“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 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. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Galatians 5:19-26 NIV
“The Old Covenant law, the Ten Commandments, only works on our flesh, externally, on our behavior, whereas walking by the spirit, He works in our hearts… internally. And now Paul is going to contrast those two. Galatians 5:19-21 shows the result of turning to God’s law to try to justify yourself or mature yourself or perfect yourself, get rid of your sin. It simply results in the acts of the flesh…"I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Why? Because their behavior is evil, its sinful, and if you persist and refuse all offers of the gospel, if you refuse to repent, if you continue and persist, Paul is saying that your heart has not been changed. Now, it doesn’t mean that we do not struggle with sin. Of course, we do. But he is simply saying those who live like this as a lifestyle and they have just given themselves up to it. Well, that’s obvious that they are not inheriting the kingdom of God.
So, it is the list we have struggled with, in turning to the old Ten Commandment law to justify ourselves through our attempts at obedience results in this type of behavior…as we come behold the Lamb hanging in victory, as we see the Lord upon the tree, we see the sure fulfillment of the law and as we believe we receive the Spirit. How does that work out for us?
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live. Since we live by the Spirit let’s keep in step with the Spirit. Let’s not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”