Keep in Step with the Spirit
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
v25 – let us also keep in step with the Spirit
After providing a huge contrast between works of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit, Paul extorts us to keep in step. The Holy Spirit is moving – active. What about my peaceful time of introspection and navel gazing over coffee? Paul doesn’t say anything about a Miracle Morning, he says keep up.
Yet, the keep in step with the Spirit is not work, it’s fruit. Work is done with the job isn’t finished. Fruit comes only after the work of Christ is done in our hearts.
