Gálatas 5

Gálatas 5

Calvin says "Now follows the remedy. The ruin of the church is no light evil, and whatever threatens it must be opposed with the most determined resistance. But how is this to be accomplished? By not permitting the flesh to rule in us, and by yielding ourselves to the direction of the Spirit of God." Comment - Now note what Calvin said about how this evil is to be defeated. Notice his first statement "By not permitting the flesh to rule in us." While I shudder to disagree with this pillar of Christianity, I think he is wrong on two accounts. First, he mentions dealing with the flesh first before emphasizing the Spirit, but that is not Paul's pattern - Spirit first, then flesh. Second, his statement seems to imply we have some power to not permit the flesh to rule in us. It suggest we have some innate power. Clearly that is not true for the ONLY WAY to not permit the flesh to rule is to allow the Spirit to rule and then, and only then, do we have the supernatural power to shun the flesh. This may sound like it is nit picking but I have taught this verse to young men and ask them how do you walk by the Spirit? Their answer was that you walk by the Spirit by not carrying out the deeds of the flesh. That is the wrong answer. That is backwards! That is placing one's self back under the law ("I won't do this sin, and by not doing it I will be walking in the flesh!") As De Haan says "Our hope of victory lies not in the law, or our good resolutions and intentions, but in complete submission and yielding to the Spirit’s word of grace. How clearly it is stated in Titus 2:11, 12, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us (WHAT IS TEACHING US? In context it is Grace - see "Spirit of Grace" Heb 10:29) that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this presence world (Titus 2:11, 12). (Studies in Galatians)