The Passions of the Flesh

We are in our very nature sinful beings.  We lust after that which does not improve us; we seek our own glory, we look to momentary happiness, run after fleeting shadows of righteousness, and there is no hope in these things.  They will not satisfy our most deeply felt desires.

“19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” [–21, ESV]

At first glance, this passage indicates that ‘getting into heaven’ is an act of works: resolve yourself to not do these things, and you will inherit the kingdom.  Seems simple right?  Just be a good person, and you will be good to go – right on your way to salvation and great things.  That’s not really what Paul is saying here, he goes on to say, after sharing the fruit of the spirit, “24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ” [, ESV]. God does a work in us so that when we become His children, these signs of the world slowly lose their hold over us.  We begin to eschew the common signs of men after their own desires, and, instead to put on the robe of righteousness, again, through no merit of our own.  Ephesians makes that clear “4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” [, ESV]

So, what does it take to shed the fruit of the flesh, and emit the fruit of the spirit?  Faith in Christ, and submitting one’s whole life to Him.  When we belong to Christ, it’s through God’s grace – getting what you don’t deserve; a dead person has no power to raise himself from the dead.  We are made alive in Christ, through the grace of God, which gives us the ability to have faith.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
– [ESV]