God has given us a wonderful choice once again. He graciously gives us free choice when we decided to have faith in Him or not. And here again he is giving us another choice. Do we want to life in the "Flesh" as Apostle Paul describes it? Or do we want to live life by the Spirit? Similarly James touches on this issue as well but instead calls it earthly and heavenly wisdom.
Below I will list the scriptures for reference of these particular characteristics.
My first question is: Why do we even have a choice? Imagine that choice once again. This question is more geared towards non believers who think Christianity is merely about legalism.
God is always giving us options whether it would be about salvation or even what the Christian Principles look like.
First let's look at living in the flesh. What do you accomplish or long to attain when you satisfy your sinful desires? Galatians describes these as sinful natures, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious; sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you as I did before that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God".
On the other hand Paul describes how to live in the Spirit, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, and kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law."
Again we do have a choice to make. In choosing this option of living by the Spirit, it is not going to be pretty and entails suffering. It will mean we have to learn what it means to "take up our cross" on a daily basis.
By choosing to live with the Spirit it produces blessings. These qualities are from God and not earth and more certainly not from man.
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