Galatians 5

Galatians 5 is a wonderful passage about our freedom in Christ. I love the way Paul lays out a picture of our identity. Unfortunately, so many of us don't understand who we are as free people in Christ. Some of us think it means we are free to live according to our sinful nature. Others feel it means we are free to tell everyone else where they are going, if you know what I mean. Our freedom in Christ is a freedom to live according the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The more we are under bondage to rules, regulations, debts, etc, the less we focus on loving others, which is the law of the Kingdom of God.In verse 16, Paul says we are to live by the Spirit. He then lays out two lists. One list is the works of the sinful nature, and the other list is the fruit of the Spirit. I love the fact that he says against the fruit of the Spirit, there is no law. No law, whether earthly or heavenly, will condemn someone who is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control personified.

But the verse that probably hits home the most, summing everything else up, is v. 25. "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." If the Holy Spirit is our source of life, then our works should flow from the Spirit. This is the best description of the concept that what we do flows out of who we are. You can tell someone's identity by the things they say and do. If I am a citizen of the Kingdom of God, you will tell by the things I say and do. If I am a husband, you will tell by the things I say and do. If I am a businessman, you will tell by the things I say and do.

So what is your identity? If you were to ask someone right now to tell you who you are by the things you say and do, would they say you are living by the Spirit, as a citizen of the Kingdom of God? Would they say you are a hard worker? Would they say you are a good provider? If your identity is not wrapped up in Christ by His Spirit, what does that mean?