When I come to see you, please don’t make me be as severe as I expect I’ll need to be toward some people who think I live in the same way as the people of this world.
That’s why I’m writing these things now, while I’m away. Then when I do come, I won’t have to use my authority and be hard on you. The Lord gave me that authority to build you up, not to tear you down.
I already warned you during my second visit, and I’ll say it again now while I’m away: When I return, I won’t spare those who sinned earlier. I won’t spare any of the others, either,
Those who do live under the control of their wrong desires think about what sin wants. But those who live under the control of the Spirit think about what the Spirit wants.
Instead, we are now able to do all the right things that the law requires, because we’re not controlled by those desires. We’re controlled by the Spirit.