Paul's Epistles - Galatians
Part 13 – Fruits of the Spirit
Pastor Bruce A.
Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
Paul wrote the Galatians concerning some
of the false teachings that had been allowed, specifically salvation in Christ
with works (or obedience to Old Covenant) added in.
Paul explains plainly to them this is a
false teaching. These are two completely different covenants with God, with the
Old only showing our guilt and condemning, and the New showing our salvation in
the Lord and freeing us from the condemnation of the first.
Being a slave to sin exposed by the
commands, and being set free by Christ revealed through His ministry and
Gospel.
Paul explains there is no other gospel but
the one he originally taught them, the one that saved them and changed them. To
accept any other teaching does not “add” to their salvation, but causes them to
move in a direction which takes them away from it.
Paul explains God’s promise, and how
salvation through Christ alone was set in motion and can be seen in the
Abrahamic Covenant. The promise of a coming Savior, how those who put their
faith (or trust) in him (not just believe as in He is real), would become the
children of God and heir to the Kingdom.
He explained how the two covenants work,
the first based on works of the flesh, which only lead to condemnation, and the
second based on the Spirit which leads to life everlasting.
Paul denounces their legalism, which is
based on the works of men for salvation, and tries to convince them of the
Truth, which is the freedom only found in Christ Jesus, a free gift, not
earned, or deserved, but given by Faith alone.
There is freedom in Christ Jesus.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Galatians 5:13-26
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love
your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be
destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the
Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do
whatever[c] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage,
selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will
not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy,
peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
I.
BE FREE, BUT SERVE
ONE ANOTHER
a.
You were called to be free
i. But do not use your
freedom to indulge in the flesh
ii. Serve
one another humbly in love
iii. For the
entire Law is FULFILLED in keeping this one command
1.
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
b.
Use your freedom wisely
i. If you bite and
devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other
ii. So I
say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh
iii. They
are in conflict with each other (Spirit & Flesh)
iv. So you
are not to do whatever you want
c.
If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the
Law
i. Using your freedom
in Christ to serve one another in love
ii. Loving
others as yourself, you FULFILL the Law
iii. Being
led by the Spirit (meaning choices which will be against desires of the flesh)
means you ARE NOT under the Law!
II.
ACTS OF THE FLESH
a.
The acts (actions of) the flesh are obvious
i. We all understand
what they are
ii. There
really is no question about whether they are from the flesh or the Spirit
iii. When we
see them, or do them we are living by the flesh, and therefore under the Law
and the punishments thereof
b.
The acts of the flesh are
i. Sexual immorality
ii. Impurity
(allowing sin)
iii. and
debauchery (dishonest, liar and cheat)
iv. Idolatry
and witchcraft
v. Hatred
vi. Discord
(causing conflict)
vii. Jealousy
(of what others have or are, a form of
greed)
viii. Fits of
rage (usually a sign of self-centeredness)
ix. Selfish
ambition
1.
Always wanting bigger and better
2.
Thinking you deserve everything you want
3.
Always a taker not a giver
4.
Desiring worldly possessions more than spiritual
greatness
x. Dissension (rebellion)
xi. Factions
(splinter groups)
xii. And
envy (desiring to obtain what others have or are, a form of jealousy
put to action)
xiii. Drunkenness
xiv. Orgies and the like
c.
I warn you as I did before
i. Those who live like
this will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God
1.
Because they are NOT children (heirs) of
the most High
2.
Which comes by “the promise” (Christ)
3.
Adoption can only be obtained through
believing in Christ
a.
Believe as in putting trust in
b.
If you are NOT part of the New Covenant
(putting your trust in Christ), then you default to the Old Covenant, and will
be judged by it.
c.
The ONLY way to fulfill the requirements
of the Law, is to put your trust in Christ, and walk by the Spirit!
d.
When you are Trusting Jesus and living by
the Spirit, you will not have the “Acts of the Flesh” in your life, rather, you
will be producing the “Fruits of the Spirit”
III.
FRUITS OF THE
SPIRIT
a.
The Fruit of the Spirit is
i. Love (I
Corinthians 13)
1.
As previously mentioned, loving others as
yourself
ii. Joy
(being delightful and happy)
iii. Peace
(opposite of the dome of chaos)
iv. Forbearance
(patience)
v. Kindness
(compassion, empathy)
vi. Goodness (honest and truthful)
vii. Faithfulness
(truthful and being “real”)
viii. Gentleness
(tender, calm, quiet…opposite of rough)
ix. Self-control
(self-disciplined, will power, strength of mind)
1.
We control whether we allow the Holy
Spirit to produce these things in our life, or whether we choose to act in the
flesh.
b.
Against such things, there is NO LAW!
i. If we walk by the
Spirit, there is no law against us!
ii. We will
be heirs of the Kingdom of God
iii. We will
be part of the New Covenant
iv. When
led by the Spirit, we are not under the Law
c.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the
flesh
i. With its passions
(which no longer rule over or control us)
ii. And its
desires (which may tempt, but no longer has the strength to move our hand.
CONCLUSION – Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the
Spirit. 26 Let us not become
conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Since we trust in Jesus, and have the Holy
Spirit (live by the Spirit)
Let us keep in step with the Spirit
(Follow where He leads, allow Him to work in our lives)
Warning though…
Let’s not become conceited, thinking we
are better than others.
Remember the ONLY difference between you
and a lost sinner is the Spirit of God!
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