The War Within

Paul has told us previously that in order to not fight and devour each other, we must properly serve each other through love by walking by the Spirit, i.e. we must rely on the Spirit, hear the Spirit in His Word, and submit to the desires of the Spirit as we find them in His Word. While this may sound simple, we know that it is not because of the war we find ourselves. This is why we find ourselves at unhealthy odds with each other. In Galatians 5:16-26, Paul says more about the battle within ourselves between the two opposing forces - the flesh and the Spirit.

More on the Battle Within

1. The war within. (Galatians 5:16,17)
2. The flesh within. (Galatians 5:18-21)
3. The Spirit within. (Galatians 5:22-26)

“I cannot pray but I sin.  I cannot hear or preach a sermon but I sin.  I cannot give an alms or receive the sacrament but I sin.  Nay, I cannot so much as confess my sins, but my very confessions are still aggravations of them.  My repentance needs to be repented of, my tears need washing, and the very washing of my tears needs still to be washed over again with the blood of my Redeemer.”

William Beveridge, Private Thoughts (London, 1720), page 52.