DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Galatians 5:22-6:2 (01/20 or 02/02) Holy Ascetic Father,
Venerable Euthymios the Great
Walk in the Spirit: Galatians 5:22-6:2, especially vs.
25, “If we live in the
Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Saint Paul
here portrays a cornucopia pouring overflowing with spiritual fruit; he points
to this one, that one, one over here, one over there: “...the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (vss. 22,23). The beauty of this produce of the Spirit
of God touches the heart, for it comes from the very Spirit Whom we know, in Whom we are sealed.
The Spirit is He Who meets us in worship of Christ and God our Father,
and as we venerate the Saints. Why
does the Apostle bring this fruit of the Spirit to our attention? It is to
encourage us to “...walk in the Spirit” (vs. 25), to step out into
this world and share what the Spirit produces, yes, even if we have had only
the tiniest taste.
The love that is the fruit of the Spirit is in
a class by itself among the sundry feelings, states, and activities that are
called ‘love.’ The
Spirit teaches us a greater love, very different in quality, a love that only comes
to us when we crucify “...the flesh...”(vs.
24). On the other hand, the flesh
has a resistant will opposing the Holy Spirit. The flesh turns those whom it dominates
toward an evil lifestyle that resists true conformity to God’s will. The flesh is dark, sinister slavery that
lofts the passions “...like high walls that shut out the resplendence of
the Spirit....”
The flesh is a deadly traitor stalking about
within our souls and hearts to ‘liberate’ the passions and
desires. It invited Christ to fore
go the Cross (an absurdity). The
flesh definitely suggests that we give free reign to conceit, to provoking
others, and to envy. Our flesh is
surreptitious. It calls conceit,
‘self-assurance,’ and it renames ‘provoking others’ as
‘open challenging,’ and it provides ‘envy’ with a new
slogan: ‘having a fair share.’
But it is death to ‘kindness’ and ‘goodness,’
ever opposing ‘gentleness’ and ‘self-control’ (vss. 22,23).
To approach the heavenly banquet and feed upon
the fruit of the Spirit is what the Apostle is offering us. But it comes with conditions: we have to
“...walk in the Spirit” (vs. 25), and that entails restoring others
around us “...in a spirit of gentleness...” (vs.
1). We have to connect the
gentleness which the Spirit reveals to aid our efforts at godly gentleness (vs.
1). We cannot remain aloof and
‘play spiritual games.’
Saint Paul says that the way to beat that kind of temptation is to ‘consider
ourselves’ lest we also be tempted (vs. 1). Woe to us when we forget our capacity to
sin, our tendency to be driven by our “...passions and desires”
(vs. 1). As the Lord teaches:
“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone...”
(Jn. 8:7).
Bearing others’ burdens (Gal. 6:2) is
not possible until we work with the Spirit deeply to correct our lives. Who among us can undertake this project
humanly impossible project?
Who?! Only the Spirit of the
living God, and only when our spirits welcome Him Who will assist us to
“...worship the Father in spirit and truth” (Jn. 4:23,24). Are we Christ’s? Then the Apostolic caution applies:
“...those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its
passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24).
This enemy, the flesh, must be faced with no glossing, avoiding, or
forgetting.
Lastly, ask, what is “...the law of
Christ” (vs. 6:2) we are to fulfill?
Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one
another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (Jn.
13:34). As Saint John Chrysostom
puts the matter: “The soul is situated in the middle of the struggle
between virtue and vice. If the
soul uses the body as it should, it makes itself more spiritual. But if it departs from the Spirit and
yields itself to evil desire, it renders it more earthly.” So, we return to the Apostle’s
words: the Holy Spirit as our Co-laborer gives fruit; but He does so only as we “walk in Him” (Gal. 5:25). Yield to vice, or walk in the Spirit.
O Holy Spirit, do Thou Thyself
work in us those things which are pleasing in Thy sight.
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