<p>5:18 <i>But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law</i>- If we are not justified by obedience but by faith, then we have no law. Sin <i>per se </i>&nbsp;is not now something to be avoided or dodged by a steel will. But this doesn't mean we are free to act as we wish; the whole wonder of being certain that we are going to be in the Kingdom, and are at this moment acceptable with the Father and Son... this demands our all. We cannot be passive to such faith and hope.</p><p>The Greek word behind &quot;led&quot; doesn't so much mean that the Spirit goes ahead and we follow. The word is usually translated 'to be brought'. The Spirit brings us through to salvation- if we allow it. The word is used so often in Acts of Paul being 'brought' to various places; his ministry was truly one led by the Spirit. There are many connections between Galatians and Romans. Paul uses the word of how the grace of God leads us to repentance (Rom. 2:4), and of how those led by the Spirit are the sons of God (Rom. 8:14). This is the identical context to the argument here in Galatians. We who are God's sons in that we have identified with His begotten Son are given the Spirit in our hearts (Gal. 4:5). The gift of God's Spirit makes us part of the family, we think and act as do the Father and Son. The Lord Jesus was of our nature exactly so that He could bring / lead s.w. many sons unto glory (Heb. 2:10). The Lord's humanity was necessary so that we might be able to identify with Him. He as God's Son enables us to also be &quot;sons&quot;.</p><p>The same contrast between the Spirit and the Law/flesh is seen in Rom. 8:2&ndash;3: &ldquo;The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the Law (of Moses / sin) could not do...&rdquo;. The Law indirectly encouraged the &ldquo;works of the flesh&rdquo; listed in Gal. 5:19&ndash;21, shown in practice by the Jews becoming more morally degenerate than even the Canaanite nations, and calling forth Paul&rsquo;s expose of how renegade Israel were in Romans 1.</p>