results & fruits

here's some stuff from the 5th chapter of the apostle Paul's letter to the new Christians in the city of Galatia.

He contracts the "results" of living on our own & giving into our sinful side with a life lived following the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Read it slowly & think about it.

Galatians 5


16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives.

         Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.

17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants.

And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires.
  

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear:

     sexual immorality,
     impurity,
     lustful pleasures,
     20 idolatry,
     sorcery,
     hostility,
     quarreling,
     jealousy,
     outbursts of anger,
     selfish ambition,
     dissension,
     division,
     21 envy,
     drunkenness,
     wild parties,
     and other sins like these.

Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.


 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:
    
     love,
     joy,
     peace,
     patience,
     kindness,
     goodness,
     faithfulness,
     23 gentleness,
     and self-control.

There is no law against these things!


  24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.