A couple of interesting points in this passage.
One obvious point that Paul is trying to make is that the only people who are truly free are those who have been reborn, since they are the only ones who can choose to sin or not sin. Those who have not been forgiven and reborn through Jesus cannot really choose not to sin. They might, on occasion, not sin when tempted; one might decide to tell the truth instead of a lie, but in the end their behavior will be sinful.
What I find more interesting is Paul's list in verse 20 and 21 of Chapter 5. He finds sexual immorality, idolatry and witchcraft in the same category as discord, selfish ambition and envy, then tops off the list with drunkenness and orgies.
In the church these days we tend to be against certain kinds of sins that we all agree are terrible, like witchcraft, idolatry and orgies, and tolerate others such as people who envy others or are selfishly ambitious.
Isn't it time we admitted that there are no "misdemeanor" sins, that they all betray our sinful nature and that we all need to fight against them in our own lives and be changed by the Spirit until we don't live in them any more?
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