Flesh or Spirit: Galatians 5:19-26

Those who are in Christ strive to stay in step with the Holy Spirit rather than provoking one another in the flesh.  This is Paul’s argument with the false teachers.  The false teachers disrupted the Galatians.  Their teaching caused rifts, quarrels, and disagreements.

Paul lists some of the desires of the flesh.  This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it is a list representative of fleshly desires.  It is easy to see these activities as being in opposition to the Holy Spirit.

This is a hard list to ignore.  Every person should see several items on the list with which they want no part.  However, it is hard to believe that any person can read through this list and not feel familiarity with some items.  The flesh may be weak, but the desires of the flesh are strong.

Paul gives a very stern admonition after presenting this list.  People who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  This admonition hits home because most of us partake in these behaviors from time to time.  Who doesn’t fall victim to fits of anger, jealousy, envy, or selfish ambition?  Even worse, how much of our world focuses on these behaviors?  How much of our music, television, and entertainment regularly present items on this list as glorious behavior?

Paul gives a second list in this passage.  As with the previous list, it is likely that no person embodies every single fruit of the Spirit.  Every person in Christ, though, should feel a deep affinity for a couple of items on this list.  Some of us have little difficulty in embodying joy or kindness while other people find it easy to be gentle and faithful.

How much of our world focuses on embodying elements from this list?  How recently have you watched a movie where the point was kindness?  How recently have you listened to a popular song that encouraged gentleness?

This comparison harkens back to Paul’s earlier comment about the desires of the flesh being in opposition to the desires of the Spirit.  The world readily embraces themes from the first list while the Sons of God embrace the second list.  But life isn’t quite so cut-and-dry.  The children of God are not perfect; we are tempted by things on the first list.  The world isn’t purely evil, either; people apart from God sometimes act in a kind or gentile manner.  What are we to think?

Paul ends this section with a reminder that those in Christ have crucified the flesh.  This doesn’t mean we never sin.  Rather, it means we acknowledge our sin is wrong.  We might get angry from time to time, but we acknowledge that our anger isn’t righteous behavior.  We might be envious, but we acknowledge that our envy needs to be overcome.  Those who are in Christ strive to stay in step with the Holy Spirit rather than provoking one another in the flesh.