It Starts Small

Have you ever really read the fine print on a prescription. Makes you wonder, with all those possible side effects, why am I taking this to begin with. I believe a lot of truth from God’s Word comes with small print we like to gloss over. One of these truths are found in the book of Galatians.

¹³ For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. Galatians 5:13

This is an amazing chapter in Galatians. In this verse, Paul is warning us that we have freedom in Christ to make a choice everyday. Everyday we make choices. We can choose the flesh or we can choose to walk in the Spirit. What does this mean or look like?

The Holy Spirit calls us to live in the freedom that Jesus gives, rather than in bondage to sin and the law. Freedom is the ability to make choices. Slaves do not get to make choices. Those in bondage to sin do not have freedom to make choices.

⁷ So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir. Galatians 4:7

Slaves do what they are told. This is an element, that is essential, to the grace of God. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is what has made us righteous in God’s presence. This is the power given over sin. BUt we all have a choice to make. We can walk in the resurrection power of Jesus or in the power of our old nature, which is our flesh. Walk in love or turn our freedom into an opportunity for the flesh.

All of us still have our old nature in us, even though we are made righteous in the sight of God.

¹⁸ For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. Romans 7:18

Paul calls our old nature flesh. Nothing good dwells in our flesh. We exercise our freedom in the choice we make and we can even fall into giving our freedom up by giving power to that old nature.

Choosing to give up our freedom still produces fruit in our lives. Paul gives us the consequences of giving up our freedom and what it produces:

¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:17-21

Paul gives a warning before he presents the works of the flesh that is very important:

¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another. Galatians 5:15

When we choose the flesh, we are motivated by selfish desire rather than to loving one another and serving one another as verse 13 speaks. We not only bite and devour one another, we can even be consumed by one another. That is not a good outcome. Paul is acknowledging the amazing freedom we have that God gives us. There are also consequences.

IN stark contrast to carrying out the desires of our flesh, Paul speaks about good choices, choosing to walk in the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit is putting aside our own fleshly desires and instead desire to love and serve one another. Walking in the Spirit means we will not walk in the flesh. The Spirit and flesh are enemies. You can not pursue one and serve the other. We get to choose by the choice is binary. One or the other, not both.

Trying to follow religious rules is a work of the flesh. It is self seeking redemption and not redemption through Christ. The law was fulfilled by Christ. God commands that we love one another, but we can not love through the flesh. The only way we can love and serve one another is to walk with the Spirit. As humans, we can not manufacture or produce love. Only the fruit of the Spirit can produce love. The law was nothing more than a “self-improvement” approach to the flesh. You can not improve your flesh. This is why Pauls says:

²⁴ Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:24

¹³ because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. Romans 8:13-14

Paul’s point is that the flesh and the Spirit are complete opposites. Our most fundamental choice as believers is choosing each day, each moment, which to obey.

²² He reveals the deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and light dwells with him.
Daniel 2:22

Our choices will reveal to us if we are in bondage or walking with the Spirit. Not only to ourselves but those around us. They will reveal if we simply talk it or if we walk the talk.

¹⁵ “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. ¹⁶ You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ So you’ll recognize them by their fruit. Matthew 7:15-20

Jesus says twice, you will know them by their fruit. This is an opportunity to look into the mirror and ask ourselves, what are we producing in our lives? What flavors of fruit are you choosing? To walk with the Spirit or the flesh?

Jesus gives us the freedom to make a choice. What do you choose?