Daily Devotional in Galatians 5: Of God, Or the Sinful Flesh

Daily Devotion in Galatians 5

Daily Nugget:
A Christian may be saved on the inside, but he will still fight the temptations of the flesh until the day he dies. Paul gives the only solution for keeping the sin-seeking human nature, that we were born with, at bay. That temptation-resisting advice is “… Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

To avoid life-controlling temptations and often the life-ruining consequences they bring, be wary of where suggestions to do something arise. Recognize if the enticement comes from the do right indwelling Holy Spirit or what feels good for the flesh.

Paul explained some “works of the flesh” so one can avoid them. They are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness (“lustfulness and indulgences of animal desires” 1), idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance (“disputing that causes disagreement, discord, and dissensions” 1), emulations (“contentions” 1), wrath, strife, seditions (“causing commotion”), heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like…”1 (Galatians 5:19-21). His checklist should make it easy to evaluate if a behavior or feeling one is having is the old sin-nature controlling a person.

The preacher also listed some things, if one were doing them, that a person could determine if the Holy Spirit was involved. The old nature would have nothing to do with committing these activities, so one could know that God’s Spirit was probably engaged in them. The “fruit of the Spirit” included: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23).

If we can detect what we are involved in or are feeling is of God, we may avoid temptation’s grasp (Galatians 5:25). If one keeps far from sin, they will rarely be in danger of falling for inquity’s commission! Obey the Spirit, and one will not give the sin-desiring flesh any control.

1 Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language, Facsimile First Edition, Foundation for American Christian Education, 1828

Today’s Thought:
“If everyone is doing it, you probably shouldn’t be!” — Barbara Brinkworth

Words to Understand:
Circumcised: referring to the Jewish practice of removing the foreskin of the penis; many times, it is referring to those being under the laws of God
Emulations: jealous attempts to do better than another; competitiveness
Fornication: sex outside marriage
Heresies: beliefs contrary to what is taught in the Bible
Leaven: yeast; often refers to the spreading properties of sin
Lasciviousness: unrestrained participation in lustful desires
Revellings: to make merry in a loud fashion; “partying”
Seditions: planting seeds of discord and division
Temperance: abstaining; self-control
Variance: disagreements; disputing

Today’s Reading:
Galatians 5
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
13 ¶ For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.