Is it possible for believers to live continuously in
the liberty that Paul talked about? If it is possible, how can one do it? From
verses 16-25, Paul explained that to achieve that kind of liberty, believers
must live a life totally dependent on the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who
will give believers true liberty. Similar to Romans 7 & 8, we also see here
the conflict a Christian would face in life. Because the flesh and the Spirit
are at opposite ends, they will always result in conflict. Therefore, the
conflict in a believer’s spiritual journey is always either to live a
Spirit-led or a flesh-bound life. This portion of Scriptures clarifies the
difference between the two kinds of life.
By the term “the flesh”, Paul was referring to our
fallen nature received at birth. It’s the nature everyone inherits from the
fall of Adam. And by the term “the Spirit”, Paul was talking about the Holy
Spirit. Thus, the life in the flesh is a person who is by the natural birth,
and the life in the Spirit is who a person becomes, at the new birth. A
believer’s first encounter with the Holy Spirit would be at regeneration. This
Spirit then continues to indwell that believer to do the work of sanctification.
Paul tells us
here that the deeds or conducts of the flesh are quite obvious. He listed them
from verses 19 to 21. They can be categorized into three groups. The first
group deals with sexual sins: immorality, impurity, sensuality; the second
group deals with religious sins: idolatry, sorcery; and the last group deals
with social sins: enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of angers, disputes,
dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness and carousing. In the Kingdom of
God, being righteous, holy and upright are key elements. So he solemnly warned believers
in verse 21 to avoid indulging in the activities he had just listed. These
activities are inconsistent with Christ’s rule in one’s life and are contrary
to kingdom living.
In verse 22, the conjunction “but” provides the
contrast. In other words, a life led by the Spirit will be evident by the fruit
of the Spirit. Here again we see them categorized into three groups. Love, joy
and peace are characteristics relating to God; patience, kindness and goodness are
characteristics relating to man; and faithfulness, gentleness and self-control
are characteristics relating to self
In verses
24-25, Paul gave hints on how believers could achieve victory. Here he
introduced two steps for believers to curb the lust of the flesh and cultivate
the fruit of the Spirit. The two steps are: first – to crucify the flesh and then
– to walk by the Spirit.
What does it
mean to crucify the flesh (v.24)? It is a deliberate and decisive act of
putting away the deeds of the flesh. The crucifixion is not done by someone
outside of the believer but something the believer must himself act on himself.
Then what does it mean to live by the Spirit (v.25)? When Paul talked about
living by the Spirit, he was referring to a collaborated effort between the
believer and the Holy Spirit. The believer must yield to the leading of the
Holy Spirit. He is expected to take an active role of walking in step with the
Spirit’s leading. To live by the Spirit does not mean passive resignation but
active obedience to the ways of the Holy Spirit.
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