But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:18)
There are certain ways that a person led by the Spirit and a person under law can look similar.
Superficially, both may look like “good people.”
But there are some marked differences.
People under law live their entire lives trying to gain God’s love and acceptance by keeping the rules.
But because they can never keep them perfectly, they’re constantly afraid of not measuring up. Of constantly letting God down. And of God’s punishment when they fail.
The result? They’re constantly walking on eggshells when they’re around God.
Others do walk confidently before God, but only because they’ve convinced themselves that they are keeping all the rules. They’re blind to all the ways they’ve failed and don’t realize they’re actually under God’s condemnation.
But there is no condemnation for those led by God’s Spirit. Not because of their own ability to please God, but because of what Jesus did for them on the cross.
They no longer strain to gain God’s love and acceptance. Instead, they rest in the truth that God already loves and accepts them.
And with that joy in their hearts, they walk with their Father every day seeking to please him, not out of fear, but in loving response to his love for them.
They’re no longer under the strain of trying to uphold every law by their own efforts, wondering in fear if there’s something they’ve overlooked.
All they’re interested in is taking their next step forward with their Father. And led by the Spirit, they step by step put sin to death in their lives.
More, step by step, the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control grows in their lives and they become more like their Father who loves them.
How are you living your life? Are you living as a beloved child of God led by the Spirit? Or are you living as if you’re under law?
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 