Galatians 5:16, This I say then, WALK IN THE SPIRIT, and you shall NOT FULFIL the lust of the FLESH.
17, For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that you would.
18, But if YOU BE LED OF THE SPIRIT, you are NOT UNDER the LAW.
Romans 7:5, For when we were in the FLESH, the motions of SINS, which WERE BY THE LAW, did work in our members to BRING forth fruit unto DEATH!!!!
THE CORRELATION
We see in the above verses a correlation between; the Flesh and the Law.
The problem I see is that if we live our lives trying to be obedient to the Law, we will find ourselves also living in the Flesh.
And perhaps an even more serious situation may develop than what we might imagine.
Galatians 5:4, says, Christ is become of NO EFFECT unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the LAW; you ARE FALLEN FROM GRACE.
Galatians 5:19 says, Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
THE CLINCHER
When we see people having trouble (for an extended period of time) with some type of sin (any of those which are named above or any other sin which we could name), then we know that according to the Word of God that they are trying to follow after Law of one form or another.
A more personal perspective of the situation would be this which follows:
If I find myself committing some type of sin, any sin; including those mentioned above, then I need to search within my own heart and understanding, and pray that God will show me where it is that I am trying to serve the Law. Yes, that is correct, if I am led by the flesh, it will be because I am somehow trusting in or serving the Law (Romans 7:5, For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6, But now we are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter).
IN OTHER WORDS
Walking after the Spirit is simply trusting in Christ and what He accomplished on the Cross on our behalf. Each step of the way and each step of the day, we all need to realize that Christ has completely paid for our Redemption, Justification, and Righteousness.
Part of that Redemption is from the curse of the Law (Gal. 3:13, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us).
Many of us are not considering the fact of our being redeemed from the Law. On the contrary, I am certain that many are actually looking to the Law as something which will some how aid them in their salvation, or at the very least in their sanctification. And others are not even realizing that they are depending on some kind of Law.
THE LAW PROBLEM
Christ has totally provided ALL which was necessary for, atonement, salvation, sanctification, justification, and righteousness.
If we imagine there is something else which will contribute to the above mentioned, we will grieve the Holy Spirit. When we grieve the Holy Spirit; we will not be a happy camper (that is, if we are truly seeking God, and desire to live a victorious life).
