Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
Colossians 3:12–17 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do
God’s love in the gift of salvation covers a multitude of sins…ours.
Galatians 5:16-26 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
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. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
If we see a professing Christian who exhibits the works of the flesh pray that their eyes will opened to the ways of God. Blessed are the feet of those who share the peace of God in Jesus Christ with all who will accept it. If we believe in Him we should strive to live in the commands that He gave us. We are to love God above all and share His love with all of His creation by loving others as much as we love our own families. God wants no one to live without Him in their lives. We love others because God first loved us! Carla
Live by the Spirit refers to being under the Spirit’s direction and empowerment. The Greek word meaning “flesh” refers to the part of human nature that causes people to put their own selfish needs ahead of everything else. The Spirit and the flesh are not in a stalemate. The flesh does not frustrate the desires of the Spirit; rather, the Spirit frustrates the desires of the flesh. The Spirit and the law represent mutually exclusive ways of living. Either people live according to the flesh by satisfying its desires, or they live according to the Spirit of God in a manner that reflects His character.
Paul lists key characteristics in verses 22–23. The law can define and identify sin, but it cannot provide the power to resist sin. Nor does the law instill within people the concerns, desires, and character of God.
However, believers are not left on their own. They have been given the Spirit of the living God to empower them against sin and to transform their hearts and minds.
More than half of the works of the flesh listed here denote forms of possible conflict among people. While this list is not exhaustive, it adequately represents life apart from the Spirit.
Deeds of the flesh refers to the sinful actions of human beings who put their own selfish needs ahead of others.
Each item in this list refers to ungodly or unlawful sexual actions. The Greek participle here, prassontes, is used in the present tense, referring to people who continually orient their lives toward deeds of the flesh.
The kingdom of God refers to the domain in which God is king. In the Bible, believers extend God’s reign through obedience, loyalty, and love.
Those who orient their lives toward the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God because they have established a kingdom of their own.
The fruit of the Spirit (verse 22–23), which contrasts with the works of the flesh (verse 19–21), is not exhaustive but representative. These traits describe the desires and characteristics that God cultivates in believers through His living presence. The phrase “fruit of the Spirit” in this context refers not to “spiritual fruit,” but to “fruit that the Spirit produces.” This latter translation best supports Paul’s argument that the production of godliness in the life of the believer does not require the law; it is empowered by God’s Spirit. When the life of the believer expresses these qualities, there is no need for the law.
Those who “live by the Spirit” (verse 16) produce fruit reflecting the character of God that the law could not (3:21). However, this list shouldn’t be turned into a new kind of law (a replacement for faith in Christ and life lived by the Spirit). Through faith, believers participate in Christ’s death and resurrection, leaving behind their orientation toward selfish desires (2:19–20).
It is not enough to claim to have new life in Christ by the power of the Spirit believers must continually follow after the Spirit in the way they live while also resisting the flesh. Faithlife Study Bible
The only consistent way to overcome the sinful desires of our human nature (the flesh) is to live step-by-step in the power of the Holy Spirit as He works through our spirit (verse 25).
Shall not is a striking promise. Walking each moment by faith in God’s word under the Spirit’s control assures absolute victory over the desires of our sinful nature.
The potential of the flesh energized by Satan in the life of the Christian should not be underestimated. Given free rein, the flesh will direct our choices, making us do what we know we should not do. This inner conflict between the flesh and the Spirit is very real, but there is considerable disagreement as to its precise meaning. Some believe that flesh here refers to a “sinful nature” continuing after salvation, while others view it as simply the physical flesh and its natural tendencies. Still others focus on the “fleshly” or “worldly” habits and patterns that continue after justification. The desires of our flesh are at odds with what the Holy Spirit desires for us: to be free from sin.
The works of the flesh include, but go well beyond, the destructive contentions and jealousies portrayed in verse. Where there is such behavior, it is positive proof that the person is not living in the power of the Holy Spirit but is being energized by Satan and his hosts (Matthew 16:23; Acts 5:3).
There is a question here whether Paul means specifically the works done by a person’s regenerated human spirit, or works done by the Holy Spirit Himself in the believer’s life. The fruit analogy is reminiscent of Jesus’ teaching on the vine, branches, and fruitful harvest (John 15:1–5).
Christians are spiritually “crucified with Christ” (2:20). They no longer have to follow the values or desires of the world (6:14). However, it remains difficult for Christians to apply this spiritual reality to the passions (affections) and desires (lusts) of the flesh (verse 16). Those who have mastered these sinful desires are those who have kept their focus on God. In these verses, Paul exhorts the Galatians to walk in the Spirit because they are already living in the Spirit. Such an action should be natural, but unfortunately we are at war with the flesh. Walk in the Spirit means to obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit. A believer following the Spirit’s lead (verse 16) will not become conceited, provoke others, or envy others. The NKJV Study Bible
Romans 7:7–8:39 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead…
Romans 13:13–14 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Grace is undeserved favor. God's Word, and specifically scriptures written by Paul, teaches that God's grace is a free gift, not earned by works (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:8-9).
In Titus 2:11, he wrote, "The grace of God has appeared." In other words, grace has physically become personified as a living being: the incarnate Jesus Christ. Grace was on full display when God sent His Son to live, die, and rise again for the sins of the world, bringing salvation and "training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age" (Titus 2:12).
Because Jesus, "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15), has graciously demonstrated God's character and nature to us, believers are able to discern godliness from ungodliness. As we do, God trains us to turn away from anything that displeases Him, runs counter to His character, opposes His will, or suppresses His Truth. Not only do we avoid sin, but we outright reject it. Worldly passions like sexual immorality, evil desires, and greed are to be "put to death" (Colossians 3:5).
Believers are able to pursue godliness because we have the transformative power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us! By His power, we can live as Christ lived: Being "self-controlled, upright, and godly" is the fruit of a God-honoring life (Titus 2:12).
Godly living does not mean we are earning grace; it means we are learning from grace. God has graciously saved us from the penalty of our sins, and we continue to rely on His grace day by day as we are saved from the power of sin and "conformed to the image of his Son" (Romans 8:29). We are being trained and sanctified, learning to become more like Jesus.
And as we reflect His character and nature, sin begins to grieve our hearts as deeply as it grieves His. Believers are free from the eternal consequences of sin, and the Bible cautions us not to use our freedom "as a cover-up for evil" but instead to serve God (1 Peter 2:16). Jesus bore our punishment on the cross "that we might die to sin and live to righteousness" (1 Peter 2:24).
As free people who've experienced God's amazing grace, let's glorify Him with our daily lives. First5
Expectant God
The heavens can no longer hold your abundant love,
So you pour out the gift of your embodied self
Relinquishing the beauty of your majesty,
To adorn the pale colours of our humanity.
Choosing to enter into this world in a place of scarcity and need.
Reveal to us this hidden world
of poverty,
of refugees,
of suffering.
As you choose this as the place of your birth
Let us choose this to be the place of our rebirth.
Rebuild us,
Transform us,
Make us anew.
We ask this through Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Kieran O'Brien
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