Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Live Worthy of Your Calling


Susan Wilson
Mar Thoma Church of San Francisco, Bay Area
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.


Our passage is taken from Paul’s letter to the newly established churches in the Roman province of Galatia. The purpose of his letter is to provide guidance and discernment in understanding the power of the Gospel of Christ. Paul’s words of encouragement proclaim a message that extends beyond the Laws of Moses and declare a message of abundant and amazing grace. In Paul’s explanation, the Gospel should lead us to live by the Spirit and not by the desires of the flesh (v16).
 
First, we must observe that we are “led” to live by the Spirit. This is much different than us trying to do the right things or being pushed by others to behave a certain way. Paul’s letter describes the Spirit working within us to draw us to this life. A life that is made visible by the fruits of the Spirit including: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (v22-23). We must first submit our lives to God and allow the Spirit to lead our lives. 
 
Secondly, this dichotomy is an ongoing theme in the New Testament. In both Mathew and Luke we are gently reminded that no one can serve two masters (Mathew 6:24 & Luke 16:13). The Gospel challenges us to not just conveniently live a life of the Spirit AND the flesh, but instead a life of the Spirit OR the flesh. So often in our lives we make compromises in our lives in an effort to appease the world and make others happy. However what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit and what the Sprit desires is opposed by the flesh (v17). These two paths cannot coexist. Paul is very clear about this in his message, in that to live by the Spirit and only by the Spirit is the only true way to salvation.
 
The Spirit and the flesh can also be analogous to light and darkness. Darkness is the absence of light and where there is no light darkness reigns. Where the light shines, darkness is no more. Light and darkness cannot coexist. We as a church are called to be Lighted to Lighten, and in this New Year let us take up this challenge to live our lives by the Spirit by bringing light to the darkness and living a life worthy of our calling. 

PRAYER


Lord we submit our lives in this New Year to allow the Spirit to lead our lives. Amen

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
No one can serve two masters.

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