Romans
8:14
- Led by the Spirit
The phrase led
by the Spirit is only used two times in the New Testament in reference to
Christians: Romans 8:14 and Galatians
5:18.
Romans 8:13-14 - For if you live
according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to
death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the
Spirit
of God are sons of God.
In the context of
Romans 8:14, the Spirit leads Christians to put to death the
misdeeds of the body - that is, to put an end to sinful practices in our life.
When compared
with earlier statements, being led by the Spirit seems synonymous with:
Romans 8:5 - minds set on what the
Spirit desires
Romans 8:6 - the mind controlled by
the Spirit
In each case the
Spirit leads us to put off sinful practices and do
those things which we know from the Scriptures are pleasing to God.
Galatians 5:16-23 - So I say,
live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit,
and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with
each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the
Spirit,
you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual
immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord,
jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 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. But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Here as in Romans
8:14, the Spirit leads us to put off sinful practices and do those things
which we know from the Scriptures are pleasing to God.