"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom 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 sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
(Galations 5: 16-26)
If We Are Saved by Faith, Does it Matter How We Behave?
It seems there is a lot of confusion over what is actually expected of those who are followers of Jesus Christ. On one hand, we understand that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ and nothing more. We can't earn any merit with God through our behavior. On the other hand, we also are exhorted repeatedly to not live sinfully.
Most of us are familiar with this passage in Galations chapter 5. It is significant that this section comes after he has thoroughly repudiated the idea that Christians need to observe the law. He even went as far as saying if you obligate law keeping, Christ will be of no value to you at all (Ch. 5: 2). This has led some to teach what is called 'Antinomianism" which is the belief essentially says that our behavior doesn't matter. It's all about faith in Jesus Christ.
But is that really accurate?
Nobody spoke more forcefully that we are saved by grace alone than the apostle Paul. Yet Paul spends a tremedous amount of time exhorting us on how we are to behave as followers of Christ. Part of the answer begins to be clear in Romans 3:20:
"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin."
In some ways, these verses serve as commentary of the words Jesus spoke on the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5: 21-30 Jesus used the laws; Do not murder and do not commit adultery to demonstrate this very thing. The law could define sin and could place a restraint on the sinful nature to keep someone from committing the actual acts. But the laws could not change the sinfulness of the human heart. Paul repeats this in Colossians 2:23:
"Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence."
The Pharisees were a textbook example of this. They kept the law meticulously and yet they were among the most hate filled people of the day.
So it is after Paul has made the case to the Galations that righteousness cannot come through observing the law and that the purpose of the law was to place restraints on us until faith came (Galations 3:23-25). It is in this context Paul tells us how true righteousness manifests itself.
Righteousness is the fruit of the spirit
Again, Paul is giving commentary on what Jesus had already said earlier, this time in John15:1-8. The main point is in verse 5:
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
Fruit is what is produced when the branches are connected to a life giving source. In our case, that source is Jesus Christ, living in us through the Holy Spirit. It is him living in us that produces the fruit that he desires, Galations 5:16-26 exhorts us to live by the Spirit. This is different than performing works of the law. Observance of laws focuses on external performance. The fruit of the spirit changes the nature of the human heart. Jesus described it to the Samaritan woman as "living water" which would "become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:14)
We must understand that this fruit that grows out of the believer is fully the work of the Holy Spirit living in us. This is sanctification.
Justification and Sanctification are two sides of the same coin
"Because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." (Hebrews 10:14)
"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed into the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29)
The straight answer to the question of whether our behavior is important is absolutely YES. But not because we gain any merit with God for our righteousness; rather the good works that come from us provide the evidence that God has saved us and is in the process of sanctifying us. Hebrews 10:14 display both that our justification (made perfect) was accomplished all at once on the cross. It also shows the continuing work of sanctification. (Being made holy) The only ones who have bee saved are the ones that God is now sanctifying. As John Calvin said, "Christ, therefore, justifies no man without also sanctifying him (Institutes of The Christian Religion, Book 3.16.1)
James said it well in James 1:18, "...Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." Good works are the evidence of God's redemptive and sanctifying work in our lives.
In conclusion; we end where we started.
In Galations 5: 24-25 Paul says:
"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step the Spirit."
The fruits of the Spirit are Godly charactoristics that God is growing in us. They cannot be synthesized into a set of rules and regulations. Yet as it says in verse 23, "Against such things there is no law." As the Christian puts off the sinful nature and takes on the Godly nature it naturally makes us into people who are known for doing good and living obedient lives.
Remember, the only things law can do is give a knowledge of evil and place restraints on our natural wickedness. The Spirit living in us changes our nature from one that desires to sin to a nature that desires to follow God.
There is no justification without sanctification. If we are not being changed by the Holy Spirit then we are not truly saved.
Let us live by the Spirit and keep in step with the Spirit.
May God bless you all.
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