Gal 5:16-26[1]
As preached at Rolling Hills Church on 05 September 2010
Last week we looked at this text from the perspective of conflict, influence, and evidence. Today we want to give some thought to what it means to Walk in the Spirit. Let's read this text again today.
Gal 5:16-26
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
The context of this command (v 1) is a) we are justified by faith alone, we do NOT need circumcision (nor any other law-work) to be saved, and b) we will bite and devour one another in our freedom if we don't walk in the Spirit. Remember this conflict between our flesh and between the Holy Spirit living in us; it is constant and hard. Last week I focused on the players in this conflict; the people who believe in Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit indwelling them, and indwelling sin or the flesh. Today the message is practical, and I pray, helpful for us to evaluate with this question and answer:
Question: Are we walking in the Spirit?
Answer: What does the fruit say?
If we are, let us by faith continue and grow!
If we are not – why not? Let's take a look at the Holy Spirit foundation laid for us in Galatians…
Gal 3:2-5 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—
This text shows that we received the Holy Spirit by faith, when we repented from sin and unbelief, and believed in Christ for salvation. FAITH is how we received the Holy Spirit.
Gal 3:14 redundantly verifies this truth: so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Gal 4:6 shows that God sent Him to us because we are sons of God! And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
Gal 4:29 explains the fight we're examining in this text; the flesh fights the Spirit in us. But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.
Gal 5:5 teaches that we await the coming of Christ through the Holy Spirit by faith. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
Church, from before you were born to before you were born again to your conversion and through your entire life in Christ, and to the end, the Holy Spirit's work in us is by faith and is critical! Our regeneration, our drawing to God, our conviction of sin, and our conversion were works of the Holy Spirit through the gospel of Jesus Christ! Christ is our Savior; He works through the Holy Spirit to do this work.
We are saved by faith, filled with the Holy Spirit by faith, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit's work through faith!
The Scriptures teach that we are enabled to live an empowered, sin-and-bondage-breaking life in the Holy Spirit's power. And it is His power working in and through us; yet our will MUST be exerted fully in this fight; it is to believe!
I would, in light of that background, say that v 25 is the insight, the truth behind or under that helps us obey v 16, church. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us recall, for our joy and hope, our confession is verified by fruit, not just our words. If the fruit is v 19-21, we are dead, unsaved, lost, and headed for hell forever. Since we have received the Holy Spirit (begun in Him), let us walk in Him. I would like to address three things from this text, four if there is time…
1) We must receive the Holy Spirit by faith in God. We must believe that He has come to live in us, to indwell us, to spiritually baptize us into the body of Christ, and to illuminate what He has inspired, and to live the life of Christ through us. As we believe God is with us, for us, and empowering us, we will grow in dependence, and in sensitivity to His leadership. But before we can get caught up in what we must do, we must sink the cornerstone for this life of faith down deep in what HE has done. This goes back to the cross, church. There, at that bloody cross on a lonely hill, Jesus purchased pardon for all who would believe in God for forgiveness and eternal life!
2) We must walk in the Spirit by faith the way we received the Holy Spirit by faith. Comparison to salvation: Col 2:6 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. We received Him by faith, and we must now walk in Him or by Him by faith. (Faith fall, new believer trusting God for help).
3) We must expect His leadership to be largely into, through, and by the Scriptures. In other words rather than speaking new or fresh words to us, the Holy Spirit will largely speak through the Scriptures to us. This is called the doctrine of illumination. You see the Holy Spirit has inspired the Scriptures; He also illuminates them to the believer. Let me give you a definition of illumination as Robert Reymond wrote: "The Holy Spirit's enabling of Christians generally to understand, to recall to mind, and to apply the Scriptures they have studied."[2] Believing in the Holy Spirit's guidance means we look for it, we long for it, we soak in the truth, and we seek for Him to bring to mind this good truth as we need it!
4) Death to the fleshly lusts is enabled by this power in us. We can see victory in our lives through this beautiful Holy Spirit working in and through us.
Are you walking in the Spirit? If you are, it is by faith, and it is a fight, but you are seeing God's power to help you, day by day. Not perfection, but power to crucify, to kill the power of the flesh. Praise God for His work in you: stand firm, and take heed, lest you fall.
If not, why not? Why are Christians enslaved to sin?
I would submit to you, based on this book and other Scriptures, four thoughts on that…
1) They trust in some form of the law/works instead of the Holy Spirit. Law-living (rules, do's and don't's) is defeated, rebellious living; it is not the Christian life. That's what this whole book of Galatians is about; being saved AND living by faith in Jesus Christ alone. They might believe Jesus saves, and they may even be saved, but the power of the Holy Spirit for sanctification's progress is hindered by faulty or weak faith. They may believe they haven't earned this power, when it was given to sinners who never COULD earn such!! Paul asked the Galatians earlier, "Having begun by the Spirit, are you now going to be perfected by the flesh!?" They may trust in their own ability to do good. These believers resist losing control to God. Trusting the Holy Spirit takes complete control out of the hand of the believer; it's scary to the control freak. Serious! I don't mean some hyper-spiritual 'fly me to Africa for life' work of the Holy Spirit, I mean, "I can break this sin-love in you" work by the Holy Spirit, but the man's pride/control reflex is used by indwelling sin to fight the very work of God in him.
2) Their faith has weakened significantly in the fight. These people no longer believe the power of God is really in and for them. Discouragement coupled with the constant whispers of the devil have drained the hope and belief of the child of God that He cares, He is able, and the He is willing to help defeat the flesh in their lives. Sad state of affairs.
3) They are blinded by sin and deceived by the devil. They've never heard – despite it being preached, read, or brought up many times – they've never heard the command or the truth; their ears have been filled with indwelling sin's lie, with the devil's lies. Eve listened, Joseph didn't. Eve proved powerless, yet Joseph was empowered to flee.
4) They aren't Christians. They were deceived into thinking they were made right when God when there was no real repentance; they still live this first list with a clear conscience, even steeped in church life. They were deceived into believing they could
Now here's the fruit list again, church…
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Matt 7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Are you walking in the Holy Spirit? If so then by God's grace, continue, and abound still more!
If not, then let me ask you this: were you born of the Holy Spirit? Today would be a good day to repent of your sin, of the powerlessness of your empty, flesh-gratifying life, and to be made new in Christ!
[1] All Scripture, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved
[2] As given on page 1042 of Wayne Grudem's excellent Systematic Theology, © 1994 by Wayne Grudem, published jointly by Zondervan Publishers and Inter-Varsity Press. All Rights Reserved.
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