Thursday, June 13: “Forgiven, not Excused Part V”

Galatians 5: 16, 17: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”

In a brief recapitulation of what he wrote to the Roman Church in chapters 4-8, St. Paul here explains why our weak excuses for our sin are just that–weak excuses. Unlike the Old Testament saints who had the Law, but were unequipped to keep it, we have been gifted with the indwelling Holy Spirit, Whose direction and grace empowers us to walk in newness of life. Thank God that, in His great mercy, “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103: 10) But thank Him even more that we can live out the life of Christ in us!