Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:16–26 (NASB95)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Galatians (Introduction Outline)

Jerome once said that when he read the letters of the apostle Paul he could hear thunder. Nowhere in the Pauline epistles is such stormy dissonance more evident than in the Epistle to the Galatians.

From the beginning to the end of this letter Paul is challenging, arguing, pleading and rebuking these believers yet with the tenderness of a distraught mother who must endure all over again the pains of childbirth because her children, who ought to no better, are fighting and arguing and taking sides. Paul is actually astonished and even perplexed by these believers departure from the true Gospel. Some men were teaching certain restrictions of the Jewish law, like circumcision, must be adhered to for inclusion into Christ Church. They were saying that