Living By the Spirit
Day 263: Galatians 5:13-26
“If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” - Galatians 5:25 ESV
Many of us have asked the question, "Who is it that is going to make it to heaven?" or "How can we know that we ourselves are headed there?"
In our passage today, Paul writes that there are some major indicators in our lives that will help us answer these two questions. In reality, we have two options as we live this life:
Walk by the flesh (sinful nature--there's that Greek word sarx again)
Walk by the Spirit
I counted 17 different descriptions that Paul gives of those who are walking according to the flesh in verses 19-21. The list of 17 is interesting because all of them aren't illegal in the United States today. No one will go to prison for envy or drunkenness, or idolatry. Yet the list is profound due to the evil that springs out of these evils. Darkness always seems to compound into sin that gets way beyond our control.
Today's goal? Allow the Holy Spirit to produce fruit with the nine eternal, life-giving facets:
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-control
This fruit isn't the kind we can manufacture, and we can only fake them for so long. Only God Himself produces this kind of authentic Jesus-living. Walk, keep in step with the Spirit of the God who loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for you.