Galatians 5:13-26 (KJV)

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

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.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Jesus Christ came to save that what was lost “Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”

GOD created us in a way so that we are body, soul and spirit.

“1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In the previous devotions we looked at the salvation of the spirit over the next few devotions we will look the soul/mind and later on salvation the body.

We need to understand that salvation is not earned but comes from GOD (have a look at the previous devotions). “Psalms 3:8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.”, “Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Let’s have a look and discover what are we called to and after we are born again if we still have a choice in doing evil or good.

GOD does not want to leave us in our current state of mind that has been corrupted by the world and sin. He wants us to be sanctified (we will define this in later devotions).

Verse 13 in Galatians 5 tells us that we are called into liberty. It also tells us that we have a choice on how we can use this liberty.

We can use it satisfy the our flesh the carnal nature that is still fallen and under sin inherited from Adam or we can use it to be a blessing to others.

“1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive”. (We will look at the salvation of our fallen nature in later devotions).

GOD called us to liberty and wants us to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh as we can see in Galatians 5:25.

If we do this we will:

• Not fulfil the carnal desires of the flesh (Galatian’s 5:16),
• Not be under the law (Galatians 5:18). The law is for those who are lawless, “1 Timothy 1:8-9 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; [9] Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,”, “Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”,
• Produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit “Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”,
• Walk in the spirit and not the flesh
• Not do evil but good for if we we obey the flesh we will do evil (Galatians 5:19-21),
• Be able to overcome the flesh and the devil with their temptations “James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” And not listen to the flesh and the devil “Genesis 3:1…Yea, hath God said, …”
• GOD wants us to make the right choice.

Therefore let us all who are born again be encouraged to make the right choice to walk in the Spirit and let the fruit of the spirit develop and grow in us.

“Romans 6:1-14 summarises it well “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? [2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? [3] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? [4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: [6] Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. [7] For he that is dead is freed from sin. [8] Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: [9] Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. [10] For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. [11] Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. [12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. [13] Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. [14] For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”