Free Bible Commentary
“Galatians 5:16-26 (Part 2)”
Categories: Galatians“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.”
---End of Scripture verses---
What does it mean to “not carry out the desire of the flesh” (verse 16)? “Flesh” is the Greek word “sarx”, and it can mean many different things depending on the context in which it is used. Often it is simply used with reference to the human body. Other times it refers to “human nature”, or the “essence” of what it means to be a human being. As with today’s context, the word is also set in opposition to the spiritual part of man that strives to do right and please God. In this sense, to live in “the flesh” is to give oneself over to the baser desires, and to be governed by carnality and sinful lusts.
If you are reading from the New International Version of the Bible, that word “sarx” is nearly always rendered “the sinful nature.” While there is a part of us as “fallen” human beings that “naturally” tends to gravitate toward making sinful choices and gratify the desires of “the flesh”, it is not true that people are born “naturally sinful”. God created humans in His own spiritual image (Genesis 9:6), and not in the “depraved” image of our adversary, Satan. 1 John 3:4 tells us, “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” Sin is something wrong that is “committed” or something right that is “omitted”. Sin is a transgression of law and not an inheritable trait.
The spiritual part of us that is led by the Holy Spirit and that wants to please God, is “in opposition” to the “fleshly” part of us that wants to do things that only please ourselves (verse 17). Vine’s dictionary tells us that the Greek word for “in opposition” means “to lie opposite to, to be set over against,” and that the noun form of this verb means “an adversary”. There is “antagonism” between the weakness of our flesh and our willingness to follow the Holy Spirit’s revelation. In other words, our weak flesh is waging war against our willing spirit.
Anyone of us who has ever lost his temper and said something hurtful after having previously determined to never do a thing like that again, can testify to this truth. But as long as we keep taking the battle to the enemy and putting up a firm resistance to those “outbursts of anger” (verse 20), and other “deeds of the flesh”, we will ultimately win the war. If we are fighting the good fight of faith as good soldiers in the Lord’s army we are promised the ultimate victory (1 John 5:4).
Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:11-12, “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.” We can see that it is important, not only for our own soul’s security, but also for the salvation of the lost people that we can have influence over, that we put up a strong fight of resistance against these fleshly lusts. God wants us to set a good example for other people to see and follow (Matthew 5:14-16).
There is so much at stake as we conduct our daily walk of life! Let’s make certain that we are following the Spirit’s lead and not the fulfilling the deeds of the flesh!
We will stay in Galatians 5:16-26 for tomorrow and also Sunday most likely.
Have a great day!
-Louie Taylor
