What is life in the spirit not in the flesh?

Your question appears to be about a passage in Paul's letter to the Galatians, in which he describes the freedom we have in Jesus Christ.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law (Gal. 5:16-18 KJV). I found a sample essay, possibly better pay for an essay, geography papers.

Here we see a contrast between life in the Spirit and life in the flesh. The word lust expresses the condition of our hearts and the direction of our motives. If we are motivated by the flesh, we will spend our time and resources fulfilling fleshly desires. If, however, we have been given new life in Christ, we are free to be led by the Holy Spirit. It is a change of heart that God produces in the believer and cannot be attained without God's gift of salvation and the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Paul then goes on to list the outward characteristics of those who are following the lust of the flesh:

  • sexual immorality
  • impurity
  • debauchery
  • idolatry
  • witchcraft
  • hatred
  • discord
  • jealousy
  • fits of rage
  • selfish ambition
  • dissensions
  • factions
  • envy
  • drunkenness
  • orgies

These outward signs are not the problem that needs to be solved by working at holiness. Instead, they are the outward signs that one is living according to the flesh and not according to the Holy Spirit. Those who are led by the Spirit, as Paul continues in Galatians, demonstrate:

  • love
  • joy
  • peace
  • patience
  • kindness
  • goodness
  • faithfulness
  • gentleness
  • self-control

Again, these are admirable to work hard at, but Paul is not talking about what we need to do to walk in the Spirit, he is talking about the outward signs of one who is living in the power of the Holy Spirit.

If after examining your behaviors, you see yourself in the list of characteristics of the sinful nature, what should you do? First, make sure that you have acknowledged your sins and want to turn from them. God will forgive those who repent. Next, believe and trust that Jesus Christ is God's gift of salvation for you. It is only through his death and resurrection that you are forgiven and given new life. Last, ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit, and ask every day for a fresh filling. This daily habit will help you to turn the remote control of your life over to God.