Galatians 5:16-26
One of the most misunderstood concepts in the Christian life is the idea of "the flesh." Exactly what is it? How do we respond to it? Does it refer to just our bodies, or is there a deeper meaning?
Today's passage presents in a painfully honest way the results of living by the flesh. These include immorality, impurity, idolatry, anger, strife, dissensions, and other destructive consequences.
In contrast, a life moved and motivated by the Holy Spirit produces rich, ripe spiritual fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Which of these two lifestyles sounds more rewarding?
Many people, while desiring the higher, spiritually-minded life, fall to fleshly sin time after time. They may cry, "I can't help it! My body is working against me!" But when we speak of "the flesh," we are not simply referring to the physical body. Rather, the term points to something deep inside, a carry-over from the old life of sin that was replaced by God's Spirit at the moment of salvation. Therefore, "flesh" refers to the inherent, residual desires that lead to ungodly ways.
Your flesh cannot be disciplined, changed, or improved. Instead, it must be completely replaced by your continual transformation toward Christlikeness. Ask the Lord every day to make you more and more like Jesus. As He becomes a stronger and stronger foundation of your life, your eyes will begin to move away from yourself and toward your true focus: your heavenly Father.
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Charles Frazier Stanley was born September 25, 1932, in the small town of Dry Fork, Virginia. The only child of Charley and Rebecca Stanley, Charles came into the world during a time when the entire nation felt the grip of the Great Depression. To make matters worse, just nine months later, his father Charley died at the young age of 29.
However, Charles refused to let the Great Depression or the difficulties of his life define him. Instead, like his father and grandfather before him, he clung to God’s Word and took up the mantle to preach the gospel to whoever would listen.
Dr. Stanley’s motivation is best represented by the truth found in Acts 20:24, “Life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about God's mighty kindness and love.” This is because, as he says, “It is the Word of God and the work of God that changes people’s lives.”
Dr. Stanley’s teachings can be heard weekly at First Baptist Church Atlanta, daily on “In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley” radio and television broadcasts on more than 2,800 stations around the world, on the Internet at intouch.org, through the In Touch Messenger, and in the monthly, award-winning In Touch magazine.