Live by the Spirit
My last post was on living in faith. This post will be about living by the Spirit and is a continuation of the same line of reason. As the two points are ultimately linked together. Living in the Spirit is a bit more specific in that it provides us with a means to live in faith.
Romans 8:3,4
"For what the law powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit." (NIV, emphasis mine)
1 Corinthians 2:12-16
"We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment:
'For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?'
But we have the mind of Christ."
Galatians 5:16-26
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
Galatians 6:7,8
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from the nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. "
So we are required to live by the Spirit. If not we tend to become like the world which leads us away from the Lord and back to whatever muddy bog Jesus pulled us out of. What does it say about the consequences of living to satisfy our sinful nature? In Galatians 5:16 Paul issues a strong warning that if we live apart from God we aren't going to heaven.
Many will point to Ephesians 2:8,9.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast."But, Paul wrote this verse as much as those listed above so either Paul was in a state of confusion or we are. In Galatians 5:19-21 Paul issues an incomplete list of sinful attitudes and actions. Notice that some things that are listed are common among all people that are in the world.
"...hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions..."
What did Paul say was the punishment for ignoring this warning?
Galatians 5:21
..."I warn you as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Are we discussing something that is a simple if you want to be really good then behave and you will get stuff? Or are we discussing a requirement of salvation?
I encourage all who believe to enter some thoughts here. God bless all.
In the Love of Christ,
Sean
