Galatians: The Life I Now LiveSample

When we become a follower of Jesus, the Spirit of God brings a whole new set of desires into our hearts. But the old self-focused desires are still present in our flesh (our bodies, our minds, our old ways of thinking, and so on). So Paul writes urging the Galatians to live by, to be led by, the Spirit. Otherwise their flesh would drive them into all sorts of ungodliness. 

What happens if we turn from the influence of the Spirit and instead live according to the impulses and strength of our flesh? Read the list in verses 19–21 slowly. This is not just a list of what goes on ‘out there’ – out among the people who don’t know God. This is a list describing the direction your own flesh will take you if you don’t let the Spirit continually redirect your gaze to Christ so your desires are continually stirred by His beauty. 

Notice that the list is like a sandwich. At the beginning and end there are gross sins that might seem extreme – inappropriate sensual behaviour, being drunk or engaging in vulgar acts. But in the middle there are some items Paul has already touched on in verse 15: discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition and dissensions. How easily we can see a list like this and feel immune because of the extremes included. Yet Paul is not describing the evil world outside the church. He is describing the tendency of the flesh of people within the church. Fleshly living is fleshly living – even if it looks good on the outside. Living by the flesh leads to evil behaviour! 

Look back to Galatians 3:1–3. Paul has been contrasting living the Christian life by the Spirit and by the flesh. The Galatians were trying to mature and grow by the efforts of their own flesh. So Paul pulls back the covers and shows the direction of ‘flesh living’ – it is ultimately completely ungodly. Even trying to live a good and godly life, apart from the Spirit, with my gaze on myself instead of Christ, will never lead to even a half-decent life. The flesh and the Spirit are in conflict with each other: which way will you live the Christian life?

Reflection

Have you ever tried to live a more godly life in your own strength and ended up struggling with sin more than ever? Thank God for giving His Spirit to draw us to Christ!