Why is it so hard to stop doing things we know we shouldn’t do? About the text: Page 2
Have you ever tried to stop doing something that you know is not right? You know, like smoking, drinking, cursing, or something like that? Did you notice how much difficulty you had by pacing back and forth saying, “I’m not gonna smoke, I’m not gonna smoke, I’m not gonna smoke…” until you can’t stand it any longer; you make a mad dash for your stash of smokes and lose yourself in “one more last cigarette,” guilt-ridden all the while! It is only when you are able to focus your mind on something else that you forget your cravings. Paul says that if we would only learn to “walk in the Spirit” (that word ‘walk’ means ‘to habitually live’) then we would automatically lose our sinful desires. What Paul is trying to get across to the Galatians is that if we allow the Spirit of God to guide and direct us we won’t have to worry about what the Law is, because we are freed from it.
In Galatians 5:18-21 (The Message) Paul explains what are what he calls “works of the flesh” or a “law-dominated existence:”
” Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence? It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom in this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.”
Now that we know what walking in the Spirit is NOT, Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) tells us what it is. “…the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Matthew 12:33 (NIV) says “the tree is known by his fruit.”
It can be argued that the ‘fruit’ of the spirit is love. It can be argued that since that word ‘fruit’ in verse 22 is singular rather than plural that the ‘fruit’ of the spirit is love. Period. It can be argued that when love is produced the other characteristics (fruits) can be developed and enjoyed as well. In the days to come, we will explore these fruits in depth!