Hello
Friends!
During
this week’s gathering, we’ll continue to work our way through the book written
to the Galatians as we consider
the ONE and ONLY saving “salvation” message of “Jesus Christ” as decreed throughout this excellent
Epistle – “Only ONE Gospel!”
Galatians: Only ONE Gospel! (Chapter 5:16-26)
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the
lust of the flesh. 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. 18 But
if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the
flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 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. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law. 24 And they that are
Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If
we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous
of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another – Galatians 5:16-26
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: At this point in our
diligent study, we are approaching the very essence of SANCTIFICATION at
the very HEART of “our”
diligent OBEDIENCE in godly “living” within the “Christian”
life. Thus, we indeed face a great CHALLENGE at this point of our PURSUIT towards Christ-likeness. WHAT?
Although we have indeed been JUSTIFIED through regeneration as a “new creation” with God-given new AFFECTIONS, new LONGINGS and new DESIRES,
the fallen “flesh” is STILL there! And the fact of the matter
is we have NOT yet reached GLORIFICATION in
“Jesus Christ” our Lord and until then, we
will NOT be
finally FREE from the “sinful”
ingrained impulses that REMAIN in our “fallen”
and – Fickle flesh!
REMNANT
REMINDER:
And “receiving” the “Holy
Spirit” is not SUBSEQUENT
to our eternal “salvation” unto God. Rather,
as the “Apostle Paul” diligently
states throughout in his lavish letters, we have fully “received” the “Holy
Spirit” at that very MOMENT in time:
But ye are not
in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his – Romans 8:9
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the
members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by
one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles,
whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
For the body is not one member, but many – 1 Corinthians 12:12-14
That we should be to the praise
of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that
ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after
that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the
earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession,
unto the praise of his glory – Ephesians 1:12-14
And
as we’ve been “learning” here in the book
of Galatians, if “God” the “Holy
Spirit” is IN you, “God”
the “Father” is IN you and “God”
the “Son” is IN you as well. WHY? Because “God”
is ONE indivisible!
And the great “mystery” of the Trinity is
this: God Himself in His FULLNESS
dwells IN every “believer”
through “Jesus Christ” our Lord – LIVING the Christian LIFE!
QUIZZING QUESTIONS: HOW do we “live”
as an OVERCOMER in life? HOW do we “live”
a TRIUMPHANT life?
HOW do we
“live” a life of JOY in this life? HOW do we
get OUT of
the wicked “lusts of the flesh” and INTO the “fruit
of the Spirit” as Paul describes? – That is THE
question!
For we
know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not;
but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I
would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now
then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good
thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I
find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the
evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I
would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with
me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward
man: But I see another law in my members, warring
against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin
which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who
shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank
God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law
of God; but with the flesh the law of sin – Romans 7:14-25
God’s
PERFECT standard
is incredibly HIGH and we are still “fleshly”
in the natural. And “we”
have NOT yet
fully “received” the eternal “redemption” of the GLORIFIED promised
physical “new body” anew. Thus, we REMAIN in
our “fallen” fickle abode. Therefore, Paul “teaches” us all HOW to rightly – WALK it out!
Walking IN the Spirit!
The
ONLY way
that “we” will OVERCOME our
“fleshly” fallen DESIRES is by willingly “walking”
in the POWER of the “Holy Spirit”
Himself. Therefore, Paul will “say”
it like this throughout the remainder of this very CHALLENGING chapter:
This I
say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 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. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law – Galatians 5:16-18
CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS: This is the ESSENCE of the “Christian”
life! And if “we” do not “understand” the “Word
of God” or exactly WHAT it “teaches”
rightly, we’ll be quite LIMITED by the “sinful lusts”
lurking within our “fleshly” lives. WHY? Because we will not “know” the Biblical PATH on which to “Walk
in the Spirit” of which the “Lord”
has so lovingly LAID for “each” of “us”
to FAITHFULLY follow..
Therefore we are
buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from
the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of
life… Let
not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the
lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness
unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead,
and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God… But God be thanked,
that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form
of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became
the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the
infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to
uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members
servants to righteousness unto holiness – Romans 6:4, 12-13 & 17-19
As ye have therefore received
Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and
established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with
thanksgiving – Colossians 2:6-7
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to
walk, even as he walked – 1 John
2:6
Thy word is a
lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path – Psalm 119:105
And
that is PRECISELY why our “Lord Jesus
Christ” proclaimed this poignant PROMISE
within His High Priestly “prayer”
to “God” the “Father”
concerning our Sovereign SANCTIFICATION
service IN Him:
Sanctify them
through thy truth: thy word is truth – John
17:17
POIGNANT POINT: As we get to “know”
the “Word of God” more and are “filled” with the “Word
of God” it will absolutely DOMINATE our lives! And as a right RESULT,
the “Spirit of God” will prompt us to MOVE in
the proper DIRECTION of what the “Scripture”
says…
I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be
not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of
God – Romans 12:1-2
And
if we “do” this for a LIFE TIME we will then “learn” to thoroughly THINK Biblically and thus LIVE accordingly. Our involuntary reactions will
thus become increasingly more BIBLICAL in nature. It is the “truth”
of God’s wonderful “word” that constantly
will CONFORM us
unto – His LIKENESS!
“Now” Paul continues to dutifully DESCRIBE the wicked “works of the flesh” of which are “manifest” amongst “us” and are to be rightly REPENTED of unto the Lord:
Now the
works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
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 – Galatians 5:19-21
This
is a DREADFUL depiction of what the SINFUL fallen “flesh”
produces. And as Paul says, these are only “such like” samples of the serious “sins” that
are “manifest”
deep INSIDE the
“heart” of mankind and thus “they” who habitually
dauntingly “do” these “such things” will NOT eternally “inherit”
the – Kingdom of God!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: Similarly, Paul ADMONISHES the “dear
children” of the Ephesian fellowship in this EXACT manner to be faithful “followers
of God” via their “walk”
with “Jesus Christ” our Lord:
Be ye therefore followers of God,
as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath
given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling
savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be
once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish
talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man,
who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of
God – Ephesians
5:1-5
Paul further EXPANDS on this poignant point in the book of Romans concerning the “works of the flesh”
through on-going “sinful” battles with our FALLEN nature and its exposure BY the lovely “law” of God:
What shall we say then? Is the
law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not
known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking
occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For
without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when
the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was
ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the
commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the
commandment holy, and just, and good… For I know that in me (that is, in my
flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to
perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but
the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no
more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me – Romans
7:7-12 & 18-20
And
AGAIN Paul confronts the “carnal” immature Corinthian congregation
of “living” such “unrighteous”
lives:
Know ye not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with
mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God – 1
Corinthians 6:9-10
Our
society TODAY is doggedly dominated by intentional “immorality” of absolutely EVERY kind
and “we” as true “Christians”
languish in the MIDDLE of these “sins”
constantly. And apart from the “gospel”
and the POWER of the “Holy Spirit”
to securely “save” a lost “soul” from eternal DAMNATION,
this is where such people live… Even in the professing “church”
itself. Therefore, it’s little wonder THEY
would habitually – HATE
the Bible!
“But” Paul then diligently DESCRIBES the fragrant “fruit of the Spirit” of which provides
the purposeful POWER to rightly “live” the
blessed “Christian” luminous LIFE according to the loving “law” of
God:
But the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, Meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law – Galatians 5:22-23
All
of these magnificent MANIFESTATIONS represent the righteous “work”
of the “Holy Spirit” Himself.
Conversely, if abandoned unto our own “fleshly”
lives, we could NOT at all PLEASE God. Therefore, we of whom are “Christ's” have “crucified the flesh” instead:
And they
that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts – Galatians 5:24
Similarly,
Paul again ADMONISHES
the Ephesian
fellowship with these wonderful “words”
of WARNING from God:
And be not drunk with wine,
wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart
to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear
of God – Ephesians 5:18-21
Although
“Christians” will indeed “sin” in their “walk”
with God, the course of their “life”
is MARKED by
the pattern
of right “righteousness” in “Jesus Christ” our Lord. And it is not the PERFECTION of
your “life” that matters most.
Rather, it is the willful – DIRECTION of your life!
If we
live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying
one another – Galatians 5:25-26
Thankfully,
the “Holy Spirit” will constantly CONVICT us
so that we do NOT dauntingly
DO whatever our fallen “flesh”
wants. Rather, we “reprove” these DESIRES of “darkness”
throughout our “walk” in the wonderful “will” of God…
Let no man deceive you with vain
words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes
darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the
fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving
what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather reprove them – Ephesians
5:6-11
See then that ye walk
circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days
are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the
Lord is – Ephesians 5:15-17
And
the Apostle John had this to say concerning the “sin”
and “transgression” of man verses the “law” of God:
Whosoever committeth sin
transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye
know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him,
neither known him – 1 John 3:4-6
The
“people” of God’s “Kingdom”
also struggle
with the “things” that are of the “flesh” but rightly DESIRE to willfully “walk”
in the “worthy” direction of the “Holy Spirit” by His POWER and BLESSING
of a supernaturally – REGENERATED heart!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: That’s how “Jesus
Christ” the “Son of God”
lived His PERFECT life. HOW?
He submissively “walked according to the Spirit”
as He LIMITED Himself to the “will of God”
the “Father” and the POWER of the “Holy Spirit”
Himself, third Person of the Trinity:
Who, being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took
upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he
humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross – Philippians 2:6-8
He went a
little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me;
nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” – Matthew 26:39
I can of
Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I
do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me – John 5:30
That
is the self-emptying Kenosis
of “Jesus Christ” born of a VIRGIN by birth
through His INCARNATION that took place as He “made himself of no reputation” by setting-aside the independent
use of His divine prerogatives to diligently “do”
the Sovereign “will of the Father” as the
perfect – Scriptures DECLARE!
In closing:
At
the END of
history prophesied in the book of Revelation we “learn”
about the HORRORS that are to “come”
in the future when God’s “judgment”
falls upon a REBELLIOUS and “evil” world of GODLESSNESS,
we find that surviving maniacal “men”
of whom were “not killed” will NOT rightly
“repent” of their “sinful”
wickedness…
And the rest of the men which
were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands,
that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass,
and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither
repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their
fornication, nor of their thefts – Revelation
9:20-21
When
“Jesus Christ” physically RETURNS to
planet EARTH in the city of “Jerusalem” for His final “judgment” during the “time
of tribulation” yet future, most people will REFUSE to
humbly “repent” of their MANY idolatrous
“sins” in the “flesh”
of which demonically DISTORTS their right RELATIONSHIP to God. And Paul
uses the particular Greek word Pharmakeia for
the term “sorcery” from which the
English word “pharmacy” is derived meaning
“drug” and was associated with
ancient Pagan FORMS of rank religion.
In fact, the early Indians utilized peyote of which they could smoke and
thus achieve DECEPTIVE dire – Euphoric STATES of consciousness!
These
Pharmakeia were used as a common medium in
the practice
of magic, sorcery and “false religions”
to supposedly introduce people into the presence of their FALSE gods.
They had to REMOVE themselves from normal thought patterns and
when they became inebriated, were connecting with various DEMONIC deities. There were a plethora of
shamans,
witches
and warlocks
dispensing homemade potions of one kind or another, not to mention alcoholic
drink. This “sinful” human bent is ALWAYS ubiquitous
in EVERY culture
of ALL times.
So much so that Aristotle and Polybius referred to the word Pharmakeia in constant connection with
the practice
of witchcraft. WHY? Because it was common
for witches in the ancient world to abhorrently – ABUSE drugs!
This
is what the “flesh” does! It will guide
folks down the FORBIDDEN path of the OCCULT and fatal “false
religion” fallacy. It will dangerously DISTORT
ones perceptions
to the point of FLASE ideas that CONVINCE one of being connected at a higher,
transcendent level – With DEMONIC
dictates!
REAL REFLECTIONS: Beloved, may God give US the courage and boldness
to “contend earnestly for the faith”
that was signed, sealed and delivered
some – 2000 years ago…
Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend
for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints – Jude 3
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!
With
these thoughts in consideration towards your own personal studies, please read
through verses 16-26 in the fifth chapter of
the excellent book to the Galatians.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
