Walk by the Spirit

113Sorcery involves the practice of trying to manipulate circumstances or dark powers to bring about a desired goal rather than submitting to and trusting in God alone. Today people read horoscopes to find meaning, and many believe superstitious actions will somehow manipulate events. This is the work of the flesh.

Idolatry is not merely a vile practice of those in other religions. Idolatry is a heart issue. People commit idolatry when they look to something other than God to give them what only God can give them. These desires include salvation, peace, security, joy, and provision. Money, mentioned throughout the Bible, is a big idol today (e.g., Matt 6:24; Col 3:5). American money may say, "In God we trust," but in reality many trust in the bills themselves, which is why when the economy tanked, people lost their minds and took their lives.

Relationships (vv. 20-21). Paul notes eight works of the flesh associated with relational sins, which highlights the focus on relationships in Galatians 5:13-6:10. Some of these sins overlap. Allow me to explicate Paul's list:

Indulgence (v. 21). In this final group of sins, Paul mentions "drunkenness" and "carousing." Those who cannot control their appetites obviously demonstrate a life dominated by the flesh, not the Spirit. These two sins are mentioned together elsewhere (cf. 1 Pet 4:3; Rom 13:13).

The Warning (v. 21). Paul has led us down into the pit of depravity by highlighting these works of the flesh. He has shown us the ugliness of the flesh. Then he ends with a warning: "those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." In other words, if you are living under the rule of the flesh, then you should stand in fear because you will not enter the coming kingdom. Those who come to faith in Christ by grace alone are new people (6:15). While they will still wrestle with sin, the flesh will not dominate them. They have new desires and new power to live. Our good works do not save us, but true salvation leads to fruitfulness and faithfulness.

The list of vices is contrasted with a list of nine virtues, as noted by the conjunction "But." Schreiner notes that the list has no discernable order apart from "love" appearing first. Others group the list into three parts. Stott says that they portray the Christian's attitude toward God, to other people, and to oneself (Message of Galatians, 148). George says that they are grouped into three triads (love, joy, and peace/patience, kindness, and goodness/faith, gentleness, and self-control) to give a sense of order, although there is no attempt to provide an exhaustive list of virtues (Galatians, 398). The categorizations are helpful for memory and for personal reflection, so I have chosen to use them, even though 115I would not argue that such a classification is intended. I agree with George that this list is probably not exhaustive, since other virtues are mentioned elsewhere (like hope and godliness).

I do think it is significant that love appears first based upon the surrounding context of Galatians. There is a clear focus on love in the passage before and after (5:13-15; 6:1-2). Paul is showing where the power for love comes from: the Spirit. Further, some of the other virtues mentioned in this list are practical expressions of love itself (patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness; cf. 1 Cor 13). While Paul addresses more than love, this particular virtue is clearly highlighted.

Paul says "fruit" not "fruits." This probably points to the fact that all of these collectively make up Christlikeness. As we abide in Christ, all of "the fruits" of the Spirit get produced. That is not to say that each one is as strong in us as the others, but simply that the Spirit is shaping us in every way into Christlikeness. Additionally, the fruit of the Spirit as a whole is basically a character sketch of Christ. What is the Spirit doing in us? He is conforming us into the image of Jesus, the One who perfectly embodied love and every other virtue mentioned.

Before looking at them in three triads, remember that our goal in looking at this list is not to observe the virtues and then try to make ourselves better in our own strength. The tendency is to look at each one and say, "I'm doing all right here, but not here," or, "OK, I need to work on patience now." Rather, the point is that you must walk by the Spirit, and then the virtues grow out of that relationship with God. As a parent, I would also love to "staple on fruit" to my kids. But these virtues must flow from our union with Christ, not from our own behavior modification. We might get our kids' behavior or our own to improve, but we will not be able to create Christlikeness apart from the Spirit's work. We all need new hearts. Regenerate people have the power to naturally, holistically, and gradually bear fruit.

Love, Joy, Peace. It should not surprise us that "love" is mentioned first, given the emphasis on it elsewhere. John says that love is evidence that we know God (1 John 4:7-8). Paul talks about the primacy of love in between two chapters on the work of the Spirit (1 Cor 13). Paul tells the Romans that the Spirit has poured His love into us (Rom 5:5). Spirit-led believers express a sincere love for others (1 John 3:11-18) and express their love for God, who "first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Schreiner says, "Love is the heart and soul of the Pauline ethic, for it is love that fulfills the law (Rom 13:8-10; Gal 5:14)" (Schreiner, Galatians, 349).

116The Spirit also produces "joy" (cf. Rom 14:17). Believers can have joy even in the midst of trials because the Spirit has given us new affections (cf. 2 Cor 6:10). We are called on to "rejoice always" (1 Thess 5:16). This peculiar joy in Christians is vividly illustrated in the life of the early church in the books of Acts, where the work of the Spirit and joy are related. For example, Luke writes about Paul and Barnabas being driven out of the Galatian region: "And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit" (Acts 13:52). The Spirit produces a life of satisfying joy, while living in the flesh only leads to constant dissatisfaction.

The Spirit also creates "peace" in the life of a Spirit-led believer. Believers have the peace of God made possible through the cross work of Jesus (Eph 2:14-15, 17). Peace rules the hearts of those who walk by the Spirit (cf. Col 3:15). Spirit-led Christians will also take on the role of peacemakers by the Spirit's power (cf. Eph 4:1-6).

Patience, Kindness, Goodness. Paul mentions "patience" in other lists (2 Cor 6:6; Eph 4:2; Col 3:12; 2 Tim 3:10). Enduring situations and putting up with difficult people is not easy. We need the Spirit's power to deal with our own children, people in traffic, and those "interruptions" during the day. I even found myself growing impatient with my kids as I wrote on the fruit of the Spirit! How we need to remember how patient God is with us and to pray for the Spirit to work in us!

Believers imitate Christ through "kindness" also. By His grace and kindness, God brought us repentance and faith in Christ (Rom 2:4; Eph 2:7; Titus 3:4). We should thus be marked by lives of kindness expressed through acts of service, generosity, and hospitality.

"Goodness" is closely related to kindness (cf. Rom 15:14; Eph 5:9; 2 Thess 1:11). It speaks to the idea of doing good deeds and being generous. Paul later says that believers should "do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Gal 6:10 ESV).

Faith, Gentleness, Self-control. The person known for "faith" or "faithfulness" is the reliable and dependable person. He keeps his word and fulfills his promises. Paul told Timothy to look for "faithful men" and entrust them with teaching others the gospel (2 Tim 2:2). One of the most difficult things to do in the Christian faith is to be faithful to your assignment in hard times. It takes the work of the Spirit to produce such steadfastness in life, ministry, and marriage.

Paul mentions "gentleness" in other lists as well (Eph 4:2; Col 3:12; Titus 3:2). In the next chapter, Paul highlights the need to restore the wayward brother "with a gentle spirit" (Gal 6:1). He urges Timothy to deal 117with his opponents gently in order that they may repent (2 Tim 2:25). Jesus, the gentle Savior, invites the weary to come and rest in Him (Matt 11:29). Pastors are to imitate Jesus in displaying a life of gentleness and meekness, not violence (1 Tim 3:3).

Finally, Paul ends this amazing list of Christlike qualities with "self-control." In contrast to the works of the flesh, like drunkenness and orgies, those who walk by the Spirit live restrained lives. The Spirit enables believers to have mastery over their passions. George says, "The fact that self-control appears last in Paul's list may indicate its importance as a summation of the preceding virtues" (Galatians, 404). In our flesh we are out of control, but by the Spirit we live self-controlled lives.

How can one live a life filled with such traits as these nine qualities? Paul says, by the Spirit. It does not happen by the law, for he says, "Against such things there is no law" (v. 23). In other words, you cannot legislate these qualities. The law can never produce this kind of fruitfulness.

Paul tells us to walk by the Spirit, and then he gives us marks of the flesh and of the Spirit and tells us to observe the obvious. So pause and ask some questions. Is the fruit of the Spirit evident in your life? Is the character of Christ being formed in you? Perhaps you can say, "Yes, but I would love more progress." Join the crowd. The Spirit grows us gradually and painfully. But He produces fruit over time, as we yield to the Spirit and put to death the flesh. This leads us to the third major point.

Remember the Good News

Galatians 5:24-26

One could read this passage and be led to the conclusion that the Christian life is a tug-of-war, and "believers are consigned to a spiritually meager existence of perpetual defeat and minimal growth" (George, Galatians, 404). But I want to point out the good news mentioned here! Paul tells the Galatian believers that they should recognize the hope and power they have in their new identity. They are not hopeless in this battle, and they are not powerless. Two matters should encourage us here.

We do not need the law to restrain our behavior, since we "have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (v. 24). Something more radical118 and powerful has happened to us. We have crucified the flesh. When did that happen? Paul seems to be referring to our conversion, since "Those who are in Adam and in the flesh do not have the resources to crucify it" (Schreiner, Galatians, 351). The verb "crucified" points us back to Galatians 2:20 (ibid.). When people intentionally, purposefully trust in Christ alone for salvation (the past-tense, active verb here in 5:24, "have crucified"), they are uniting themselves with Christ and saying no to their life in Adam. This death to the flesh brings about a new creation and a deliverance from the present evil age (1:4).

While believers still feel the temptation to sin, fleshly passions no longer have to reign. The good news is that because you belong to Jesus, you do not have to be dominated by the flesh. You and the flesh have parted ways. Something has already happened decisively at the cross. Christ has won the ultimate battle, and now we have to deal with this mop-up operation until Christ comes to deliver us completely from this body of death (Rom 7:24-25).

While we must daily "mortify the flesh" by acts of fasting, self-control, prayer, and repentance (George, Galatians, 405), our ultimate hope is that we belong to Jesus. So the question is, Do you? Are you Christ's? Have you become a new creation? If so, then you have power to slay the desires of the flesh, though it will be a daily and sometimes painful battle.

Not only has our identity changed at conversion, but we also now have power to live every day by the Spirit. Paul says, "Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit." Again, while the passage reminds us of the intensity of the battle, we should be encouraged. We belong to Jesus, and we have the Holy Spirit. When we know these facts, it gives us enormous hope to face our daily battles. Stott says, "This victory is within the reach of every Christian, for every Christian has 'crucified the flesh' (v. 24) and every Christian 'lives by the Spirit'" (Message of Galatians, 154). We have what we need for victory.

What must we do then? In verse 24 we noted that the privileged position we have (belonging to Jesus) does not mean we have nothing to do. We must strive to daily kill the flesh, but because we are Christ's, we do not have to fear that we will be dominated by it. Here in verse 25 our possession of the Spirit does not leave us without a responsibility. Paul says, "we must also follow the Spirit" or "keep in step with the 119Spirit" (ESV). George says this verb had a military meaning, referring to "stand in a row" or to "be drawn up in line" (Galatians, 406). For the believer, we are to walk in the Spirit under the leadership of the Spirit. What a privilege to have the Spirit leading us! Keep in step with the Spirit in your attitude, conduct, relationships, and ministry.

In verse 26 Paul gives one exhortation that draws our attention back to 5:15. He says, "We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another" (v. 26). The fruit of the Spirit is love, not conceit and envy. Paul bookends his instruction on how not to relate to one another in the church (5:15, 26) around this section of the war between the flesh and the Spirit, once again showing us that the Christian life is a Spirit-led life. To love and serve one another in the household of faith rightly, we must remember that we belong to Jesus and that we possess the Holy Spirit. We must then resolve to live daily by the Spirit so that we do not gratify the desires of the flesh. In the following chapter, Paul will give more examples about how to positively care for others by the Spirit.

Reflect and Discuss