Reading Paul's epistle to the Galatians, we've learned that there are 2 paths available to us; faith or the law. We've said to choose faith. The question then is, how do we accomplish what the law ultimately intended to accomplish. The purpose of the law is love because love fulfils the whole law.
For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:14 NLT.
How do we then walk in love without rules and regulations and marking of days and festivals of the law to guide us? Paul's answer is contained in this chapter; walk in the Spirit. Allow yourself to be animated by the Holy Spirit and you'd find that you will walk in love.
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Galatians 5:16-17 NLT.
Who you are you listening to will determine whether you actions are love driven or not. The sinful nature lives for self. The Spirit empowers us to live for others.
Spirit versus flesh! The Spirit's nature versus our own sinful nature.
Paul is saying that who dominates the believer, who leads him, who guides him, who the believer is yielding to, will determine what kind of a Christian you becone. A life dominated by the Spirit or one dominated by sinful or carnal nature.
When the Holy Spirit is the one animating and leading you, when the Holy Spirit is the one you are listening to, the result is the fruit of; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. And when the flesh is the one leading and animating you, you will notice the fruit of; sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasure, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outburst of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.
The Christian walk is a call to daily make these decisions; "For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love." Galatians 5:13 NLT.
Choose to walk in the Holy Spirit today.
