Christ Sets Us Free

5 Christ has set us free to enjoy our freedom. So remain strong in the faith. Don’t let the chains of slavery hold you again.

Living by the Holy Spirit’s Power

¹³ My brothers and sisters, you were chosen to be free. But don’t use your freedom as an excuse to live under the power of sin. Instead, serve one another in love. ¹⁴ The whole law is fulfilled by obeying this one command. “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18) ¹⁵ If you say or do things that harm one another, watch out! You could end up destroying one another.

¹⁶ So I say, live by the Holy Spirit’s power. Then you will not do what your desires controlled by sin want you to do. ¹⁷ The desires controlled by sin do not want what the Spirit delights in. And the Spirit does not want what the desires controlled by sin delight in. The two are at war with each other. That’s why you are not supposed to do whatever you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the authority of the law.

¹⁹ The result of sin’s control in our lives is clear. It includes sexual sins, impure acts and wild living. ²⁰ It includes worshiping statues of gods and worshiping evil powers. It also includes hatred and fighting, jealousy and fits of anger. Sinful desire is interested only in getting ahead. It stirs up trouble. It separates people into their own little groups. ²¹ It wants what others have. It gets drunk and takes part in wild parties. It does many things of that kind. I warn you now as I did before. People who live like this will not receive God’s kingdom.

²² But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful ²³ and gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their sinful desires to his cross. They don’t want these things anymore. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.