Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again...no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit..."
Paul has just exhorted the Galatians to be free, but not to use their freedom to indulge the sinful nature (v5:13). Instead, he has exhorted them to serve one another in love (v5:13). How is a believer to live this way? By living by the Spirit (v5:16) and keeping in step with the Spirit (v5:25). But before we can live, we must die first. Those who are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death (Rom 6:3). "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature" (v24). We are no longer slaves to it. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free" (5:1). We are now free to live by the Spirit. We are freed to serve others, instead of ourselves. We are freed to see the acts of the sinful nature for what they are - not because the law tells us so, but because the Spirit does. We are freed to live out love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law that compels us to live this way (v5:23), it is the Spirit within us that bears this fruit in our lives (v5:22).
Father God, fill me and enable me to walk in Your Spirit more each day. Keep me in step with Your Spirit. Remind me that I am dead to sin. Show me when I serve myself instead of Your children. Convict me of my sins so that I can seek Your forgiveness. And allow me to see myself the way You see me.
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