Galatians 5
Rebecca Lightfoot
As Christians,we have this thing(not a good thing!) inside us that is powerfully drawn to making us feel better about ourselves.Considering our “faith”,we typically know enough about the “rules&principles” in the Bible that we tend to make us feel better about ourselves by cherry picking a few of these to “live by”,or at least “draw a line” for our behaviors. Even though we may not consider ourselves legalistic like a Pharisee,in essence our lives are “pharasitical” because we base our feeling secure in our position w Christ on a few of the “rules&principles”,and not seeking to know a vibrant relationship with Christ through His Spirit that dwells within us!This is what Galatians 5:4 addresses when it says,”You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ;you have fallen away from Grace.”In other words,when we lean on a few,or many,of the “rules&principles” in the Bible to be the foundation of our identity in Christ(instead of a vibrant RELATIONSHIP with Christ/His Spirit that lives within)we alienate ourselves from Christ,and away from the life changing GRACE that Christ only provides.Our lives are not changed by cherry picking from a menu of rules&principles from the Bible to live by....in fact Galatians5:3 says that if cherry picking from the menu is “our way”,then we are going to be held accountable for the WHOLE list of rules&principles->”Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised(cherry picking from Biblical rules&principles to live by/base my faith on)that he is obligated to obey the whole law”.SO!Having this cherry picking way of faith not only alienates us from Christ,but it also makes us accountable to ALL of the rules&principles in the Bible!Paul addresses this by saying instead of living by cherry picking,we need to “live by the Spirit”->Galatians5:16-18,”So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.....But if you are led by the Spirit(live by the promptings & power of the Holy Spirit that is within us)you are not under the law”-> Christ set us free from the burden of the Law(Galatians5:1)!set us free from the Law so we can have a vibrant relationship with Him through His Spirit that lives within us! When we sincerely trust Christ for our salvation,He gives us His Spirit to live within our being...to guide us/to grow us/to prepare us/to spiritually feed us;etc.!When we lean on these things from His Spirit, we will be drawn into a vibrant relationship with Christ that grows us/prepares us/feeds us;etc., in ways that change us from the inside out->Galatians5:22,”...the fruit of the Spirit is love,joy,peace,patience,kindness,goodness,faithfulness,gentleness & self control.”These are the things that truly indicate the state of our relationship with Christ...and NOT necessarily a cherry picked list of Biblical rules&principles we choose to live by,& judge others by!A personal relationship w Christ is “indicated” by how our life is regularly being changed by the time we spend with Him,in His Word,in conversation&prayer with Him,& by following the lead of His Spirit in and around our lives(Galatians5:25,”Since we live by the Spirit,let us keep in step with the Spirit”.)! Dear Jesus,this cherry picking attitude in my heart/mind/live has robbed me of so much...,especially of knowing You more and more.Forgive me...and help me be aware of the cherry picking that I do every day...help me to be more and more responsive to Your Spirit that lives inside me...and may I be constantly changed by the time I spend with You!