In Galatians 5:13-21, Paul reveals that there are two paths that the community of Christians in Galatia can choose to go down: the way of the flesh, or the way of the Spirit. The question that hangs in the balance is, Which will they choose? Will they walk by the flesh, or will they walk by the Spirit?
These questions are before us today. However, before we can answer Paul’s questions, we must first ask Paul a question: What exactly does he mean by “flesh” and by “Spirit”? This is not a false dichotomy between the physical and spiritual, but rather is a decision point between two orientations toward life. In other words, the “flesh” is our sinful heart; the inner tendencies within us that have not yet been redeemed. Further, the “Spirit” is the part of us that has been rescued, redeemed, and transformed by the Holy Spirit.
Thus, what lies within us, both as individuals and as a community of believers, is a great struggle between the flesh and the Spirit; between relying on and pursuing the ways of God, or relying on ourselves and our own selfish ambition. Paul is pleading with the Galatians to recognize that their faith has ethical implications that impact the entire congregation. That unity of the church is a theological reality that cannot be divorced from the way church members behave towards one another.
The big idea that Paul is driving home is this: Christian freedom is not self-indulgence but Spirit-formed love expressed in community. Church, who will we be? Will we be a community that walks by the flesh? Or one that walks by the Spirit?
Dinner Table Conversations:
Adult & Teen Table Talk:
- How do the “works of the flesh” damage relationships and church unity?
- What does Spirit-formed love practically look like in a church community?
Little Learners’ Table Talk:
- How can our church family help each other love Jesus better?
Sermon Title: The Struggle
Sermon Series: Set Free
Sermon Passage: Galatians 5:13-21
Closing Scripture: John 15:9-14
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