Galatians 5: Living in Faith and Loveনমুনা

This passage is so important that we need to look at it a bit further before going on to chapter 6. As we saw in the last study, Paul is telling us that there is an enormous difference between flesh-way living and Spirit-way living.

Our fallen human nature (the flesh) is always stirred up when we attempt to go along the law-way path. Let me give you an example. Suppose you sometimes lose your temper. You wish you didn’t. So you make a ‘law’ for yourself, and say, ‘Thou shalt not lose thy temper today! ‘. The more this ‘law’ is in the front of your mind, the harder it is for you not to lose your temper! You grit your teeth and say:

‘I will not lose my temper.’

‘I WILL NOT LOSE MY TEMPER.’

‘I WILL NOT LOSE MY TEMPER.’

Guess what happens? You lose your temper! You lose your temper because the flesh hates law, and wants to disobey it! That’s why law brings the worst out in us. It takes us a long time to begin to learn that we don’t have any ability within us to resist these terrible urges to sin.

This same principle can be applied to any other sinful desire we try to lick on our own. I could just as easily have said: ‘I will not lust’; ‘I will not get angry’; ‘I will not envy others’; ‘I will not be jealous’: ‘I will not be ambitious’; ‘I will not be proud’; ‘I will not be selfish’: etc. etc.

Because you’re a sinner, all these terrible things that Paul lists in verses 19, 20 and 21 are lurking in you, ready to rise to the surface at a moment’s notice! (read Mark 7:20- 23 and Jeremiah 17:9). It’s an unpleasant thought, but of yourself that’s what you’re like. These very things will manifest themselves in your life so long as you are not living Spirit-way. 

The harder you try to live your life by your own efforts, the more they will take over. It’s impossible to lick them unaided. You’ll only get deeper and deeper into the very sins you try to avoid. It’s like getting sucked into a whirlpool.

In contrast to this, God has given the Christian the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit. He dwells in us. His desire is to enable us to live like Christ. He is at work in us every day, changing us step by step to be more and more the person God intended us to be in the first place. He wants us to be gloriously beautiful creatures (read 2 Corinthians 3: 18, and compare this with I John 3:2).

When we deliberately and consciously go the way of the Spirit, the old flesh doesn’t get a look-in! Instead, the Holy Spirit brings to the surface His fruit. Remember, it is God doing this, not us. Yet we are in it as we co-operate in obedience with what the Spirit wants to do (look up Philippians 2:12-13).

Come back to the example of losing your temper. The Spirit- way is to recognise that you can’t lick it yourself, and to step out in faith, trusting that He will give you self control. Self- control is one of the fruits of the Spirit. You’ll see it in the list in verses 22-23. The same principle is true of all the other fruit listed there.

We have to know deep down in our hearts that we can’t produce these of ourselves. It has to be the work of the Holy Spirit in us. This means that each day we need to have a definite desire that it happen in this way. It means a conscious trust in the Spirit to work in us. 

It means that we will set out deliberately to love, to be joyful, to be at peace, to be patient, to be kind, to be good, to be faithful, to be gentle, and to have self-control—in dependence upon the Holy Spirit. It means that when I have to face some situation where I ought to love, then I go ahead and love. If I am involved in a difficult and aggravating situation, then l just show patience. The same is true for all the other fruit listed.

Often it is in the little things in life that these manifestations of the Spirit are to be seen in us. Some little kindness to another person. Some thoughtful and loving action which conveys to another that we care for them. It may mean taking time to talk with someone who is lonely and in need. 

The Spirit’s fruit is seen in us when we attend to the little things in life that are necessary and part of our responsibility as human beings to other human beings— like the little duties at home, or at school, or at our jobs. It’s in those little words and looks and attitudes towards others. It’s in little acts of self-denial and self-restraint. It’s in little deeds of kindness and tenderness and thoughtfulness and consideration for others.

It’s also in the avoidance of little sins and evils. It’s when we’re consistent in not indulging ourselves in little habits— like eating too much, or trying to be smart, or showing off to others, or being mean, or being indifferent to the feelings and wishes of others, or in being just plain selfish and disobedient.

Living in the Spirit is a whole way of life that shows itself in a day-to-day consistency through which others see Jesus Christ in us. Our lives become more and more like His. This is God’s intention for every Christian. This is His intention and plan for you.