Just looking at the verse number, you would have thought I'm going to talk about the fruits of the Spirit.
According to the Everyone Series by Tom Wright (i.e. NT Wright), the point in this part is in lining up with the Spirit. As you know, in Galatians, people are arguing about whether circumcision is necessary for a Gentile Christian to fully receive God's grace.
"The balance this produces is as vital for the church today as it ever was. Often, today, when people emphaisze the need for love, patience, gentleness and the like, this goes with an attitude to truth and the gospel which says that we shouldn't stress the things we disagree on. Equally, when people are passionate for the truth of the gospel, as Paul was, they often allow that zeal to betray them into the kind of anger and even malice that are listed under 'the works of the flesh'. Often the blend of truth and love which Paul so often urged (see, e.g., Ephesians 4.15) seems elusive in church life. Paul's own answer to the problem would be short and clear: we need to learn to line up more effectively with the spirit."
It's so true. We often, in an attempt to avoid conflict, avoid our differences and the truth as well.
I think the answer is to pray more and allow the spirit to change us through our prayers.
This gives me an insight on how to handle conflict in the fellowship/church in the future.
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