The Flesh Versus the Spirit
Book of Galatians Chapter 5 Verse 19 through 26
Many people will not like what I say, but when we die, we finally shed this flesh that has hindered our relationship with Jesus Christ.
It is then buried till it returns to the dirt God made us from, or more so today it is burnt in an oven till it is nothing but ashes.
What had Paul said in last week’s lesson?
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
I believe our soul says "good riddance" to that sack of flesh at our death.
Our flesh is the cause of most of our pain!
The works of the flesh show us just how strong the flesh is!
Sin is first committed in secret, but by and by will work to the surface and advertise itself in shameless publicity.
In the First Century all the Rulers such as Tiberias, Caligula, Nero, Domitian were monsters of vice and cruelty, and they only got away with it because the people they governed were equally corrupt.
We can say the same about the Biden years he was not only corrupt and could not have gotten away with it, if all those around him were not also corrupt.
Our nation will suffer for years because of this just as we do because of this flesh we live in unless we get the help of the Holy Spirit.
*****Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
After we are "born again" into the family of God we are expected to be more like Jesus Christ and Jesus would never have done any of these things written in this Scripture.
Adultery is being sexually unfaithful to a husband or wife. It can also be looking on a man or woman to lust after them.
It does not matter if it is in person, in magazines, in books, on the beaches or anywhere else, it is all adultery if you are married to a wife or husband.
Fornication includes all forms of immorality and sexual acts. Premarital sex, adultery, and it also includes looking upon a man or woman to lust after them, in person, in magazines, in books, or anywhere else. We can be attracted to the opposite sex without lusting after them.
Uncleanness is moral impurity. Doing things that dirty, pollute, and soil life.
Lasciviousness is filthiness, indecency, shamelessness. Unrestrained evil thoughts and behavior. Giving in to lustful desires.
It is those who know no restraint. Those who have sinned so much that they no longer care to hide their wrong. They become slaves to filthy words, induced body movements and immoral handling of people.
Idolatry is the worship of idols, whether mental such as false gods, or made by man's hands.
It also includes to worship of ideas and devoting time and energy to something other than God.
Now it does not include enjoying the life God has given to us as long as do not put things before our worship of Him.
Witchcraft also known as sorcery, the use of drugs, or of evil spirits to get control over the lives of others or even over your own life. It would include astrology, palm reading, seances, fortune telling, crystals and any other form of witchcraft.
Hatred is enmity, hostility, animosity. It is hatred that lingers for a long time, a hatred that is deep within. We have seen many express this hatred for our new president.
Variance is strife, discord, contention, fighting, struggling, quarreling, wrangling against another person to get something such as a position, or promotion, or property, or recognition, doing whatever it takes to get what he is after.
Emulation is jealousy, desiring to have what someone else has.
Wrath is a burst of anger, indignation, a violent explosive temper with explosive reactions. Boiling emotions but these things do not usually last.
Strife is conflict within yourself, struggling to cope and including a party spirit.
Seditions are division, rebellion, standing against others, splitting off from others.
Heresies is rejecting the fundamental beliefs in God, Jesus Christ, the Scriptures, the Church. Holding on to some teaching which is not true.
Envying goes beyond jealousy. It is wanting the things some other person has and begrudging the fact that they have them. That wants those things taken away from that person and wants that person to suffer because they have lost the things they cherished.
Murders is to kill; to take the life of another person and it includes abortions for the sake of getting rid of that child.
It is God who made us and it is only He that has the rights to our living and our death.
When we take away God's right then we deserve God's punishment which is death.
We must still understand the Providence of God. Nothing happens without His knowledge, and He allows it to happen, or he does not allow it to happen for His own purpose.
Drunkenness is taking drink or drugs to affect your senses for lust or pleasure. Intoxicated, using drugs seeking to loosen moral restraint for bodily pleasure.
Reveling is carousing around, indulgence, and pleasure, wild parties, drinking parties, indulging in feeding the lust of your flesh. Orgies.
And all such things that are like these things that are named!
God has already judged those persons who do these things or take part in these things that they will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven less they come to Jesus and repent of those things.
God is righteous and He expects us to live righteous lives to be accepted by Him.
People say they are saved.
Some people even go to a church or some so-called church of false teaching.
They may even talk about Christianity and defend their beliefs.
However, they go out and live their lives like they always have giving in to the flesh.
They forget that being Christian is trying our best to be like Jesus Christ!
Many of them feel that God will forgive them no matter what they do, and he will but there must be repentance.
Many of them think they have already done enough so that God is pleased with them.
Most people believe that God will just accept them no matter how they live their lives.
God is not some Father who allows His children to do as they please.
Grace is not a license for God's people to do wrong!
God's New Heaven is made for true believers.
If we cannot do our best to live a pure and righteous life, we will not inherit the Kingdom of God!
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
All those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior are then filled with the Spirit of Jesus and will live accordingly.
There should be a great difference in a true Christian from their old life that is in the past.
*****Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
As Christians we cannot be perfect as long as we are in these bodies of flesh but having the Holy Spirit living within us we should be more like Him.
He gives us the strength to repent of our old lifestyle and here He gives us this passage.
Notice immediately He says the "fruit" and not the "fruits" of the Spirit.
We should have not just one or more of the traits but all of these traits.
Love: the Greek word used here is "Agape" .
This is brotherly love like that love our Heavenly Father shows to us. It also includes affection.
This love is not distinct but includes all the rest of the things that are mentioned here.
One of the greatest problems in our nation, in our world, and even in our churches, is that there is no natural affection for one another anymore. Hatred is in far too many spots in our lives today.
Rom_1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
2Ti_3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
We should have a natural affection within us for all the people of our world and that should include goodwill and benevolence for one another.
Joy: The Greek word used here means cheerfulness, calm delight, gladness, in fact exceedingly glad. This is not a selfish emotion but as the Sun whose rays warm gladden all people.
We must understand that being a Christian is not a set of facts. It is not a list of good deeds.
Being a Christian is a disposition of the heart.
Peace: The Greek word used here is being at true peace with us resting on the knowledge of our future and our true hope in the truth of God.
Longsuffering: Brings us that dreaded word patience.
One of the greatest uses of God’s patience was in the days of Noah that while Noah built the Ark that saved eight people Noah also preached to the world of that day around him for one hundred and twenty years and no one believed the Word of God.
We can also say the same for God today. There is really no other prophecy left that needs to be fulfilled before the "Rapture" of the Church, yet God patiently waits for that last soul to be saved before the return of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ to get His Gentile Bride.
1Pe_3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
2Pe_3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
If God can be so patient, then how can we not be the same?
Gentleness: all these words describe our Savior, but this word gentleness is so wonderful. When we read the Gospels, we cannot help but see the gentleness that the Lord Jesus showed to all the innocent. He showed true kindness to those He touched with His life while He was upon this earth.
Tit 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Faith: Faithfulness does not doubt God!
Faithfulness does not begin with God and then back off!
Faithfulness does not walk with God then give in to the lusts of the flesh!
Faithfulness begins with God and continues with God!
We should ask ourselves are we trustworthy enough to get into God's New Heaven!
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Meekness: Once we realize just how great is our God then we should have no problem submitting to God and realizing just how tiny we are in comparison. Meekness means we understand the "Providence of God", His preserving and governing of all things. If we are going through something we do not like, then God has His reasons and we need to learn from each event and come out stronger.
Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Temperance: Every time we see temperance everyone always goes to alcohol which the Lord says do not even look at.
Pro 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Pro 23:30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Pro 23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
Temperance here means self-mastery over all the indulgences of the flesh, self-control in all respects in this life.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.
If we have read the Bible, we know that there are no written laws against doing any of these things.
Laws are never made for those who obey the laws! Laws are written for those who break the laws. It seems our government is confused about this.
1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
1Ti 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
1Ti 1:11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
What is the difference between a Christian and those in the world?
*****Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
The Lord Jesus Christ took our flesh with its sin and it was nailed to the cross with Him and we are now to wear His righteousness as our flesh.
If we truly belong to Jesus Christ there will be a noticeable change from what we were!
We become the property and the possession of Jesus Christ.
We come to Christ to be delivered from our enslavement from sin, from death, and from judgment.
We want to be saved from our flesh of this corruptible world.
Paul says: Rom_8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
To mortify is put our old flesh and the deeds of that flesh to death the day we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.
No Christian should be doing the same old sins they were doing before their salvation.
This is the greatest problem in the church today along with many behind the pulpits who were never called of God.
The seminaries have forgotten the truth of God and are become useless in the work God has given us to do.
Crucifixion is a lingering mode of death, and it may take us all awhile to yield to the Spirit but it does not take long because the Holy Spirit is all powerful.
We are to be dead to sin.
We are to crucify the old man.
We are to abolish the whole body of sin with its passions and its lust!
This death is a condition of our New Birth!
The Holy Spirit lives within each Christian and being a Christian is being like Jesus Christ.
*****Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is a person of the Holy Trinity which is our God, so if we live to God let us walk in the Holy Spirit.
2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Rom 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
Rom 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
We only have a short time to be usable to God, we need to live as the Holy Spirit directs us to live and He will never direct us back into sin.
*****Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
We all stand on level ground at the cross. God will direct our lives for His purpose the remaining of our days if we are willing to giive Him contrrol.
If God does not call us to something specific, then we already have the Scriptures which gives us our directions.
We should be very careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit.
Envy is not a fruit of the Spirit but is a great sin that will tear us down and make us useless in the work of God.
In everything we do we are to give God the glory!
Amen
