Galatians 5: Walk by the Spirit

As we continue to look at Galatians 5 this month, I want to focus our attention on verses 13-18:

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. 

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.

Paul gives us two basic exhortations in this passage. First, we are to not let our freedom in Christ provide an opportunity for the flesh to sin. Second, walk by the Spirit. I would like to explore each one of these in turn and show how they are really two sides of the same coin.

To begin with, let's look at what Paul says in verse 13: "do not let use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh..." As I discussed last week, when we are in Christ, we are given a freedom from keeping the demands of God's law. Christ has done that in our place and we are to trust in His obedience, which is perfect, and not ours, which is imperfect. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we are free from the guilt of sin brought on by God's law, which we have broken.

However, being free from sin's guilt does not mean that we are able to do whatever we want. Paul makes this abundantly clear in this passage. In addition to telling us not to allow our freedom to make an opportunity for the flesh (verse 13), he warns us against the desires of the flesh (verse 16). These, he says, are opposed to the desires of the Spirit.

The flesh and the Spirit are opposites. They each have desires which war within us (James 4:1). The desires of the flesh are evil and the desires that come from the Holy Spirit are good and pure, as He is pure.

Now, before we go on, I want to point one thing out. "The flesh" does not refer to our bodies. It is not wrong to be hungry or to want comfort or quiet or rest. No, our bodies are not evil. The Bible makes this clear. However, we are all born into sin and, by our sinful nature, desire things that are wrong and are slaves to those desires. When Christ sets us free, we no longer have to obey those desires. We are free to choose that which pleases God. But those sinful desires do not disappear. They are what Paul refers to as "the flesh."

This brings us to Paul's second point, that we walk by the Spirit (verse 16). It is the Holy Spirit dwelling within us that makes us free in Jesus. As Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:17, "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

If we are free in Jesus, then we should walk in this freedom that He has given us. This is not a freedom to sin, to gratify our sinful desires. No, this is a freedom to fulfill the law by loving our neighbor as ourselves (verse 14). And this is only possible as we walk in the Spirit of God, who gives us the strength to do His will. And, as Paul says, if we are letting ourselves be led by the Spirit of God, then we are no longer under the law (verse 18).

Are you trusting in Jesus? Don't look to the law to save you or make you more acceptable in God's sight. Know that you are free from the demands of this law. Don't use this freedom to sin. Use your freedom to show your love for God and His people by fulfilling His commandments.