“⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.  The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Gal 5:6b

Wow, a strong and gutsy statement for someone representing a faith spawned from Judaism.  Words that would be critized and scourned by faithful and law loving Jews.  Why make such a controversial statement?  Paul is making this statement because the Christians he was speaking to were caught up in the wrong head space.  They were arguing about the law of God, what is right and what isn’t right, what laws they still were under and which they were free from…and in the debate inadvertantly reverting to everything wrong with the religion Christ came to save the world from.  The argument is between those who wanted strict adherence to the law (circumcision), and those who wanted complete freedom from the law (uncircumcision) which was leading to an indulgence in sin.  Paul’s words are an attempt to end the discussion entirely, to change the church’s focus, to simplify it, to take the Christian life out of the theological sphere and onto the street.  And so he says, ‘the only thing that counts is faith expressed through love.’ 

That’s it, stop arguing, stop trying to get it right, stop trying to figure everything out, and stop trying to create a formula.  Christ’s way is faith expressed through love.  2 words, faith & love, to explain things that intentionally cannot be regulated, measured, or figured out completely in our minds.  They must be lived ‘through’. 

That phrase, ‘faith expressed through love’, is key to a life lived walking in the Spirit.  The NASB bible has it as, “faith working through love.”  And The Message has it as, “faith expressed in love.”  Our faith in Christ counts when it is working or expressing itself, and the result, the test, is always ‘does it produce love?’  

 Walking in the Spirit is Paul’s solution to the human problem of slipping too far in either direction between circumcision and uncircumcision.  From either going back to the old ways of the rules for loving God, or slipping into complete freedom and indulging in the sinful nature.  In verse 16 he lays out the Christian way…

¹⁶So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. ¹⁷For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

If you are led by the Spirit you will neither gratify the sinful nature, or be under the law.  A holy freedom. 
This is Paul’s short answer for the question, ‘how do we now live?’
After becoming a Christian, that question is always in front of us.  
How do I now live? 
The journey from salvations first light onward is primarily about learning how to be led by the Spirit and unlearning being led by our own will and desires.  The journey takes time (a lifetime in fact), effort, grace, and lots of help.
As we look in our churches we may find that some people have been sidetracked from this journey, but that does not make it okay for us to do the same.  On the contrary, how much more does the church need believers who are actively and passionately following this prime directive, therein providing an example for others to follow. 

How does this all work, how exactly does the Spirit lead?
1) First of all, by the Spirit’s revelation, the New Testament (I Cor. 2: 13, Jn. 14: 26, 16: 13)
2) The Spirit teaches the Christian regarding the “fruit of the Spirit,” the antithesis of the works of the flesh
3) The Spirit inspires specific tasks or acts of faithfulness in the mind of the believer

What part do we play, is this the Spirit’s job entirely?
No, otherwise Paul would not have to encourage us to live this way.  We have a part to play in being led.
1) Learn the revealed desires of God in His word 
2) Commit to growing the fruit of the Spirit in your life
3) Ask to be led in this way, prepare your heart for obedience
4) Obey when the opportunity comes to express your faith in love

What are some of the common things that sidetrack us from walking in the Spirit?
1) Committing Sin: sin will block our desire to listen to the Spirit, because we focus of ourselves instead of God
2) Distractions: the trivial things that change our focus from God’s Kingdom to anything else
3) Setbacks or seeming failures when we do step out in faith.  These work to discourage us and allow doubt to creep into our faith life. 

While on the journey, we will get tired, sidetracked, distracted, and even dissillusioned.  At those times, and at this time it is important to remember that the journey takes time (a lifetime in fact), effort, grace, and lots of help.  We cannot live the Spirit led life on our own, nor does God want us to, be are a body all being led by the Spirit together. 

May we be those believers who take up the call to walk in the Spirit.  Let us pray for this, and practice this as the highest Spiritual Practice of our lives.  Higher than any other religious act we can conceive of.  May we do it together, and for the glory of God.  Amen.