“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:24-25
When, by the working of God’s Spirit through the Word, we repent of our sinful ways and place our faith in Christ Jesus and His cross, we trust that all our sinful affections and desires were crucified on the cross of Christ and that He paid the full penalty for all our sins. Since it is by the Spirit of God that we are now alive to God through faith in Christ, we also live our lives in the strength of the Holy Spirit and according to His leading, putting to death the desires of the flesh and living our lives in accord with the counsel of God’s Spirit in the Word.
O gracious Holy Spirit, grant that I regard myself dead to sin but alive to God through faith in Christ Jesus, my Savior, and walk in accord with the counsel of Your Word and not in accord with my own sinful passions and desires. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
The Holy Spirit, through the hearing of God’s Word, moves us to repent of our sins and trust in Christ Jesus as our Savior. He also regenerates us, making us alive to God through faith in Christ and producing in us the fruits of faith: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” The law forbids none of these things. In fact, they are necessary for the keeping of God’s commandments.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Ps. 51:10). Amen.
“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21
Many who claim to be Christians fail to see that continuing impenitently in the works of the flesh leads to eternal ruin. As the apostle writes, “Those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Those who repent of their sinful ways and trust in Christ for pardon are forgiven and led by the Spirit of God to put to death the works and desires of the flesh.
Grant that I continue in the true faith, O Lord God, acknowledging my sins and looking to Christ for pardon and forgiveness, and seeking the help and aid of the Holy Spirit to amend my ways and resist the longings of my old sinful nature. Amen.
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Galatians 5:16-18
The Holy Spirit creates faith in the hearts of believers and regenerates them, giving them a new nature that loves God and their neighbor, and seeks to live in accordance with God’s Word. But believers still have their old sinful flesh, which lusts after and desires what God forbids instead of desiring those things God commands. And so, Paul urges believers to walk in the Spirit and follow His leading and guiding rather than yielding to the sinful desires of the flesh. And, if we are led by the Spirit, we continue to trust in Christ alone for our salvation and are free from the curse and condemnation of God’s law upon our sins and shortcomings.
Grant that I walk in Your ways, O Lord, and not yield to the sinful inclinations of my heart. Graciously keep me in the true faith that I might not be condemned by Your law. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” Galatians 5:14-15
Having been set free from bondage under the law, we love God and our neighbor, and willingly serve them. St. Paul wrote to the Romans: “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom. 13:10). If we love our neighbor as we love ourselves, we will do no evil to our neighbor. The same is true of our attitude toward God. If we love Him, we will have no other gods, we will honor and glorify His name, and we will gladly hear and learn His Word.
O gracious and merciful God, You have freed me from the curse and condemnation of the law in Christ Jesus. Grant that I, in return, truly love You and my neighbor and gladly and willingly obey Your commandments. Amen.
