I recently read Galatians 5. I gave it some thought and read it again. I thought about what was written by Paul to the Christians in the city of Galatia and I read it again.
I realized the beauty of spending time with God and His Word. I also realized my sinfulness. You see, to the worldly person or the nominal Christian there isn’t anything that is really that bad with me.
When you come closer to God you begin to see and understand His wisdom, His love and His perfection. At the same time you can’t help but to see your own filth, selfishness and sin.
Paul writes about walking in Spirit and fighting against your own flesh. Specifically he says in Galatians 5:24
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Prior to that verse Paul tells us what our affections and lusts are. Fleshy matters are sexual immorality like adultery, idolatry, hatred, envy, drunkenness, and revellings. Newer translations of the bible describe fleshy things as jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions and dissensions.
So what is so bad and sinful about me who is possibly a typical Christian? I practice idolatry. What? I don’t understand.
Yes, in my leisure time I’m an idolater. I participate in the kingdom of darkness. How? What do you mean?
In my leisure time I watch television and listen to music. To the secular and nominal Christian that’s not bad and not sinful. The singers and musicians that I listen to, whom are they glorifying? Are they glorifying self or God?
The television shows, movies and actors that I watch what are they telling me? On the screen and off of the screen whose image do they portray? Are they telling me about things of the flesh or things of the Spirit?
Who is behind our entertainment industry? Am I worshipping God by watching and listening to the products of the entertainment industry or am I worshipping God’s enemy?
I’m an idolater; I spend time with idols if not worshipping them. That’s the brutal, thorny truth. The quicker I acknowledge the sin in my life and deal with it, with the help of God the Holy Spirit, the better it is for me.
That’s only one example of sin in my life. Do I walk in the Spirit or do I walk in the flesh? How closely does my life resemble Christ’s life? Do people see in me the image of Jesus? Do they see the fruits of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control?
Am I living in Christ and dieing to self? What about you?
praise our Lord,
Dennis