"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 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.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another."
For today's lesson I want to reflect back to part of an earlier lesson in Galatians five and hopefully clarify its true intent.
At the very beginning of today's quote, Paul said, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;", and he gave a list of the sins of the "flesh".
The "works of the flesh" as opposed to the works of the "Spirit", that Paul so plainly told us were exposed as sin under the Law, were exposed by the coming of Jesus Christ.
Through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ the entire Law was fulfilled for those who choose to "live in the spirit". That simply means that to those whom have accepted Jesus as savior, the grievous sins of the flesh under the Law simply no longer exist.
Sadly, some of today's "Christian" isms, find a conflict in what Paul wrote herein and assert that if one, at any time after accepting the grace of God, is found guilty of having committed any of the above "sins", that one cannot attain eternal life without recycling him/herself through the whole process. That assertion is completely and entirely false in that those whom have chosen to place their faith in Jesus Christ, and have put their sin burden entirely upon Him, CANNOT walk anywhere but in the "Spirit" and are incapable of walking in the "flesh".
Paul make that very, very clear in the following; "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Romans 4:4-8)~
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