Context No. 3585 of 4322 · Galatians

Galatians 5:13-21: in context

13For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. 14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another. 16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, 20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, 21envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.

Paul addresses the danger of misusing Christian freedom: you were called to freedom, brothers, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, through love serve one another. Freedom in Christ is not a license to do whatever we please, but a freedom to love and to serve.

And Paul gives the key to living rightly: walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. There is a real war within, the flesh against the Spirit, and the way to victory is not gritted-teeth willpower but walking by the Spirit, keeping in step with God's own Spirit within us. Then he lists the ugly works of the flesh, immorality, idolatry, hatred, jealousy, fits of anger, envy, and warns that those who make a practice of such things will not inherit the kingdom. The whole Christian life turns on which impulse we walk by. Freedom rightly used is freedom to serve in love, and it is sustained step by step by the Spirit.

Am I using my freedom in Christ to serve others in love, and am I walking step by step in the Spirit rather than gratifying the desires of the flesh?

Sources

Galatians 5:13: "You were called for freedom... Only don't use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants to one another."
Galatians 5:16: "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won't fulfill the lust of the flesh."
Galatians 5:14: "For the whole law is fulfilled in one word... You shall love your neighbor as yourself."