“OPPOSED TO EACH OTHER!”

 Galatians 5:16-25                    (ESV)

Keep in Step with the Spirit

“[16] But I say, walk by the SPIRIT, and you will NOT GRATIFY THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH. [17] For the DESIRES OF THE FLESH ARE AGAINST THE SPIRIT, and the DESIRES OF THE SPIRIT ARE AGAINST THE FLESH, for THESE ARE “OPPOSED TO EACH OTHER”, to keep you from doing THE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO. [18] But if you are led by the SPIRIT, you are NOT under the law. [19] Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, [20] idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, [21] envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. [22] But the fruit of the SPIRIT is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. [24] And those who belong to CHRIST JESUS have CRUCIFIED THE FLESH with its passions and desires. [25] If we live by the SPIRIT, let us also KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT.”

There is a song from a few years ago entitled “I’m not the man I used to be”.  Having our CREATOR sanctify (purify) us over time into vessels that Glorify HIS NAME is a sign that HE is working in our lives. Conversely, when an attitude of GRATIFYING THE FLESH is displayed in the actions of a person, the witness of their life is not one of service to others, rather than getting what they want.  

According to Scripture, satisfying the desires of the flesh is something that we must CRUCIFY if we want to INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.  Whether GOD is sanctifying you or not will be up to HIM on JUDGMENT DAY.  Personally, I have enough imperfections in my life to not be worried about others.  Romans 3:23 says “for ALL HAVE SINNED and fall short of the glory of GOD,”, and like the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 1:15, I am the chief of sinners!  

While I am not the man I used to be, ALMIGHTY GOD still has a lot of work to do in this servant.  As Believers, maybe we need to do more self examination than identifying faults of others WHO ARE JUST IMPERFECT VESSELS LIKE US?  We must recognize our OLD SELF and our NEW MAN (Ephesians 4:20-24) and realize that THESE ARE “OPPOSED TO EACH OTHER” and WILL cause conflict in our lives.  The OLD MAN must be CRUCIFIED DAILY, for the NEW MAN and he are “OPPOSED TO EACH OTHER”!!!