I say then: Walk in the SPIRIT, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the FLESH. 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. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the LAW. (Galatians 5:16-18, NKJV).
*
Conflicted
Years ago during a Pastors training class, we students were told to memorize Galatians 5:16-22, as an important signpost along the way of Christian life and leadership. I liked the idea of signposts planted by God to enable His children to keep their bearings; sort of a divine GPS. It made sense too, because life in this world presents all kinds of forks, u-turns, off ramps and dead ends. And if people just paid attention they could remain on the King's Highway.
Two pairs of competing forces are explicitly or implicitly brought to light in the three verses above: spirit versus flesh and grace versus law.
Christians are at war. On the outside with a fallen world and on the inside with themselves. On good days we stand. On very good days we may even reclaim some enemy territory. Regardless of the outcome though, every day is a struggle, or should be, if we are actively engaged in the battle.
The internal conflict is the focus in 16-18, and I am grateful for God's graciousness in giving us not only the fact of this conflict but its essential nature. It answers the cry posed by Paul, and all true Christians, in Romans 7:
For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. (Romans 7:15, NKJV).
The word used to describe this internal struggle is "epithumeo", translated as "lusts". It's a classic Greek combo-word consisting of "epi", a preposition which means above or over, connoting intensity, and "thumeo", whose root means "fierce indignation, wrath, or boiling anger". In other words, there is a roiling battle going on in your head and heart as a Christian. It is NOT mere indecisiveness, or a mildly inconvenient choice. It is a fierce, intimate battle in the deepest part of your being that rages in a life or death struggle. On one side is the divine imperative to be conformed into the image of God's Son. On the other is the ruthless attempt by your old nature to regain dominance at ANY cost.
These opposing factions are not necessarily of equal strength or strategic competence. In fact, the battle is often lopsided. Interestingly enough, when the engagement is weighted in favor of the Spirit, the victory is often a quiet affair, solemn and subdued. However, victory on the fleshly side is usually accompanied with raucous fanfare and childish boasting in an attempt to drown out the oncoming storm of shame and reproach.
And as both the battlefield AND the opposing generals, our hearts and minds can and do fortify one side against the other in a roller coaster arms race. Know this: when we feed and strengthen the spirit with God's word, prayer and fellowship with believers, we starve the flesh and weaken it for the day of battle. When we feed the flesh through immersion in the things and priorities of this world at the expense of our spirit, we weaken the new nature and leave it that much more vulnerable to attack.
Paul breaks it down brilliantly. "Walk in the Spirit" and the new nature will become increasingly ascendant. Feed the flesh and the opposite will come to pass. And by "walk" he means the natural everyday conduct of our life. It's not like we jump into the phone booth in time of danger and change into our superhero garb. That would be way too little, way too late. The cape won't save us from being sucked in by the wiles of the enemy. Indeed, reliance on that cape or the can of spinach will be to no avail when the battle is pitched and prolonged.
Know this too: there is no accommodation possible between the spirit and the flesh. They are "contrary to one another", like opposite poles of a magnet. Compromise IS defeat.
One final point: when you are led by the spirit, enveloped in God's grace, the law has no power over you to convict and sentence. You are FREE of debilitating condemnation and slavery to sin. Your conscience has been cleansed. The propitiatory sacrifice has been made once for all on the Cross in your behalf. And by being free, you are empowered to wage the war supported by the perfect will of the Almighty God who saved you, and loves you beyond human comprehension.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; (1 Thessalonians 4:3, NKJV).
Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22, NKJV).
*
Conflicted
Years ago during a Pastors training class, we students were told to memorize Galatians 5:16-22, as an important signpost along the way of Christian life and leadership. I liked the idea of signposts planted by God to enable His children to keep their bearings; sort of a divine GPS. It made sense too, because life in this world presents all kinds of forks, u-turns, off ramps and dead ends. And if people just paid attention they could remain on the King's Highway.
Two pairs of competing forces are explicitly or implicitly brought to light in the three verses above: spirit versus flesh and grace versus law.
Christians are at war. On the outside with a fallen world and on the inside with themselves. On good days we stand. On very good days we may even reclaim some enemy territory. Regardless of the outcome though, every day is a struggle, or should be, if we are actively engaged in the battle.
The internal conflict is the focus in 16-18, and I am grateful for God's graciousness in giving us not only the fact of this conflict but its essential nature. It answers the cry posed by Paul, and all true Christians, in Romans 7:
For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. (Romans 7:15, NKJV).
The word used to describe this internal struggle is "epithumeo", translated as "lusts". It's a classic Greek combo-word consisting of "epi", a preposition which means above or over, connoting intensity, and "thumeo", whose root means "fierce indignation, wrath, or boiling anger". In other words, there is a roiling battle going on in your head and heart as a Christian. It is NOT mere indecisiveness, or a mildly inconvenient choice. It is a fierce, intimate battle in the deepest part of your being that rages in a life or death struggle. On one side is the divine imperative to be conformed into the image of God's Son. On the other is the ruthless attempt by your old nature to regain dominance at ANY cost.
These opposing factions are not necessarily of equal strength or strategic competence. In fact, the battle is often lopsided. Interestingly enough, when the engagement is weighted in favor of the Spirit, the victory is often a quiet affair, solemn and subdued. However, victory on the fleshly side is usually accompanied with raucous fanfare and childish boasting in an attempt to drown out the oncoming storm of shame and reproach.
And as both the battlefield AND the opposing generals, our hearts and minds can and do fortify one side against the other in a roller coaster arms race. Know this: when we feed and strengthen the spirit with God's word, prayer and fellowship with believers, we starve the flesh and weaken it for the day of battle. When we feed the flesh through immersion in the things and priorities of this world at the expense of our spirit, we weaken the new nature and leave it that much more vulnerable to attack.
Paul breaks it down brilliantly. "Walk in the Spirit" and the new nature will become increasingly ascendant. Feed the flesh and the opposite will come to pass. And by "walk" he means the natural everyday conduct of our life. It's not like we jump into the phone booth in time of danger and change into our superhero garb. That would be way too little, way too late. The cape won't save us from being sucked in by the wiles of the enemy. Indeed, reliance on that cape or the can of spinach will be to no avail when the battle is pitched and prolonged.
Know this too: there is no accommodation possible between the spirit and the flesh. They are "contrary to one another", like opposite poles of a magnet. Compromise IS defeat.
One final point: when you are led by the spirit, enveloped in God's grace, the law has no power over you to convict and sentence. You are FREE of debilitating condemnation and slavery to sin. Your conscience has been cleansed. The propitiatory sacrifice has been made once for all on the Cross in your behalf. And by being free, you are empowered to wage the war supported by the perfect will of the Almighty God who saved you, and loves you beyond human comprehension.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; (1 Thessalonians 4:3, NKJV).
Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22, NKJV).
