Living by the Spirit: Choosing Love Over Selfishness (Galatians 5:13-26)
Life is full of choices. Every day, we get to decide how we treat others, how we react, and what kind of people we want to be. In Galatians 5:13–26, the Apostle Paul gives us some clear and helpful guidance: use your freedom to love, not to hurt. Let God’s Spirit lead your life.
You Are Free—Now What?
Paul reminds believers that they’ve been set free through Jesus. That means they’re not tied down by a bunch of religious rules anymore. But he gives a warning: don’t use your freedom to be selfish or hurt others. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
He sums it up like this:
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
That’s the heart of what God wants from us—not just doing whatever we feel like, but choosing to love others the way we want to be loved.
Two Ways to Live
Paul says there are two paths we can follow:
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Living to please ourselves (our sinful nature)
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Living to follow God’s Spirit
He’s honest about what happens when we follow our selfish desires. It leads to things like:
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Anger
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Jealousy
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Fighting
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Hatred
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Sexual sin
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Drunkenness
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And more…
These things tear people apart and pull us away from God. Paul makes it clear: if we make a habit of living like this, we’re missing out on the life God wants for us.
But when we let God’s Spirit lead us, something amazing happens.
The Fruit of the Spirit
Paul describes the kind of person we become when we walk with God’s Spirit. He calls it the fruit of the Spirit—the good things that naturally grow in us when we let God shape our hearts.
Here they are:
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Love
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Joy
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Peace
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Patience
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Kindness
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Goodness
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Faithfulness
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Gentleness
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Self-control
These are the qualities that make relationships stronger and life better. And Paul says, “There’s no law against these things.” In other words, this is how we’re meant to live.
Living by the Spirit Every Day
Paul ends this section by encouraging believers to keep in step with the Spirit. That means being aware of how we’re living, what’s motivating us, and how we treat others.
He also warns us not to be proud, not to provoke each other, and not to be jealous. These attitudes get in the way of the Spirit’s work in our lives.
Final Thoughts
Freedom in Jesus isn’t about doing whatever we want—it’s about becoming who we were meant to be. When we let the Holy Spirit guide our thoughts, words, and actions, we grow into people who are full of love, peace, and kindness.
So here’s a simple question to ask yourself today:
Am I following my own selfish desires—or am I letting God’s Spirit lead me?
Let’s choose the way of the Spirit, and let the fruit of God’s love grow in every part of our lives.
Galatians 5:13-26 (WEB)
5:13 For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another.16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.