Study in Galatians

Study in Galatians Presentation 12

The Flesh And The Spirit Chap 5v16-25 Presentation 12

Introduction We have seen that the great stress of this chapter is the freedom which the Lord Jesus came to secure for his people. Not least the freedom from the condemning power of the law assisted by the overwhelming influence of a bludgeoning conscience. We have noted the danger of lapsing from freedom into in to bondage to the law and the opposite reaction which is the turning of this new found freedom or liberty into a licence to sin. Presentation 12

Introduction In v13-15 Paul teaches that Christian freedom expresses itself in self-control, loving service to our neighbour and glad obedience to the law of God. But of course the all-important question is how are these things possible. The answer in this passage focuses upon the significant role which the Holy Spirit has in enabling the Christian to maintain and sustain his freedom. Paul introduces his subject by reminding us that the Christian life is one of regular spiritual conflict. Presentation 12

The Fight It is made clear in v17 that the combatants in the Christian warfare are "the flesh”and"the Spirit". The N.I.V. at this point has done more than merely translate the text describing the battle as being between the Spirit and our “sinful nature". The Greek word Paul uses is ‘sarx’, which is literally "flesh". By ‘flesh’ Paul does not mean the body that you toast under the sun when you go on your summer holidays, rather he means the remnants of our fallen human nature, the sort of people we are by natural birth. It is what J. B. Phillips calls our "lower nature". Presentation 12

The Fight And by ‘Spirit’ Paul means of course the Holy Spirit who regenerates us giving us a new nature - a second birth and who then remains dwelling within us. These two, the flesh and the Spirit are in sharp opposition to each other. It is no exaggeration to say there a constant civil war is being fought within the life of the Christian. And while it is true that as we learn to walk by the Spirit, then the flesh becomes increasingly subdued, the conflict between them is continuously fierce and unremitting. Presentation 12

The Fight Indeed, there is a sense in which this is a specifically Christian conflict. I am not suggesting than non-Christian people do not experience moral conflicts, but the conflict is fiercer in Christians because they possess two natures locked in irreconcilable antagonism. It is therefore alarming when professing Christians claim that their life is free from conflict as a result of some experience which they have been told has transported them from the battlefield to the victor's parade. The language of the N.T. is one of on-going conflict. Presentation 12

The Fight Paul describes the influence of these two protagonists. It is as well that he does so thereby defining the term,"the works/lusts of the flesh". He means much more that unrestrained sexual passion, which would be too narrow a definition, though one which the casual reader might assume today. For Paul the ‘lusts of the flesh’are all the sinful desires of our fallen nature. The list is not meant to be exhaustive but illustrative and covers the sexual, religious, and social behaviour of men and women v19-21... Presentation 12

The Fight Paul concludes his list warning that "those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God". The verb ‘live’ in this sentence refers to a habitual practice rather than an isolated lapse. The point Paul is making is that this kind of habitual behaviour is a clear evidence that Christ does not indwell the hearts of such people. It is unnatural for Christians to be relaxed and ‘feel at home’ with sin. Paul is not saying that Christians will live perfect lives or that any lapsing into sin would be unforgivable. Such false belief terrorised many in the early church. Presentation 12

The Fight The second list provided in v22ff refers to the fruit which the Holy Spirit produces in the lives of those whom he indwells. With regard to this list notice it is described as the ‘fruit’ of the Spirit and not as the ‘fruits’ of the Spirit. Think of it like this, all of these characteristics are all part of the same package. Paul is not saying, “If you can find evidence of some of these graces in your life then you can relax. He is saying that all of these graces are to be found in the heart of every believer, some more developed than others perhaps, but they are all there! Presentation 12

The Fight One could spend a whole series of studies looking at these nine graces in turn but we simply skim the surface. They can be divided into three groups. The first group, love, joy and peace are primarily concerned with our attitudes towards God. The second group, patience, kindness and goodness are concerned with attitudes towards others, they are what we might describe as social graces. While in the last group, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are directed towards the Christian himself. Presentation 12

The Fight Having placed the works of the flesh on one side and the fruit of the Spirit on the other, the inevitability of conflict is clear. This fight is one which the Christian by himself cannot win. Does v17b provide the last word about the Christian’s inner moral conflict, "so that you cannot do what you want" [cfRom.7v18]? Is this all Christianity offers, constant defeat? Does God give us a heightened sense of what is right only to leave us helpless, defeated and frustrated? No, not at all! cf.v16 "If we live by the Spirit then we will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. On the contrary we shall more and more bear the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Presentation 12

Victory Road What should the Christian response be to the lusts of the flesh which operate within his life? It is twofold: First, we are to crucify the flesh v24. Note that ‘crucifixion’ here is described not as something done to us but as something done by us. Paul borrows the language of crucifixion from Jesus who said, "If any man would come after me he must deny himself and take up his cross…”Mk8.34. To take up the cross was our Lord's way of speaking of dying to SELF. Paul takes this figure to its logical conclusion. We are not only to carry this cross but recognise and use it as a place of execution. Presentation 12

Victory Road We are to take our wilful, wayward self and [metaphorically speaking] nail it to the cross. What can we learn from this? First, that the Christian’s rejection of his old nature is to be pitiless. Crucifixion was the means of execution which in the Greco-Roman world was reserved for the worst of criminals. If therefore, we are to crucify the flesh then, clearly we are to view it not as something respectable which we treat with courtesy and deference but as something so evil and corrupt that it deserves nothing less than to be very deliberately crucified. Presentation 12

Victory Road Secondly, our rejection of the old nature will be painful. Crucifixion was a form of death associated with intense pain. Who among us does not know the acute pain of inner conflict when self has been denied? Thirdly, the rejection of the old nature is to be decisive. Although crucifixion was a lingering death it was a certain death. We will not succeed in destroying the remnants of our fallen nature, while here on earth below but this does not prevent us from keeping it fixed on the cross and determined to keep it pinned there until we die. Presentation 12

Victory Road Therefore, Paul is saying to his Christian readership; “When we came to Jesus Christ, we repented of our old life, we turned our backs upon it; we took our old self-centred nature, with all its sinful passions and desires, and nailed it to the cross. This repentance of ours was decisive, as decisive as crucifixion. If we have crucified the flesh we must leave it there to die. We must renew daily this attitude towards sin which is one of ruthless and uncompromising rejection…” "Take up the cross daily". Presentation 12

Victory Road This is an area of biblical teaching that is often neglected. The measure of a man's holiness lies in the degree and decisiveness of his repentance. If besetting sins persistently plague him, it is because he has either never truly repented, or having repented he has not maintained his repentance. It is as if having nailed the old nature to the cross, he returns wistfully to the scene of execution seeking to revive the dying self by taking it down from the cross. We need to learn to leave it there. When some jealous, malicious or proud or impure thought invades our mind we must kick it out at once. It is fatal to think ourselves so strong that we can allow it house-room and then show it the door at our leisure. We have declared war on it and we are not going to be tricked into reopening negotiations. We have crucified the flesh and will not now withdraw the nails! Presentation 12

Victory Road Secondly Paul says we are to, “Live by the Spirit v16 And it clearly involves being "led by the Spirit" v18. But what does that mean? The verb Paul uses is one used to describe a farmer handling cattle, a shepherd leading sheep and a wind driving a ship. The Holy Spirit is our leader, he takes the initiative, he asserts his desires against those of the flesh v17. Heforms desires for holiness within our hearts. He puts gentle pressure on us to convince us to yield to his direction and control. We are to follow his promptings. He is the author of holiness within our lives. The hymn writer says: For every virtue we possess, And every victory won, And every thought of holiness, Are his alone! Presentation 12

Victory Road But it would be a great mistake to suppose that all we have to do is passively surrender to his leading- there is a line of teaching on holiness about which subscribes to the phrase, "let go and let God". We are not to be mere passive agents but active co-operators with him. We are to walk actively. This is brought out in v25 "let us keep in step with the Spirit". The same word is used to describe those who walk in line beside Abraham in Rom. 4v12 - they are actively following his example. In other words, Paul is saying here that there is a rule or principle to be followed. We are to follow the Holy Spirit’s line and follow his will. Presentation 12

Victory Road We are not only to turn our backs on what we know to be wrong, “crucifying the flesh” we must also “walk by the Spirit”, setting out to follow what we know to be right. We turn from what is evil in order to occupy ourselves with what we know to be good. We are to set our minds on the things of the Spirit cfPhil.4v8 This way of life will touch the leisure occupations we pursue, the books we read, the friendships we make, and the use we make of the means of grace. It is only as we make this twofold response, one negative and the other positive, one relating to the flesh and the other to the Holy Spirit that the fruit of the Spirit will be seen to flourish in our lives. Presentation 12

Conclusion This glorious victory is daily within reach of every Christian. We for our part have to determine to reach out and make it our own. Recognising that: It is a daily conflict. It is a painful conflict for whimpering self pleads with us so pitifully. It seems so weak and ineffective that we are constantly tempted to pull out the nails that secures him. We need to learn the absolute importance of leaving him securely nailed to the cross as we learn to walk with the Spirit. Presentation 12

Study in Galatians