Galatians 5:16 - So I say, live by the Spirit

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

Galatians 5:16

Commentary

How many times have we made New Year resolutions only to find ourselves discouraged by the 2nd week (maybe even the 2nd day!). Every New Year we intend to stop this or lose that - so much so that we resign ourselves each year to making a list with the assumption that we won't keep it. But the apostle Paul gives us an important hint in what it takes to truly change: we don't make a decision to keep away from the desires of our sinful nature, we make a decision to live by the Spirit! We need to focus our gaze on where we want to go instead of looking at what we want to avoid. Let's start this New Year by taking our gaze off of our weaknesses and refocus it on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. When we do, we find that He can change us more than our resolutions!

Today's commentary by:
Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, Grace NYC

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - honor God with your body

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Commentary

Have you ever stopped to think that that extra slice of pizza or skipping a trip to the gym has great spiritual implications? According to this passage it does. The Temple of Israel was where God dwelled among his people. It was a holy place, set apart for God's purposes and presence. The Apostle Paul is telling us here that this is what our bodies have become. "Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit." Our bodies have now been set apart for God's Holy Spirit to live in. This is an amazing thought! Because of this we are not to treat our bodies like they were given to us merely for our own personal use. God paid a great price for us with the life and death of his Son. We are responsible to take good care of our bodies-valuing them-and in so doing, honoring the God who now dwells within.

Today's commentary by:
Caesar Kalinowski, Pastor, Soma Communities