The Spirit's Way

Could I be wrong?

Everyone say it in their mind. It is a very interesting question to ponder; or at least it is for me. For some of us we think about this more than we ought. Others, I wonder if it every comes to mind. In our current cultural climate I think we must ask this more often.

This will lead to a different posture of being.

If we ask this question we automatically humble ourselves and therefore will be different.

To be in Christ is to be different.

This is the fundamental call of the believer. Paul is fighting for this call to be made real in the lives of the Galatians.

Christ gives freedom.

He reiterates this again in verse 13. Yet, freedom is not to do whatever we want.

Be slaves in love.

This is why we can ask the question, could I be wrong? Especially in relationship with one another in the church of Jesus Christ. To be God’s people means to serve and become a slave to Jesus. Is this not hat Christ did? Is this not how he taught in fulfillment of the law.

Mark 12:30–31 NIV

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

We have a war to fight—it isn’t one another!

There is a war to be fought. But it isn’t between other people. It is between who will be our master. Will the desire of the human nature, the desire of sin; or will it be the Spirit!

We must keep up, keep on, keep with the Spirit.

Verse 18 and 25 make this clear. It is not a one time profession of faith it is a daily waging of Holy Spirit I am yours today.

15 descriptive sins.

The list of the acts of the flesh number 15. Yet, this is not an exhaustive list. It encompasses al of life.

Sexual sins=3

For the believer we do not have the freedom to do whatever we want sexually. The freedom in Christ saves us from heartache, body ache, mental anguish in this area of life. Within the bounds of marriage, a man and a woman, there is great freedom.

Religious sins=2

Life is not just about what we do physically but also how and who we worship. Idolatry is anything which is put in front of God. Sorcery/witchcraft deals with the use of subtances to try and understand life and enhance religious experiences.

Community affected sins=2.

These are what is called drunkenness and sometimes orgies. The word for the second on there is really about gluttony and excessive feasting. This is about being what we may call a “party animal”. When these are present the community at large suffers. Addiction of any kind hurts the community. Whether your substance is food, work, alcohol, drugs, internet, porn, video games, etc. the greater community is affected.

Relational sins=8.

We cannot miss that in most of the lists Paul and the NT gives about vices the overwhelming majority deal with sins of relationships and how we interact with one another. It is not that the others are “unimportant” but it is so much easier to focus on the others, especially the sexual and religious sins, instead of seeing the ones which hit so close to home. Maybe it is just me.

The Spirit produces holiness, unity and true community.

I do think it is important for us to realize the “fruit” of the Spirit. In our day and age when we want to pick and choose the aspects we like about things we are tempted to pick only the ones on this list we “like” as if we are at the produce section of Aldi. If that is case I don’t want patience, thank you very much, I tried it and I just don’t like it. :)

The Law doesn’t produce the Spirit.

This is the point. Yes we cannot legislate the list, but Paul is also saying the Law of Moses couldn’t either. We cannot ever believe just because we legislate something which is moral that it will produce what is desired.

The Holy Spirit is sufficient to guide.

We do not need a list of rules and regulations, though that will be helpful, to guess how to live. We need more of the Spirit.