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"'. . . that He may teach us about His ways
And that we may walk in His paths.'
For from Zion will go forth the Law
Even the Word of God from Jerusalem."
Micah 4:2
Some have held that we should seek after the "fruits of the Spirit" and not obedience to the Law of God. But the contrast between the person who "walks in the Spirit" and the person who "walks in the flesh" is not the difference between the man who does whatever he feels like doing[42] and the one who seeks to obey the written Law of God.[43] The one who "walks in the flesh" is one who either ignores the Law of God or
(a) attempts to obey only enough to gain the approval of men, even while his conscience convicts him of sin or
(b) attempts to obey under his own power ("the flesh") without the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 7), and finding this impossible, begins to re-write the Law, until finally
(c) his life is dominated by injustice, hatred (bitterness), and impurity.
But the man in Christ Jesus is freed from the laws of men, is no longer in bondage to sinful habits, and is a powerful servant of righteousness. Notice: the Law does not make him a servant of righteousness; it is the Holy Spirit Who empowers him.[44] The Spirit is given to the believer so that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in his life.[45] Galatians 5:19-23 contrasts the man in the flesh and the man in the Spirit:
19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Against
the Spirit "there is no law." What does this mean? The Christians were often accused of annulling the Law. Their accusers were dead wrong;[46] the Christians just didn't care too much for the pharisaical traditions which were called "law" by the Jews.[47] The early Christians were also often arrested by the Romans for preaching and doing other things commanded by Scripture in violation of secular state law.[48] Paul says the laws of the tyrants and Empires of the world are not as important nor as powerful as Christ.[49]But was Paul saying the Old Testament Law was against the Fruit of the Spirit? Absolutely not! Every one of the fruits listed in Galatians 5 is commanded in the Old Testament Law. Those in whom the Spirit has written the Law are those who produce the fruit of the Spirit's Law.[50]
This comes as a shock to those who are descendants of the "antinomians," or their modern incarnations in the "Jesus Freaks" and other do-as-you-please evangelicals. Let us examine the "Fruit of the Spirit," and ask two questions: (1) Are the things of the Spirit in conflict or tension with the things of the Old Testament Law, and (2) Is the Spirit-Authored Law of God in conflict with or does it supersede the Older Testament Scriptures?
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
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(42)
or says he is "led" to do - even if in clear violation of the Law of God . Find out what the Godly man feels.