We have been learning about what makes a person right before God. We have discovered that rather than attaining right standing with God through keeping all the right rules, the way we actually get right with God is through having faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross. We are saved by His grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). After that, we must then choose to live according to the Spirit rather than the inclinations of our flesh.

Rather than giving us a list of rules or “church ordinances” to follow, the Apostle Paul simply lays out for us a checklist of what it looks like when we live according to our sinful nature (Galatians 5:19-21) in contrast with living according to God’s Spirit (V:22-25).

Let’s take a look at the list that gives clear evidence of a person’s living according to the sinful nature, the flesh…

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21, NKJV.

Jesus Himself addressed this problem of mankind when He said it is…“What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, “thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. “All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” Mark 7:20-23, NKJV.

This, my friend, is why man needs to be “born-again”. We don’t need “reform”. We need to be “reborn”. We need to have our minds and hearts rewired by the Spirit of God. Have you been born again?

Pastor Mike