The church isn’t the building. It’s the people. IRS Images, 2025.
Churches and individual believers often categorize their beliefs into three levels. First comes dogma, the non-negotiable truths worth defending at any cost. Second comes doctrine, the teachings that define a particular congregation’s identity and distinguish it from other churches. Third comes opinions, the personal convictions on matters where the Bible does not provide explicit direction.
A lot of things fall into this third category such as questions about education choices, holiday celebrations, entertainment and much more. There isn’t a biblical mandate on these. Believers may develop strong personal convictions about these and those convictions are often formed by the society each believer lives in. But these convictions should not become tests of fellowship or weapons against other believers.
The early church faced similar challenges. Some believers felt bound by dietary restrictions and special days from their Jewish heritage. Others recognized their freedom from these requirements through Christ. Some converts from pagan backgrounds struggled with eating meat that had been offered to idols, even though they intellectually understood that false gods held no real power. Their past experiences created genuine internal conflict that required time and grace to resolve.
Scripture establishes several principles for navigating these tensions. This includes grace, accountability to one another, understanding that Christ alone serves as Lord over each person’s conscience. These principles converge into one: love. Love demands that believers prioritize others above our personal freedoms. A mature believer might have every right to engage in certain activities, yet wisdom demands restraint when those activities might harm someone else’s spiritual growth.
The kingdom of God does not consist of minor rules about eating, drinking, or other disputable matters. Instead, shouldn’t it center on righteousness, peace, and joy through the Holy Spirit?
So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.
Satan is the prince of the power of the air; not the physical world. IRS Images, 2025
When the apostle Paul wrote about Satan being “the prince of the power of the air,” wasn’t he describing something specific about where the devil operates? If not, why does he use this phrase? Doesn’t this tell us that Satan rules over a spiritual realm, not the physical world we can see and touch. The word “air” here seems to refer to the invisible, immaterial world where spiritual forces exist and move. What else could it mean?
When Paul mentions that Satan works “in the sons of disobedience,” he’s explaining that the devil’s efforts toward evil and deception happen primarily among people who don’t believe in God. This doesn’t mean Satan personally visits or possesses every unbeliever. Instead, his influence spreads through other means. He works through demons who serve him and through false religious systems that lead people away from truth. The Bible tells us that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, making his deceptions appear good and appealing.
Every form of wickedness in the world carries Satan’s influence in some way. When that wickedness affects people who haven’t been redeemed by God’s grace, we can say Satan is at work in them. This is the sphere of operation that God has permitted Satan to have, but only for a limited time.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Sharing faith doesn’t require theological expertise or complex arguments. Early followers of Jesus used three simple words: “come and see.”
When Andrew found Jesus, he immediately brought his brother Simon Peter with this invitation. When Philip invited Nathaniel, who questioned whether anything good could come from Nazareth, Philip simply replied, “Come and see.”
This approach focuses on bringing people to experience faith firsthand rather than engaging in debates. One invitation can have eternal impact—Peter’s later teaching at Pentecost resulted in 3,000 conversions.
Believers need only willingness to extend a simple invitation.
People often wonder how much control Satan has over the evil we see today. When we look at corruption in government, harmful messages in entertainment, or false teachings spreading through society, we might ask if the devil is personally directing these things. The answer is not simple.
Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?, NASB; IRS Images, 2025
Even without Satan, the world would be full of evil. This is because human nature is fallen. The Bible tells us that the human heart is deceitful and wicked. People naturally struggle with desires of the flesh, covetous eyes, and pride. We do not need the devil to make us sin. We are already inclined toward it.
What Satan adds to this picture is structure. He takes human sinfulness and organizes it. He builds it into systems that trap people. He creates false religions that lead souls away from truth. He develops harmful philosophies and ideas that sound reasonable but lead to destruction. Satan works like a deceptive angel of light, making evil look appealing and acceptable.
He does not control every individual action, but he shapes the larger systems where fallen humans act out their sinful nature. Through his demonic forces, he influences governments, schools, entertainment industries, and other institutions to serve his purposes. The apostle John wrote that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. This means Satan has arranged an organized system of evil that surrounds us.
Understanding this helps us recognize that we face both internal struggles with our own sinful hearts and external pressures from a world system designed to pull us away from God.
We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
The measure of genuine salvation is not found in what someone claims to know or says they believe. Instead, it is revealed through how a person actually lives their daily life. This practical test of faith centers on whether someone walks in the Spirit or continues following the desires of their old nature.
For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. Galatians 5:16-17; IRS Images, 2025
When a person becomes a Christian, an immediate internal conflict begins. Before conversion, people simply do whatever they want, following their natural desires without spiritual resistance. However, once someone truly comes to Christ, the Holy Spirit takes residence within them and begins leading them toward God’s ways. This creates tension between what the flesh wants and what the Spirit desires. The flesh refers to more than just physical temptations. It encompasses everything related to self-centered living, including self-promotion, selfish priorities, and insisting on one’s own way. This stands in direct opposition to life in the Spirit, which operates through submission to God.
Christ provides the perfect model of this submitted life. Although He was God, He chose to submit fully to the Father’s will. He possessed the Spirit completely and demonstrated what it means to walk in obedience rather than self-will. This same struggle between flesh and Spirit defines the Christian experience. The flesh constantly seeks its own exaltation while the Spirit calls believers toward obedience to God’s word.
Take my life, and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my moments and my days; Let them flow in ceaseless praise, Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
The works of the flesh are not mysterious or hidden. They include sexual sins like adultery, fornication, uncleanness, and inappropriate behavior. They also encompass false religious practices such as idolatry and sorcery. Additionally, they involve destructive social behaviors including hatred, quarreling, jealousy, angry outbursts, etc. Those who continuously practice such things without repentance will not inherit God’s kingdom. This warning addresses people who make these sins their lifestyle and refuse to abandon them, not believers who occasionally stumble but genuinely desire to live righteously.
The contrast to these destructive patterns is the fruit of the Spirit. This fruit is singular, not plural, because it all flows from one source: the Holy Spirit dwelling within believers. This fruit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. No law exists against such qualities.
Love here means choosing to care for others regardless of whether they deserve it or make us feel good. It reflects how Christ loved humanity, not because people were lovable, but by deliberate choice. This love for fellow believers serves as evidence that someone has passed from spiritual death to life.
Joy is a deep sense of well-being completely independent of circumstances. Unlike happiness, which depends on favorable situations, joy remains constant even during terminal illness or severe hardship because it flows from relationship with Christ through the Spirit’s presence. Peace means the calm assurance of being right with God. This tranquility persists regardless of external difficulties or testing circumstances.
Patience involves enduring hardships and accepting irritating situations with grace, recognizing that God allows all circumstances for purposes of growth and transformation.
Kindness shows tender concern for others, treating them gently as the Lord treats believers. It makes one’s presence a blessing rather than a burden to others.
Goodness reflects moral and spiritual excellence expressed through active kindness toward others. Faithfulness demonstrates loyalty and trustworthiness in all relationships and commitments. Gentleness describes a humble attitude that remains patiently submissive even when offended, free from revenge or retaliation.
Self-control enables believers to restrain their passions and appetites, measuring their words and actions carefully before responding.
Walking in the Spirit happens through immersion in God’s word. The Spirit leads believers through Scripture, never contradicting what He inspired. This is why genuine Christians develop a hunger for the Bible and expect teaching to come from it. The Spirit uses the word as believers read and meditate on it to direct them into lives pleasing to God. Living with purpose means living in obedience to Scripture, even when that obedience creates difficulty or conflicts with personal preferences. This walk requires constant vigilance because sin always waits at the door for an opportunity to attack. The flesh never becomes sanctified or holy.
No amount of human effort or determination can accomplish this spiritual walk. Just as the temple could not be rebuilt through human might or power but only through God’s Spirit, learning to walk in the Spirit cannot happen through personal strength. It requires being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit does His work perfectly and simply wants believers to yield to Him.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want.
Texas Gospel Canada Southern Gospel Radio 