The Doorpost: Righteous living is by the Spirit
By Ray King · Sep 01, 2015
So then, brother, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Romans 8:12-13
When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit, but we still face the temptation of living according to the desires of the body. Before we became believers, we were powerless. Now we have the power of the Holy Spirit, but righteous living is not automatic. We must deliberately put to death the deeds of our body, by the Spirit.
What are the deeds of the body that we must put to death? There are many verses of Scripture that tell us. One passage is Galatians 5:16-21. Another is Colossians 3:5-11.
Righteous living is not optional, and it is not automatic. We cannot do it by our own strength, but we can do it by the Spirit. We must do it. By the Spirit.