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One of the challenges of Christianity is that it goes against our “self-help” culture that tells you if you will just try harder, plan better, give more, or dig deeper, you will finally become the person you want to be.
The message of Christianity is the exact opposite. The Apostle Paul makes it clear–you can’t help yourself! Only the Holy Spirit actively working in your life can produce the kind of change you desire.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you can’t muster the willpower to make better choices occasionally, but what Paul is describing in these verses is something much deeper–something supernatural. When the Holy Spirit is active in your life, He doesn’t just change what you do, He changes what you want to do, but you can’t manufacture it.
Throughout Galatians, Paul teaches us that trying to be a “better” Christian only makes us a slave to performance. Hoping to earn God’s approval only leads to anxiety, guilt, fear, and pride. Instead of trying to change through willpower and grit, you should “follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of your life” (v. 25), and as you do, you will begin to notice a change. You will become more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.
Jesus said that He is the vine and we are the branches. If we remain in Him, our lives will produce much fruit. There’s no other way. The change you so desperately want can only come from committing your life to Jesus, nailing your sinful desires to the cross, and living led by the spirit.
How can you know if you are living led by the spirit? Just look at the results. Since you believed the Gospel are you more sexually immoral, hostile, quarrelsome, jealous, angry, selfish, divisive, envious, or drunk? Or are you more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled? You can’t fake fruit.
A Christian who believes the Gospel doesn’t feel “obligated to the law of Moses” (v.18) That means they aren’t trying to be good because they have to–they want to. Are they perfect? Of course not, but they are more like Jesus and less like the person they used to be.
Can you say that? Are you more like Jesus and less like the person you used to be since you believed the Gospel?
Question
What is an example of a way the Holy Spirit has changed your life since you began following Jesus?
Scripture
About this Plan
Take 18 days and study the letter to the Christians in Galatia from the Apostle Paul. In this six chapter book, the Apostle Paul points out the false belief that better behavior makes you a better Christian, and reminds all of us of the truth of the Gospel message.
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