things. He saw the divisions, envy,
dissensions, and rivalries in Corinth as well as other congregations.
Christians sadly still have works of the flesh. St Paul rightly
warns people redeemed by Christ, “I warn you, as I warned you before, that
those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” These people are
not going to Heaven. People should not be willing to accept, tolerate, or
excuse such behavior.
These desires of the flesh are against the Holy Spirit. The Holy
Spirit calls, gathers, and enlightens God’s people. “And those who belong to
Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Likewise,
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into
death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of
the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” or the gifts of the Holy
Spirit.
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