The concept of “Passion” conveys a strong, barely controllable emotional state, intense desires, or a state of being acted upon or affected by an external cause. Passion is a person’s fierce drive to continually seek ways to bring about or share what they are passionate about. Since this type of intensity and experience may bring about physical suffering, it is often directly associated with suffering both physically and mentally.
In Galatians 5:24, “passion (πάθημα)” refers to the results of a stimulus that causes suffering or involves enduring strong desires from the flesh. These fleshly desires create intense emotional hunger and mental suffering as we try to satisfy them. Passions of the flesh come from the sin nature within us. The law arouses the sin nature’s passions, producing fruit leading to death (Romans 7:5), and opposes our desire to do good. Such fruit is based on dead works of the law, not faith in Christ. This type of negative passion produces a religious person who suffers to obtain their own righteousness before God and others. When a believer tries to prove his righteousness by following laws, the sin nature’s passions take over and prevent him from achieving the good he wants, since what they produce does not bring life (Romans 7:16–17).
Since “passion” refers to suffering both physical and mental, we may suffer because of the situations we face. The passions of this present time do not compare to the coming glory (Romans 8:18). Even creation groans under its bondage, waiting for deliverance when the sons of God appear. This groaning is described as labor pains (Romans 8:21). Christ was made a little lower than the angels for the passions of death but is now raised in glory and honor (Hebrews 2:9). Through His passions, He became the author of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10). His passions include not just physical suffering on the cross but also His intense desire to be obedient to God the Father, surrendering to the Father’s will. As we live out our identity in Christ, we share in His passions (2 Corinthians 1:4–5). These passions can be strong emotional responses to wrongdoing or physical suffering, stemming from our passion for the righteousness we have in Christ. Those in Christ have crucified the passions and desires of the flesh because they oppose the Spirit (Galatians 5:24). Whoever ceases from sin suffers in the flesh (Peter 4:1). When we realize what we have in Christ, worldly things become worthless (Philippians 3:8).
This passion for righteousness inspires a desire to be conformed to Christ’s death, seeking resurrection life (Philippians 3:9–11). This is not only about the future; it is living out our life in Christ now.
Passion within Christians comes from a strong attachment to doing what is right and living out the righteousness they possess in Christ. It is not a passion worked out from the flesh or the desires of the sin nature, for those types of passions are to be rejected in the life of one who has been buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life. Our passion is to be found not having our own righteousness, but working out the righteousness that is through faith in Christ, so that we may know the inherent ability of His resurrection.
