Living And Walking By The Spirit (Galatians 5:25)
Paul’s letter to the Galatians is a collection of 5 contrasts in living.
Contrast #1: We can live by law or grace.
Contrast #2: We can live by law or faith.
Contrast #3: We can live by law or love.
Contrast# 4: We can live by law or the Spirit.
Contrast #5: We can live by the flesh or the Spirit.
God’s way of living is by grace, faith, love, and the Spirit.
Legalism is living by law or a mixture of them all.
To live by the law and the flesh is trying to gain righteousness (God’s acceptance and forgiveness) through religious activity and morality.
It is seeking his acceptance and forgiveness (righteousness) through personal effort rather than the cross.
It is living by a list of daily and weekly expectations to achieve God’s acceptance and forgiveness and to grow spiritually.
To live by the law and the flesh is trying to grow spiritually through religious activity.
It is approaching God through formulas and acronyms rather than relating to him freely by faith.
To live by grace and faith is to live trusting in Jesus alone for righteousness (God's acceptance and forgiveness).
To live by grace and faith is to live free from the expectations of having to earn righteousness (acceptance and forgiveness), since we have been fully provided righteousness in Jesus.
To live by the Spirit is to live free from the law.
The law cannot impart life...it only brings death.
The Spirit brings life through Jesus who lives in our hearts.
The Spirit will lead us to the love of Jesus, the grace of Jesus, the cross of Jesus, and to the Father’s love.
To walk by the Spirit is to live as a loved son or daughter, calling God “Abba, Father”- my Father who loves, accepts, and has forgiven me (righteousness).
To walk by the Spirit is to enjoy a relationship with God as our loving Father, free from lists and formulas, rules and rituals, and duties and disciplines.
To walk by the Spirit is to experience our Father’s love (patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness) then express his love to others (fruit of the Spirit) by serving love to them.
To walk by the flesh is to live gratifying its sinful desires.
The flesh wants to hijack our brains and bodies for the purpose of gratifying its sinful, selfish, unloving, and immoral desires.
The flesh wants to take control of our brains to plan ways to live selfishly, sinfully, unlovingly, and immorally.
The flesh wants to use our bodies to carry out its plan.
By walking by the Spirit, we prevent the flesh from hijacking our bodies and brains.
To walk by the Spirit is to focus on the Father's loving presence in our hearts and lives and to talk with him about our hurts and pains, frustrations and celebrations, hopes and joys, and fears and dreams.
To walk by the Spirit is to live focused upon the Father’s love (patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and faithfulness) for us.
To walk by the Spirit is to experience and express the Father’s love, acceptance, and forgiveness to others, the same love, acceptance, and forgiveness he has given to us.
