WALKING BY THE SPIRIT:

AN INTERPRETATION OF GALATIANS 5:16-24

Clyde W. Overman
NTS 6800, Galatians
April 23, 2015

WALKING BY THE SPIRIT

An anonymous Christian poet once described the perfect church as one whose members
never gossip, complain, criticize, or fight. But the poet then rightly concluded, Such perfect
churches there may be, but none of them are known to me. But still, well work, and pray and
plan, to make our own the best we can.1 The anonymous poets observation could be said of
every generation of Christian churches, including the congregations that serve as the backdrop to
the New Testament letters. Throughout Pauls letters, it is apparent that though Christians
worship a perfect savior, they are themselves not yet perfect. The battle against sin and the flesh
continue in the life of every believer, and when believers succumb to the desires of the flesh it is
the church, the body of Christ, that suffers.
Such was the case in the churches of Galatia, to whom Paul wrote: But if you bite and
devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another (Gal. 5:15; [ESV]).
The Galatian churches were obviously embroiled in a fierce fight that was threatening their
existence, a situation that is all too familiar for some churches today. Thus, the question
becomes: is there hope for churches plagued by infighting and deep divisions? Galatians 5:16-24
answers that question with a resounding yes. To those who seek unity in the body of Christ, Paul
says, walk by the Spirit (5:16).

Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, 10th ed. (Rockville, Maryland: Assurance, 1988), 242.

Historical and Literary Context

As mentioned in the salutation, Paul the apostle is the author of Galatians (1:1), and there
is no reason to discount that claim.2 Internal evidence suggests that Paul wrote to the churches he
planted in the Roman province of Galatia during his first missionary journey (Acts 13-14), and
that he composed the letter sometime between the completion of that journey (AD 48) and the
beginning of the Jerusalem Council (AD 49). During the course of Galatians, Paul refutes the
false doctrine of the Judaizers that intermingled faith in Christ with observance of the Mosaic
Law, the very issue that was settled at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). Yet, Galatians reads as
though the Council has yet to occur.3
After a brief introduction (1:1-5), Paul expresses dismay concerning the Galatians swift
departure from the Gospel (1:6-10). He then defends his authority as an apostle and as a teacher
of the true Gospel (1:11-2:14), while rejecting the false doctrine of the Judaizers (cf. 2:3-5; 1114). He continues his assault on the Judaizers by demonstrating through experience and from the
Scriptures the supremacy of the doctrine of justification by faith in comparison to the function
and purpose of the law (2:15-4:11). Thereafter, Paul writes an extended exhortation
encouraging the Galatians to live in light of the freedom that Christ brings, including freedom
from the Mosaic Law (4:12-6:10).
Galatians 5:16-24 forms a portion of Pauls exhortation. In the preceding subsections,

Thomas R. Schreiner, Galatians, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Series: New Testament (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2010), 22. Most agree with Schreiner, who says, No significant scholarly debate exists
regarding Pauls authorship.
3

See Timothy George, Galatians, The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 1994), 40-50 for a
complete treatment of the issue at hand. If the Council had occurred, why did Paul not mention it? Why did Peter act
contrary to the decision (2:11-14)? On the whole, the letter reads as though Paul wrote prior to the Council and not
long after he planted the churches mentioned in Acts 13-14(cf. 1:6).

Paul encourages the Galatians to live in freedom from the Mosaic Law (4:12-20); to stand in the
freedom they have in Christ (4:21-5:12); and to live out their freedom in love rather than using
freedom as an opportunity to indulge the flesh (5:13-15).4 In 5:16, Paul begins with the phrase,
But I say ( ), a common Pauline introductory formula that signals that the following
material is built on and will elaborate material previously stated (cf. 1 Cor. 1:12; 7:8; Gal. 4:1).5
Therefore, 5:16-24 is intimately connected to 5:13-15. In that section Paul reminds the
Galatians to love and to serve one another (5:14). He reminds them of this Christian ethic due to
the presence of severe disagreements and infighting (5:15). The churches, it seems, were
dividing into factionssome for Paul; others for the Judaizers. Scot McKight captures the
essence of the situation well:
We should think of rivalries, of separate house churches not speaking with one another, of
spiritual pride on the part of those who have been circumcised (just a cut above the rest!),
and of slogan after slogan being bandied about in the communities. The picture we draw is
sadsad because they had adopted the pattern of letting their freedom become a launchingpad for indulging the flesh.6

Into this fray steps Paul, who commands the Galatians to overcome their flesh-driven fighting
and seek unity via walking by the Spirit (5:16). He then demonstrates that unity in the body of
Christand also walking by the Spiritis a deliberate choice one must make between indulging
the flesh and that of cultivating the fruit of the Spirit (5:17-24). Walking by the Spirit is not
letting go and letting God, nor is it some mystical experience. Believers actively participate in
their endeavor to walk by the Spirit and in their pursuit of unity in the body of Christ.

The partition is adapted from Schreiner, Galatians, 339.

Douglas J. Moo, Galatians, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic, 2013), 352.
6

Scot McKnight, Galatians, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids.: Zondervan, 1995), 267.

Lexical and Syntactical Study

The Spirit-flesh Battle (5:16-18)
Paul opens this section with an imperative: walk by the Spirit (5:16a). The verb for
walk () frequently describes Christian conduct in the New Testament. The
command requires that believers be continually characterized as walking by the Spirit. Paul
previously reminded the Galatians how they received the Spirit through faith and that the Spirits
presence was confirmed by miraculous signs and wonders (3:2-5). Now Paul commands them to
demonstrate the Spirits presence among them by their way of life.
Christians who live by the Spirit will not gratify the desires of the flesh (5:16b). Notice
two important words in 5:16 that help drive home the meaning. The first is gratify (),
which means to complete or accomplish. The second is flesh (). This word denotes
anything that replaces God as ones source of trust.7 The point is, when Christians obey the
command to walk by the Spirit, they will not complete or fulfill the sinful desires that pull one
away from God.
It is important for Christians to continually walk in the Spirit because an ongoing and
powerful battle is being waged between the flesh and the Spirit for supreme influence in the life
of a believer. That is the unmistakable point of the first three clauses of 5:17. The fourth clause
then states that this battle occurs to keep you from doing the things you want to do (5:17d).8 In
other words, since the Spirit and the flesh both exert powerful influence, the result is that one

7
F.F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Galatians, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982), 243.
8

See Ronald Y. K. Fung, The Epistle to the Galatians. The New International Commentary on the New
Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988), 249-251 for three possible interpretations of this clause.

cannot possibly do what he or she desires. Rather, one can only do what the Spirit or the flesh
desires. Therefore, the path to victory in the Spirit-flesh battle is through the Spirits control.
Ronald Y.K. Fung summarizes 5:17 when he writes, The verse then means that in the Spiritflesh conflict it is impossible for the believer to remain neutral: he either serves the flesh or
follows the Spirit.9
Christians, then, must choose to be led by the Spirit (5: 18a). Here Paul recaps 5:16-17
by reiterating the thrust of the command to walk by the Spirit (5:16), which is the path to victory
in the ever-present battle between flesh and Spirit (5:17). However, rather than promising that
believers will not gratify the desires of the flesh (5:16-17), Paul now says that those who keep instep with the Spirit are not under the law (5:18b). The reference to the law is a likely reference
to the Mosaic Law.10 This has two implications. First, according to Paul, the law and the flesh
lead to similar results. Whereas the law and the flesh lead to slavery to sin, the Spirit leads to
victory over sin. Secondly, Pauls use of law in place of flesh indicates that the Judaizers,
and their false doctrine, remain a central focus in this section.
The Works of the Flesh (5:19-22)
If believers are to walk by the Spirit, so as to avoid the desires of the flesh (5:16-17), they
must be aware of the traits of the flesh. Thus, Paul provides a list of the works of the flesh (5:
19a). Such works are evident (5:19a), meaning they are obvious and do not require effort or
special discernment to recognize. The works of the flesh include fifteen vices, arranged into four
groups: (1) sexual sins; (2) sins of idolatry; (3) sins of social discord; (4) sins of self-indulgence.

Fung, Galatians, 251.

10

Moo, Galatians, 357. The law, as almost always in Galatians, refers to the law of Moses.

While the third category has an obvious connection to the context (infighting/divisions), the
same cannot be said of the remaining three. The best explanation is that Paul includes them to
offset the charge of the Judaizers, who would have claimed that freedom from the Law of Moses
leads to debauchery of all types (sexual sins/sins of self-indulgence), ultimately leading people
astray from God (sins of idolatry). Paul makes it clear that such behavior stands opposite of life
in the Spirit.
The first group consists of three terms: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (5:19b).
(sexual immorality) has a wide semantical rang. It can refer to incest (1 Cor. 5:1); to cult
prostitution (1 Cor. 6:15-18), and it can be used as a broad term for sexual irregularity in
general.11 The broader designation is used here. The second term, impurity (), can
apply to the misuse of sex but also to ethical matters unrelated to sex. It refers here to impure
conduct in sexual relations. The final term, sensuality (), indicates a lack of restraint
that leads to the violation of all social norms, particularly sexual debauchery.12 Altogether, the
three terms emphasize that uninhibited sexual license is a mark of living according to the flesh.
Next are the sins of idolatry: idolatry, sorcery, (5:20a). (idolatry) is a
general term for the worship of anything or anyone other than the one true God.13 The root word
for sorcery () literally means drug and it is the word from which the English word
pharmacy is linked. It refers to the use of drugs for medicinal purposes, for poisoning, and for
use in witchcraft. Its biblical use is restricted to the occult and that is the meaning here.14 The

11

Bruce, Galatians, 247.

12

Horst Balz and Gerhard Schneider, eds., Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1992), 1:169.
13

Bruce, Galatians, 247, Not only of graven images but of any substitute for the living and true God.

14

George, Galatians, 394, (cf. Ex. 7:11; Rev. 9:21; 18:23).

two terms demonstrate that a second mark of the flesh is the refusal to worship the one true God.
The next eight vices (sins of social discord; 5:20b-21a) contribute to disharmony within
the local church. These vices are most likely listed here as a result of the ongoing conflict and
resulting division in the Galatian churches. (enmity) denotes hostility or hate. Paul
used this word in Romans 8:7 to describe the hostility directed toward God by those who are led
by the flesh. In Galatians 5, Paul uses it to describe hostility between individuals leading to the
breakdown of human relationships. (strife) describes selfish bickering between rival
factions. (jealousy) has a positive and negative range. In the positive sense, it refers to
holy zeal (Rom. 10:2; 2 Cor. 7:7; 11; 9:2; 11:2; Phil. 3:6), but here it is used in the negative to
describe the type of jealousy that leads to hostility.15 The word translated as fits of anger
( ) is used elsewhere of Gods wrath (Rev. 14:10; 19:15) and of Satans rage (Rev. 12:12).
In the present context, it describes human outbursts of anger directed at others.16
The word translated as rivalries () was used by Aristotle to criticize the selfabsorbed fighting of rival political factions of his day.17 Such self-seeking behavior is unfit for
the body of Christ, for it results in the following two vices: dissensions () and
divisions (). Both terms convey the idea of factions arising from sinful behavior and
attitudes. The final word among the sins of social discord is envy (), which carries
virtually the same meaning as . The point, then, is that envy and jealousy invariably lead to
hostility, strife, and divisions among believers.

15

Balz, Exegetical Dictionary, 2:100, Additional negative uses: Rom. 13:13; 1 Cor. 3:3, 2 Cor. 12:20.

16

George, Galatians, 395.

17

Moo, Galatians, 360.

The two vices that complete the works of the flesh (5:21a) are drunkenness (),
and orgies (). Commenting on , F.F. Bruce notes, As gluttony is excessive
indulgence in food, so is excessive indulgence in wine.18 occurs only three times in
the New Testament, but all three occur in the context of drunkenness. In extra-biblical sources it
often refers to pagan revelries in honor of Dionysus. Those who indulge in the excesses of
drinking and partying are giving in to the desires of the flesh.
Paul completes the vice list with the phrase, and things like these (5: 21b), indicating
that the list is not exhaustive. Rather, it represents behavior typified by those who allow the flesh
to win in the ever present Spirit-flesh battle. Paul then closes with a strong warning concerning
the above-mentioned vices: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God
(5:21c). The warning is unambiguous: those who continually practice the works of the flesh will
not receive Gods promise of resurrection unto eternal life at the end of the age.19 McKnight
once again captures Pauls point when he notes, Ones final standing before God, Paul
contends, is directly related to whether or not a person lives in the flesh or in the Spirit.20
The Fruit of the Spirit (5:22-24)
Paul now turns to the fruit of the spirit (5:22) to contrast the works of the flesh. That
is, as Fung says, If the latter expression denotes deeds done by the flesh, the former refers to the

18

Bruce, Galatians, 249.

19

So Moo, Galatians, 363 and Fung, Galatians, 261-262. For an opposing view, see Rene Lpez, "Paul's
Vice List in Galatians 5:19-21." Bibliotheca Sacra 169, no. 673 (January 2012): 64-67, accessed April 2, 2015,
ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost. Lopez argues that Paul is exhorting (not warning)
Christians to refrain from such works of the flesh, and that ones eternal destination is not in view.
20

McKnight, Galatians, 270.

concrete manifestations of the Spirits work in the believer.21 The emphasis is upon the role of
the Spirit. The Spirit is the active force that produces the fruit of the Spirit, which then appear
naturally in those indwelt by the Spirit of Christ.22 Unlike the works of the flesh, the fruit of the
Spirit lack any discernable groupings.
However, the first fruit of the Spirit, love (), may very well function as an
important foundation from which the remaining eight flow. Both and its verbal form
() signify important Christian concepts of love. This includes the love that God and
Christ have for their people (Rom. 5:5, 8; 8:35); the love Christians have for God and Christ (2
Cor. 5:14), and the love that Christians are to have toward each other.23 Indeed, Jesus said to his
disciples that their love () for one another would be the distinguishing mark of his
followers (John 13:34-35). In the same way, Paul emphasizes love as an ethic of primary
importance for Christians.
For Paul, joy () is more than a fleeting emotion. Rather, the kind of joy that
epitomizes Christians is a settled state of mind grounded in a believers understanding of Gods
love, produced by the Spirit (1 Thess. 1:6) that exists regardless of circumstances (2 Cor. 7:4; 1
Thess. 1:6).24 Likewise, peace () is an ever-present reality for Christians regardless of
circumstances. Spirit-indwelt Christians are forever in a state of peace because they have peace
with God (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:17), from which they receive the peace of God (Phil. 4:7).

21

Fung, Galatians, 262.

22

Colin Brown, New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1986), 1:723.
23

Moo, Galatians, 364.

24

Ibid.

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The fourth virtue is patience () or, long-suffering. is a

quality attributed elsewhere to God that means slow to anger, specifically in regards to sinful
men and women (Ex. 34:6; Ps. 103:8).25 In the same way kindness () is attributed to
God. For example, God is kind to the ungrateful and the evil and he expects his children to do
likewise (Luke 6:35). Accordingly, as God is patient and kind with rebellious men and women,
Gods children will also be slow to anger and project kindness.
The word for goodness () has a wide range of meaning, but in this context it
stands in contrast to envy (). It is likely that Paul has in mind the type of goodness that
is marked by generosity.26 Although (faithfulness) is often used in reference to faith in
God, that is not the meaning here. in this context denotes reliability or trustworthiness in
personal relationships.27 The word for gentleness () is used elsewhere to describe
Christ (Matt.11:29; 21:5; 2 Cor. 10:1), who also used the word to describe those who would
inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5). The final virtue of the Spirit is self-control (). This word
is frequently used in the context of controlling sexual passions. Though inconclusive, Pauls
intent may be to contrast with the sins of sexual immorality.28
Concluding the list of virtues is the phrase, against such things there is no law (5:23b).
This phrase suggests that the fruit of the Spirit fulfills every requirement of the law. This
understanding makes sense in light of Pauls prior statement that the law is fulfilled through love
(5:14); in light of Pauls use of love at the beginning of the list of virtues (5:22), and with

25

Bruce, Galatians, 253

26

Ibid., 253-254. The two words carry similar meanings in Matt. 20:15.

27

Fung, Galatians, 269. cf. Matt.23:23; Rom. 3:3; Tit. 2:10.

28

Ibid., 271.

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Pauls teaching in Romans 8:4, where he writes, in order that the righteous requirements of
the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, this view is in full accord with Jesus understanding of
the law and its fulfillment through love (Matt. 22:40).
Paul concludes that those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its
passions and desires (5:24). Paul uses the active voice for the verb (crucified),
indicating that believers have an active role in killing the desires and passions of the flesh.
Though some commentators disagree, this understanding aligns with the concept of the everpresent Spirit-flesh conflict (5:16-18), which requires that believers make a choice between
indulging the flesh and walking by the Spirit. Consequently, to walk in the Spirit, in one sense at
least, is to kill the flesh by taking up ones cross daily (Luke 9:23). As Timothy George
comments, The mortifying work of self-crucifixion is a continuous, lifelong process, for this
side of heaven we dwell in mortal bodies and are bound by inordinate desires.29
Theological Analysis
The phrase walk by the Spirit (5:16) occurs only here. But Paul uses (to
walk) elsewhere to describe the manner in which Christians should live. In 1 Thessalonians 4:1,
Paul urges Christians to walk in a way that pleases God. Immediately thereafter, Paul lists both
virtues to adopt and vices to avoid. Those who adopt the virtues and avoid the vices please God
(1 Thess. 4:2-8). Similarly, Paul writes to the Ephesians, Look carefully then how you walk, not
as unwise but as wise (Eph. 5:15). The command in Ephesians 5:15 comes shortly after a list of
both virtues and vices similar to Galatians 5:19-23 (Eph. 4:32; 5:3-5). According to Paul,

29

George, Galatians, 405.

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walking by the Spirit is not a great mystery, it is discernable according to how one lives. Those
who walk by the Spirit will be known by their fruit.
But walking by the Spirit continuously requires effort, for as long as believers remain in
this present age (1:4) they remain part of an intense battle between flesh and Spirit (5:17). Pauls
notion of powerful forces of both Spirit and flesh warring for control in the life of a believer is
not isolated to Galatians 5:17. Paul speaks similarly in Romans 8:13, saying, For if you live
according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirityou will live. Peter also speaks of the
flesh waging war against the soul of the believer (1 Pet. 2:11). Christians should not be surprised
by the presence of the Spirit-flesh conflict. After all, the Bible also teaches that the Christians
greatest foe, Satan, is alive and looking for someone to devour (1 Pet. 5:8). As a result, believers
must make a conscience effort each day to walk by the Spirit and defeat the flesh.
The key to walking by the Spirit, and thus defeating the whims of Satan, is nurturing the
fruit of the Spirit (5:22). This phrase occurs nowhere else in Scripture, but Paul uses a similar
metaphor in Eph. 5:9: For the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.
Paul also speaks of the fruit of the new life in Christ as righteousness (Phil. 1:11) and
sanctification (Rom. 6:22).30 By contrast, he speaks of unfruitfulness as marking those who
walk in darkness (Eph. 5:11). In the Gospels, John the Baptist instructed the Pharisees, saying:
Bear fruit it keeping with repentance (Matt. 3:8). And Jesus taught that false teachers would be
easily recognizable, saying: You will recognize them by their fruits (Matt. 7:16).
The fruit of the Spirit is likely adapted from the Old Testament, where Israel is often

30

Gerald F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin, and Daniel G. Reid, eds., Dictionary of Paul and His Letters
(Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1993), 316-317.

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compared to a fruit-bearing tree or vineyard.31 But in the Old Testament Israel is unable to bear
fruit, thus Isaiah indicts the vineyard of the Lord for its lack of fruit (Isa.5:2, 4). However, the
Old Testament predicts a future time when the Spirit of the Lord is poured out, during which the
land will bear fruit (Isa. 32:15-16), and the trees and the vines will also bear their fruit (Joel 2:1832).32 In Galatians 3:13-15, Paul says the Old Testament anticipated the outpouring of the Spirit.
It seems likely, then, that Paul derived the fruit of the Spirit from the Old Testament. Whereas
the law produced unfruitfulness, in the age of the Spirit, Gods people are able to produce fruit in
keeping with repentance and thus demonstrate that they are the true Israel of God (Gal. 6:16).
Finally, Pauls use of Spirit is crucial to understanding 5:16-24. Previously, Paul
claimed that "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in
me (2:20). Paul used similar language in Romans 8, where he wrote, But if Christ is in you
(Rom. 8:10) and If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you (Rom.
8:11). So then, the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of God are one and the samehe is the Holy
Spirit. Moreover, it is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that empowers believers to live
victoriously over the flesh.
Paul speaks frequently of the Holy Spirit in Galatians. He says that every Christian
receives the Spirit at the moment of conversion (3:2, 5, 14); that the Spirits presence among the
Galatians was accompanied by signs (3:5), and that the Spirit was, as mentioned above, promised
in the Old Testament (3:13-15). Paul also says that those who are in the Spirit are persecuted by
those in the flesh (cf. 3:4; 4:29), and that those who are in the Spirit eagerly await Gods

31

Hawthorne, Dictionary of Paul, 317. Ps. 80:8-18; Is. 5:1-7; 27:2-6; Jer. 2:21; 11:16; 12:10; Hos. 14:6;
Ezra 9:31-32.
32

Ibid.

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declaration of righteousness (5:5). He then concludes by stating that those who are in the Spirit
have victory over those of the flesh (5:16-21) and live a full life in the Spirit (5:22-23), and the
path to victory for every Christian is to walk in the Spirit, or submit to the Spirits leading (5:25;
6:8). For Paul, the Christian life is about living in the power of the Spirit.
Application
The application of this passage must focus upon the meaning of Pauls opening
command, walk by the Spirit (5:16a), and how it applies to life in the church. On one hand it
seems as though there is no concrete answer regarding how to walk in the Spirit; it sounds
nebulous and there is no step-by-step guide per se. Moreover, the very phrase, fruit of the
Sprit, indicates that spiritual fruit is the direct result of the Spirits work. Conversely, Paul also
speaks of believers having to make a choice to follow the Spirit (5:17d), and to be active in
killing the flesh (5:24). Clearly, believers can and must actively walk by the Spirit. The question
then becomes: how does one walk by the Spirit? When this question is applied to 5:16-24, three
practical steps emerge that will aid Christians in their endeavor to walk by the Spirit.
The first is to recognize the presence of spiritual warfare (5:16-18). Christians should
never assume that the Christian life is free from temptation to sin. Satan wants nothing more than
to cause believers to stumble into sin, especially if it results in deep divisions and infighting
within the body of Christ. And so he attacks relentlessly until he can find a chink in ones armor.
That is precisely why Paul commands the Ephesians, Put on the whole armor of God, that you
may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Eph. 6:11). Therefore, Christians should
be ever vigilant to the schemes of Satan and they must prepare to do battle daily. For as soon as
the defenses are relaxed, he will attack with the desires of the flesh.

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Secondly, Christians should not only recognize the presence of spiritual warfare, they
must also recognize the works of the flesh and kill them (5:19-21). That is, a believer must
recognize his or her sin and resolve to destroy it immediately. Failure to do so may be
catastrophic (5:21b). Recognizing sin requires a fundamental understanding of sin within the
church. It is imperative, then, that pastors preach and teach against sin. Pastors must do it boldly
but in love and with the motive of leading people to walk in-step with the Spirit of God. It also
means that those who fall into sin must have a way of killing their sinful desires. For instance, if
one is addicted to pornography, he must safeguard his computer, preventing further temptation.
Third, to walk by the Spirit is to recognize and cultivate the fruit of the Spirit. The Spirit
is indeed solely responsible for producing fruit, but that does not relieve the Christian from his or
her duty to prepare the spiritual soil of the heart. Spiritual fruit may sprout, but if left to the
desires of the flesh, weeds and thorns will also grow and choke the fruit of the Spirit
(Matt.13:22). It is vital, then, that Christians understand the traits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, gentleness and so on, and allow room for those traits to blossom. Perhaps the
best approach to cultivating the fruit of the Spirit is to grow in ones understanding of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ. When one truly understands the depths of Gods love, demonstrated in the cross
of Christ, one should automatically be moved to love others; to be ever joyful; to be patient,
kind, and gentle toward others in the same way that God showered those very same traits upon
those he has forever pardoned.
Gospel growth is a central component of both walking in the Spirit and developing unity
in the body of Christ. In its simplest form, the root cause of division in Galatia was a
misunderstanding of the Gospel. When Christians rightly understand their common need for
Gods grace, and the price paid by God to secure their redemption from the penalty of sin, they

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will live in all humility before God and before their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. So then,
let the Gospel reign supreme in the churches of Christ. Let the love of Christ, so powerfully
displayed in the cross of Christ, lead Christians each and every day to worship him with greater
passion, love, and devotion. Let the magnificent Christ point the way to his Spirit and ultimately
to unity in the body of Christ.
Conclusion
Galatians 5:16-24 is an urgent call to seek unity in the body of Christ via walking by the
Spirit. It has been demonstrated that walking by the Spirit is not simply letting go and letting
God, nor is it some mystical experience. Believers actively participate in their endeavor to walk
by the Spirit and in their pursuit of unity. They must take-up arms and do battle with the flesh
daily, recognizing the war within. Above all, they must make a conscience effort to allow the
fruit of the Spirit, or rather the fruit of the Gospel, to take firm root in their lives so that the love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, and gentleness of Christ may blossom in the lives of individuals
and throughout the entire body of Christ.

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Brown, Colin. New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids:
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Bruce, F.F. The Epistle to the Galatians. New International Greek Testament Commentary.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982.
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Dunn, James D.G. The Theology of Paul the Apostle. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.
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