Life by the Spirit
“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25
A genuine believer stands before God approved and acceptable. He is embraced and loved by God, looked after and cared for by God. For the believer has been given God’s nature; he walks through life bearing God’s nature. Therefore, the believer is not to cave in to the desires of sinful nature; he is to walk bearing the fruit of God’s nature, that is, the fruit of God’s Spirit.
The believer is to walk consistently with his position in Christ. To be in Christ is to be in God’s Spirit. When the believer trusts Jesus Christ as his Savior, God places His Spirit in the heart of the believer. The Spirit is placed there to guide and direct the believer day by day. Therefore, the believer is to live by the Spirit; he is to live just as the Spirit of God directs. This is the point of this verse. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. The Spirit gives us life, the life of God; therefore, let us walk and live out the life He gives us.
Study Questions:
- Is it a burdening thought to know that you bear God’s nature? Is it a freeing thought?
- How do you allow God’s Spirit to direct you day by day?
- What does it look like for you to let go of your sinful nature and to walk and live out the life God has given you?
- God’s grace abounds whenever you fall prey to your sinful nature, but pray daily that the Spirit of God would free you from feelings of burden and sanctify your thoughts and actions. Pray that you would bear the fruit of God’s Spirit even in the most difficult of times!
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