As a week has now passed, I look back on the events filling the past seven days, and let me say that it's not easy to live by the Spirit. It's a lifestyle change that takes much practice and dedication as time goes on. So, now begins week two, and where I left off in the last post.
After showing the Galatians how important it is to be under the Spirit's control, Paul then moves into, what I call, the Fruits of the Sinful Nature. Paul says they consist of "sexual immorality [which is more than just sex], impurity and debauchery [meaning immorality]; idolatry and witchcraft [yeah, witchcraft is real]; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy [that's a long list of bad things..], drunkenness, orgies [yep, Paul just said "orgies"], and the like" (Galatians 5:19-21; parentheticals added).
Now before a person casually skims over this section of the chapter, I think it's important to reread a few times and meditate on it. How many of those do you, and I, exhibit? How many of those Fruits do you and I struggle with? And this includes those who follow Christ and those who don't. I can honestly say that I struggle with sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry, jealousy, selfish ambitions, and envy. I'm not perfect, and I don't claim to be. However, it's these things that I can overcome thanks to the Spirit.
After this long list of "what evil looks like," Paul counters with the Fruits of the Spirit. Many young Christians can quote the list from heart, after learning it in Sunday school or at a camp. It's one of those cute and "encouraging" messages about the good things... after we nonchalantly skip over the bad things of sinful nature (19-21).
Here's what Paul says the Fruits of the Spirit are: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23a). These list of things are counter to the Law, a major struggle for the Jews in that era. And the new idea that one is to live without the strict guidelines of the Torah is quite a radical one.
Again, this is another verse that we casually skim over. We have this little checkbox as we quickly compare to ourselves and say, "Yes, I have love," or "Yep, I have patience" and so on. However, one must look deep inside to truly know what needs to be changed in life. For me, I struggle with the very idea of love. I will be honest, I don't always love everyone, even though I try my hardest. But true love isn't a forced entity. I cannot just force myself to love my enemies; that is not true love. Other things I don't have, for starters, is peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, and certainly not self-control. How about you? Where do you fall in?
Again, I reiterate that I am not perfect. I am not like Christ, and I am no where near the standards I shoot for. But, Paul reaffirms that by ourselves, we cannot do good. We cannot be good without Christ. That's why Paul finally concludes with a simple, yet profound verse:
"Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." -Galatians 5:25
I think the idea of being "in step" with the Spirit is a deep and thought-provoking one. It's the idea of walking with the Holy Spirit, doing the things It would do, saying the things It would say, being the person It would have us be. This is so foundational to our faith walk, and yet many of us read on without applying. However, if a person is to truly change for the better, they must adopt the fruits of the Spirit and deny the fruits of the Sinful Nature. This is how we should live.
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