Led By The Spirit

Galatians 5:16-21 NKJV

 

“16I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17For 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. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

 

“19Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21envy, 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.”

 

The Law vs The Law

 

Most of us who are Christians today were not brought up under the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, circumcision, dietary, and Sabbath laws. So, for someone unfamiliar with the Old Covenant laws, seeing written in the New Testament that we Christians are “not under the law,” it might well be a confusing subject. And some people are using this to their advantage and they are teaching that God says that we don’t have to obey the law, i.e. his commandments. But we indeed do have to obey God.

 

So, when we are reading in the Scriptures that we are not under the law, please do not take it that you do not have to obey the commandments of God. It is just saying that we do not have to obey all the restrictions of the Old Covenant, but it does not give us the freedom to disobey our Lord’s commands under the New Covenant. And God’s moral laws never went away, which our Lord makes clear through his servant, the apostle Paul. For all the law is fulfilled in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

But this word love is not just the feel good kind based in our emotions. The word love in the Greek is agapē, which means to prefer. And for the believer in Christ it means to prefer what God prefers, to choose his choices, and to obey them in his power. And what God prefers is all that is holy, righteous, morally pure, upright, faithful, honest and obedient to his commands (under the New Covenant). And we are taught in the New Testament that if we do not obey God, that we do not know God, and we do not have life in him.

 

Walking in the Spirit

 

By faith in Jesus Christ, if our faith is of God, and if it is biblical faith, and not that of the flesh, that should result in us denying self, dying to sin, and obeying our Lord’s commands as a matter of life practice, not necessarily in absolute perfection (1 John 2:1-2). But lack of perfection is never to be used as an excuse for deliberate and habitual sin against God. So, walking in the Spirit is living to please God, turning from sin, and obeying his commands, in practice. Then we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh in our lives.

 

And then we are given here a list of the works of the flesh, and in most of these lists in the Scriptures, the ones listed first have to do with sexual sin which appears to be the predominant sin holding people in bondage today. And if sin is what we practice, by habit, and not obedience to God, then we are not in relationship with Christ Jesus, and we don’t have salvation from sin nor eternal life with God. So we must put away all sin, including lying, cheating, stealing, committing adultery, idolatry, murder, and the rest.

 

And now we must walk (in conduct, in practice) by the Spirit, living to please God in all that we are and say and do. And we must live morally pure lives to the glory of God, in the power of God, by his Spirit. So, instead of adultery, we are faithful. Instead of hatred, we are loving. In place of lies we now tell the truth. Instead of wrath, we are kind. In place of resentful and bitter, we are forgiving and compassionate. Instead of being rebellious, we cooperate with God. And instead of doing wrong, we do what is right in God’s eyes.

 

Put Offs and Put Ons: [Matthew 5:27-30; Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Colossians 3:5-11; 1 Timothy 4:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 12:1-17; 1 Peter 1:14; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10] 

 

Servant of the Lord

 

Based off Romans 1:1-17

An Original Work / July 26, 2012

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Servant of the Lord;

For the gospel you’re set apart.

Promised through the prophets of old:

Jesus, Son of God.

Through Him, and for His name alone,

We receive His grace

To call people, Him to obey;

Coming from their faith.

Servant of the Lord,

For the gospel you’re set apart.

Promised through the prophets of old:

Jesus, Son of God.

 

You belong to Christ;

Loved by God, and called to be saints;

Serving God with whole heart and mind;

Preaching Jesus Christ;

Always praying for others’ needs;

Helping hand to lend;

Giving courage to others’ faith,

For the praise of God.

You belong to Christ;

Loved by God, and called to be saints;

Serving God with whole heart and mind;

Preaching Jesus Christ.

 

Servant of the Lord;

Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;

For salvation, power of God

To those who have faith.

In the gospel find righteousness:

Being right with God.

Turn from sin, and trust Jesus Christ.

By faith, live in Him.

Servant of the Lord;

Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;

For salvation, power of God

To those who have faith.

 

https://vimeo.com/119511640

 

Led By The Spirit

An Original Work / June 22, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love