God has given the freedom we now have to live in love by following the Spirit and counting the flesh as crucified!

GALATIANS 5:13-26

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

DEEDS OF THE FLESH

Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV), “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.”

  1. Adultery: A married person having sex with someone other than their spouse.
  2. Fornication: Having sex outside of heterosexual marriage.
  3. Uncleanness: Any kind of sexual activity outside of heterosexual marriage.
  4. Lasciviousness: Living for sinful pleasure.
  5. Idolatry: Worshipping or praying to anyone other than God.
  6. Witchcraft: Drug use and the practice of spells and omens.
  7. Hatred: Anger and unforgiveness.
  8. Variance: Contentious arguments.
  9. Emulations: Zeal for bad things
  10. Wrath: Outbursts of anger and harsh treatment of people.
  11. Strife: Fighting.
  12. Seditions: Divisions.
  13. Heresies: False doctrines.
  14. Envyings: Wishing to have what another person has.
  15. Murders: Taking an innocent person’s life.
  16. Drunkenness: Abusing alcohol.
  17. Revellings: Drunken party.
  18. Such Like: Things that are similar to that which was named.

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible