Vers. 16-18.-The life and warfare of the Spi,rit in the soul. This importani passage suggests a comprehensive view of the Spirit's work in the believer's life. I. 'fHE WORK OF THE SPIRIT IN THE l!ELIEVER. 1. "Walk in the Spirit." Nothin"' could be more descriptive of the natural effect of the spiritual change produced i~ regeneration. 'l'he new-born child soon discovers symptoms of activity. The languiLge of the passage reminds us: (1) Of our dependence on the Spirit. It is not enouO'h tli'at we begin the Divine life; we must maintain it through all its stages and expe~iences. 'l'he exercises of a believer are only effectual by the Spirit. (2) It implies wnsistency. Our life must be in harmony with the mind of the Spirit. His will must be our constant guide. "Therefore grieve not the Holy Spirit." "The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth." Only thus can we walk in the Spirit. (3) It. implies progress. If we walk, we make progress in our journey. "Enoch walked with God!' 2. Led by the Spirit. This implies an entire surrender of our- selves to the authority and guidance of the Spirit. The traveller in a strange land must follow his guide. So the believer is led by the Spirit with the Word, which is the chart of his journey through life. The term implies, not an isolated act of the Spirit, but a continuous help provided through all parts of a believer's life. JI. THE REASONS BY •WHIOH WE ABE HERE URGED TO MA.INT AIN OUR DEPENDENCE UPON THE SPIRIT. 1. There will be no fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. This is self- evident. The Spirit's guidance will keep us apart from all sinful indulgences, from all earthliness, from all the sins and purposes of the merely natural man. The Spirit and the flesh exclude one another. We shall not trust in our own strength, and so we shall be kept; we shall consult his will supremely, and he will deliver us from the perversities and delusions of our own will. 2. The warfare between the flesh and the Spirit demands eztreme care cm 01/,T part to be always in the Spirit's complete disposal. (1) The conflict in question ts inevitable. Indwelling sin is the calamity of all the people of God. Two powers are at work within· one and the same person. If there were no euoh strife, with the irreconcilable antagonism involved in it, there could be no grace. "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." It uses the senses to mar the Spirit's power. It presents to the eyes what -will inflame evil passions; it appeals through the ear to appetite; it finds the tongue often too ready to serve its pnrposes. " The Spirit lusteth against the flesh." He is there entrenched within the soul and will not be dislodged. He uses the senses-the eye, the ear, the tongue, the hand, the foot-for the purposes of edification. He conveys thoughts, suggests impressions, and imparts motives, which restrain, guide, and influence the soul. (2) The effects of the conflict. " So that ye cannot do the things that ye would." 'l'his implies that the believer would be free from temptation, but he cannot; he would uninterruptedly serve God, but he cannot; he would be perfect as God is perfect, but he cannot. It is a comfort, after all, to think that on account of the Spirit's operation a believer cannot get doing all the evil he would. (3) This conflict is not without its spiritual advan- tages. It humbles the believer, by giving him a better knowledge of his sin; it makes him more watchful; it endears the Saviour to him; it commends the riches of Divine grace; it calls into exercise all the graces of the Spirit and all the faculties of bis nature. It makes him long all the more for the rest of heaven. 3. The Spirit's guidance ezempts us from the Law. "If ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the Law." The Galatians were for putting themselves again in subjection to Law and forgettinu the free rule of the Spirit. " Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."" It was necessary to remind them that they were now" dead to that in which they were held" (Rom. vii. 4). It was no longer to them "a Law of sin and death." 11 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" made them free from it. How, then, does the Spirit's guidance set them apart from the Law? (1) 'l'he Spirit discovers the hopelessness of acceptance with God through Law. (2) He enables the believer to acquiesce in the blessed discovery that "Christ is the _end of the Law for righ ~eousness to every one that believeth," (3) He enables the believer to regard the Law m a ne\V 0Al,ATIA.N9, 1'.' 274 THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. [cH. v. 1---26.
light, It is now a rule of life. ,The believer does not tremble before it, beoauRo Christ fulfilled it. He delights in it after the inward man. It is to him a Law of liberty now tha.t he is not really under it as a wa.y of justifica.tlon. •: