Free to Live Holy

Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Paul has been expressing his grave concern about what was happening at this church.  Some were calling for a call to legalistic observance of the law as a means to protect against flagrant immorality. This was a turning away from the life of faith and grace in Christ Jesus.  Paul was in no way downplaying to need for holiness of life; rather, he was reminding them (and us) that holiness comes through the power of the Holy Spirit within, not rules and regulations imposed from without. The Spirit changes us from the inside out.