Galatians 5:16-17, James 1:13-15
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, to the end that you may not do the things that you desire. Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God can’t be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own evil desire, and enticed. Then the desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, produces death.”
The apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians to address questions about living faithfully, particularly concerning freedom in Christ versus following Jewish law. Here, he encourages them to live by the Spirit. James, writing to a scattered community of Jewish believers, teaches on the origins of temptation and sin, emphasizing personal responsibility.
What inner struggle do you recognize in these descriptions of human nature and desire?