Kingdom Building
June 27, 2019
Scripture Reading: Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. –Galatians 5:16-21
Sometimes I wonder if people misread this scripture thinking it is commanding us to do the laundry list of behaviors as opposed to avoiding them. I hate listening to congressional hearings anymore because they rarely asked reasonable questions but rather go off on some tangent about how the others side are dirty dogs. We seem to no longer judge people’s character based on any of these behaviors. We tend to admire those who follow such lifestyles and perhaps even envy them ourselves because we are missing out on their fun.
I do remember the days when we perhaps went overboard on judging people by a strict set of moral rules and shunned them for breaking them. I do not what to return to that either. We probably need to discover or recover what Paul means by the phrases Live by the Spirit and led by the Spirit. Paul gave us each and all good advice in Philippians 2:12-13 when he encouraged us to:
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Such behavior requires us first and foremost to come into right relationship with God through the example of Jesus and welcoming the Spirit into our live. Secondly, we must be mindful of how we interact with others and whether our behavior is having the impact God desires for us. Daily self-examination is a good habit to form. Reviewing this list of examples of inappropriate behaviors might be a start. Some are things we would never do; others may be things we cannot admit we do; and some are things we know we do but cannot seem to stop. In any case, the Spirit can help us gain insight and make corrections.
Prayer: Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit*. Amen.
*Psalm 51:10-12
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.