Walk in the Freedom of the Spirit

Galatians 5

It was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore y’all, stand firm and don’t be entangled again by a yoke of bondage.

Look, I, Paul, am telling y’all that if y’all receive circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to y’all. Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. Y’all who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ. Y’all have fallen away from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision amounts to anything, but faith working through love.

Y’all were running well! Who cut in to stop y’all from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls y’all. A little yeast ferments the whole lump of dough. I have confidence in the Lord that y’all will have no other mindset. But the one who troubles y’all, whoever he is, will bear his judgment.

Siblings, if I still preach circumcision, why am I being persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed. I wish that those who disturb y’all would mutilate themselves.

For y’all were called to freedom, siblings. Only don’t use y’all’s freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in this one statement: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”+Lev 19:18 But if y’all bite and devour one another, be careful that y’all don’t destroy one another.

But I say, y’all must walk by the Spirit, and then y’all won’t carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. They are in conflict with one another, so that y’all don’t do whatever y’all want. But if y’all are led by the Spirit, y’all are not under the law. Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, magic drugs, hatred, infighting, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, hard partying, and things like these. I am warning y’all as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Empire of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let’s also march in step with the Spirit. Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another or envying one another.