Today's Reading: Galatians 5:16-24
Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:38-5:8; Ephesians 6:1-24
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:17-18).
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Spirit and the sinful flesh are fighting. Ya think!? You know that you aren't supposed to yell at your parents and disobey them, but you do. You know that you are supposed to keep your thoughts pure, but you still look at things you shouldn't. You know you should control your temper, but you still lash out. You know that you are supposed to speak well of others, but it's just so easy to spread that latest story you heard about someone. You KNOW what the right thing is, so why don't you do it? Because the sinful flesh is at war with the Spirit.
But there's more. When you know what you should do and you don't do it, when you neglect to do what you should, the guilt and shame come crashing down on you. Maybe you are good at hiding it. But they are there, whispering, “Why do you bother calling yourself a Christian?” It's not just that you sin when you know you shouldn't; it's that you are pressed down by the guilt of that sin. Why? Because the sinful flesh is at war with the Spirit.
But the Spirit wins. Because the Spirit by the Gospel has rescued you from being under the Law. The Law can't condemn you any more because Christ died for you. Whatever commandment you break, that sin has been laid upon Jesus. It's His sin now. He suffered for it. He bled and died on the Cross for it. You are set free.
How does the Spirit fight back against your sinful flesh? By your Baptism in which the promise that you are God's child cannot be broken. By Absolution, which forgives you and robs the devil of any evidence against you. By the Word, which is preached through which the Spirit works repentance and faith and a new life with good fruits in you. By the Supper, in which Christ lives in you so that if your sinful flesh wants to destroy you, it has to first get through the Son of God! Your sinful flesh fights the Spirit in you. But the Spirit wins, because He brings you Christ, who has conquered sin and death. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
God would not have the sinner die; His Son with saving grace is nigh; His Spirit in the Word declares How we in Christ are heaven's heirs. (LSB 571:3)