Continued

18   But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under law.
19   The acts of the sinful nature are obvious:
sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;
20   idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discard, jealousy,
fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
21   and envy; 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.

Acts of the flesh, in verse 21
Those who live like this
is referring to people who do these things by nature,
habitual offenders will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

There is not a person alive [christians included] that at one time or another
has not done some of the things listed above.
Most of us are not sexually immoral,
we don't practice witchcraft or orgies,
but who among us that is not jealous ocassionally
or has not looked at a friends new car or new T.V. or anything and thought to themselves
I sure would like ot have one like that,
[Envy] or at one time or another got mad and flew off the handle at home or at work or any place.
Many of us have made a statement like, "If I had his money."
All of us have a weakness of the flesh now and then.

Galations 22; But the fruit of the spirit is love,
joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23; gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law.

Verses 22 and 23 above is what the born again experience is,
this is what we become if we are truly saved...
not a robot running around with a checklist of do do's and don;t do's.

24   Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with it's passions and desires.

1 Cor 6:9-12
9   Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be decieved; Neither the sexually immoral nor idolators
nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
10   nor thieves nor the greedy nor the drunkards nor slanderers
nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.(NIV)

The above verses from Corinthians are pretty much self explanatory.
There are many people that call themselves christians that fit in the above catagory.

12   "Everything is permissible for me"-- but not everything is beneficial.
"Everything is permissible for me"-- but I will not be mastered by anything.
(NIV) [The greek means everything is permissible without exception]


Paul was forever encountering the fundamentalist of his day.
The teachings of the judaizers that were telling the new converts that they had to be circumcised
and had to obey the law of Moses.

Paul was pointing out that he was a free man in Christ and that he was not bound by law.
God sent a messanger of satan to be with Paul continually.
God did this to testify to the fact that Paul was saved by grace not works.
Paul begged God to take the demon away, but God refused.
God told Paul that his grace was sufficient for him.
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit,
the requirement to keep the temple santified is that we live by faith,
God will give us what we need to keep the santification.