ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS 5:22-26; 6:1-2
Brethren, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
The words, “have crucified” are a single verb in the Greek ἐσταύρωσαν and are in the aorist tense. There’s no simple equivalent in English to the aorist tense. It is often translated in the past tense but that does not mean the action from the event isn’t continuing. For us, the act of crucifying the flesh came when we came to Christ. It continues all our lives as we walk in the Spirit.
We are called to bear one another’s burden. We do this through helping others and prayer. This is the opposite of causing strife among the brethren.
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