Philip Dampier's Blog

“Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2) Christians are constantly being reminded by Paul that they are not keepers of the law but fulfillers. Just as Jesus fulfilled the old law, Christians are to fulfill the law of Christ. This is a departure in…

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” (Gal. 6:1) By caught, Paul is not implying “seeing in the act,” but rather that the transgressor is imprisoned by the…

“Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Gal. 5:26) So ends chapter five. It seems disconnected in a way from the main argument. But there is a danger of Christian conceit isn’t there. We could start boasting on how we have the Spirit and how we’re…

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:25) This verse and the next offer us that choice again. In this verse, we are asked to live and walk by the Spirit. We are to let the Holy Spirit that lives in us because…

“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Gal. 5:24) How does one come to belong to Jesus? He has to crucify the flesh. He has to destroy the old man. That old man is a man of flesh and as such…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control against such things there is no law.” (Gal. 5:22-23) As Paul has done throughout this letter he polarizes the results of living in and out of Christ. The law promotes one kind of life,…

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 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…

“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.” (Gal. 5:18) Remember, the Spirit and the flesh (law in this case) are oppositional and you have to choose one or the other. It’s works of the law or gift of grace. You can try to earn…

“For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” (Gal. 5:17) You’ve heard of polarization, where two things are at extreme…

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Gal. 5:16) Makes real good sense doesn’t it? You’d think we would have it figured out by now. The flesh and the Spirit are not partners. They don’t mix in the same way…