“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.”-Galatians 5:19-21

There are some who would read this part of the verse and think that sounds like a good party. On the outside that sounds like a lot of fun, and maybe it would be at first, but like fruit that is rotting slowly, if you participate in these kin ds of actions, it will rot your life and eventually your soul. Drunkenness might be fun, but it leads to addiction and liver problems. Orgies might seem fun, but it leads to sexually transmitted diseases, broken hearts, and once again never ending addiction. Selfish ambition leads to loneliness, fits of rage leads to bloody noses, hatred leads to depression, and the list go on and on and on.

These kinds of actions also rot your soul. No of these things lead to meaning, inner peace, purpose, love, and most importantly it prevents you from having a relationship with your creator for all of eternity. Let me show you the rest of the verses that displays Paul’s point and helps you see the big picture…

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and env y; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” –Galatians 5:19-26


Now doesn’t the second part seem much better? It is full of meaning, purpose, love, and hope. It is the type of environment you would want to raise your children in. It is time to start living by the Spirit. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to all those who follow him. And Paul warns us here as well by telling us those who act in the sinful nature will not inherit the kingdom of God. I do not know about you but the choice seems easy to me. Is your soul decaying from within like a rotting fruit? Or is your soul leading you to eternal life?

“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified youto share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” –Colossians 1:10-12