Sowing to the Spirit - Galatians 6:6-10

Sowing to the Spirit

Galatians 6:6-10

Introduction: Reaping what you sow. If you planted a bag of corn in your garden, you probably wouldn’t expect to harvest bushels of tomatoes… Paul is using another metaphor from agriculture that would have been crystal clear to his readers. They lived in an agrarian society. They saw the sowers and reapers doing their work at the appropriate time. A much higher percentage of the population was in fact directly involved in farming at some level. They knew about sowing and reaping, seedtime and harvest. There is a basic law of nature that we can observe, and that all must agree is truth: You will reap what you sow. In our passage today Paul is teaching that what is true about string beans and radishes is also true in the spiritual realm. If you sow to the Spirit you will reap the blessings of the abundant life that God intends for His people. If you sow to the flesh, the fallen, sinful human nature, you will reap the consequences. As clear as that is, there are some challenges in understanding and applying this passage!

The Maine* Idea: If we prioritize growth in our spiritual life, we can increasingly experience the abundant life for which we were created.

I. The Principle Anticipated: God has designed us to grow in discipling relationships (6).

⁶ And let the one who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches (NASB).

       As I start with this verse, I need to say that with humility and respect I am deviating from a long, well established tradition of how this verse was been read. Almost every commentary I have looked at, understands this verse to be referring to the responsibility of those who are taught the Word to contribute to the support of their pastor/teacher. Though I believe there are many passages which do speak to being a cheerful giver, and which call us to support the ministry of the local church, it does not seem to me that that is the primary sense of this verse. I asked for some counsel from one of my professors who literally wrote the book on interpreting Galatians [Moises Silva, Interpretting Galatians: Explorations in Exegetical Method] and he, with his typical gentleness and respect, expressed his doubts about the direction I am taking with this verse.  So, only with some fear and trembling, let me express my current understanding of what Paul is teaching.

       First of all, a couple of the key words grab our attention. The word translated “the one who is taught,” and also “the one who teaches,” both are variations of the same Greek verb, the root from which we get our English word, cathechism. The verb only occurs 8 times in the New Testament, two of them in this verse. In several of the contexts the word seems to carry the sense of careful, thorough, systematic instruction. Luke uses it for example when addressing Theophilus in the opening of his Gospel, expressing his purpose in writing, “…that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught…” (Lk 1:4). When referring to Apollos, Luke writes that he “…had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus…” (Acts 18:25). This sounds like discipleship, careful, systematic sharing of the truth with another. This idea is at the heart of the mission of the church. Most commentators would agree with this idea. So far so good!

       That which is to be “shared” with the teacher is “all good things.” The adjective usually qualifies a noun, but in several passages, as here, it is used absolutely, functioning as a noun. The traditional reading is that this refers primarily to financial support of the teacher. Though that may be possible, in other contexts that do clearly talk about giving, it seems to always be more explicit that the spiritual instruction by the teacher should lead to material support by the student (see I Cor 9:7-14). It seems to me that we would have to read that into this context, or find something else to drive us to that conclusion. John MacArthur says that the word translated here as good things

…is used in the New Testament primarily of spiritual and moral excellence. Paul uses this word in describing the gospel itself, the ‘glad tidings of good things’ (Rom 10:15). The writer to the Hebrews uses it in the same way of ‘the good things to come’ [Heb 9:11; cf. 10:1]… (Galatians p.182).

That is interesting, since in the passage we’re looking at today “eternal life” is specifically mentioned, and down in 6:15 Paul will refer to “a new creation.” The good things that are to be shared are the present blessings of the life of faith, the power of the Gospel and the Word transforming the heart and mind of those who believe. Believers have the indwelling Holy Spirit as a down payment, a pledge, of our future inheritance. As the future breaks into the present we are already experiencing the abundant life of blessing for which we were created! That is something worth sharing!

           “…share in all good things…” The verb “share” translates the verbal form of the root from which we get “fellowship” in English. It is used in a few contexts that clearly talk about giving, but usually there is something specific in the context to show when financial support is in view (for example, in Philippians 4:15, “…no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone…”). In some cases, where Paul specifically brings together the spiritual and the physical he’ll use a different verb to differentiate, as in Romans 15:27b, “…For if the Gentiles have come to share [koinoneo] in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service [“to render,” leitourgeo] to them in material blessings.” I don’t want to say this proves the case, but it is interesting how Paul distinguishes them.

      So, I surely don’t want to discourage you from giving and supporting the ministries of the church! The Bible does teach that giving is our responsibility. But I think this passage is talking about the present spiritual blessings that are available to us in Christ, that in some way, according to His plan, come to us through the “one another” relationships of the church, the mutual exhortation and encouragement and accountability that help us to grow in our faith, and encourage us to allow the Word of Christ to dwell richly within us. As we teach one another, we “share” the “good things” of God, and experience the blessings of the life of faith, as we walk with the King. Don’t miss that this verse begins with an imperative, a command, “do this.” This is “disciples making disciples.” We are to be disciples, and we all are to have a part in making disciples. It is not optional; it is God’s design for the church. And it begins in our heart, a heart set on knowing God and trusting Him. If we prioritize growth in our spiritual life, we can increasingly experience (and share!) the abundant life for which we were created.

II. The Principle Stated: You will reap what you sow, therefore, sow to the Spirit, prioritize the things of God (7-8).

⁷ Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  ⁸ For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

       “…Do not be deceived: God is not mocked…”  You can’t read that admonition in the context of this letter, and miss thinking about what is going on in the Galatian churches. They are in danger of being deceived by false teachers, “bewitched” as it were by their subtle perversion of the Gospel. Don’t let it happen! Hold fast to the truth. Why? Because “God is not mocked,” no one is fooling God in any of this. Having begun by faith, we need to continue in faith, from faith to faith, believing God, trusting Him for life and direction and empowerment, living by faith. To experience the abundant life that God desires for us, we need to “sow to the Spirit,” not the flesh.

       “…sow to the flesh… reap corruption…” This week we launched our Fall semester in the WOL Olympians program on Thursday night. The kids had a lot of fun as usual. The “big idea” in the lesson Mary Ann gave was drawn from the story of King Saul in I Samuel 15. The King was told by God to devote everything from the Amalakites to destruction. Instead he took their king prisoner and took the best of their animals as plunder. It was overt disobedience. And the consequence, announced by the prophet Samuel, was that the kingdom would be torn away from Saul, and given to another. The big idea of the lesson the kids learned was “trouble is on the way if you disobey.” Or, as Paul says here, if you sow to the flesh, from the flesh you will reap corruption. The word “corruption” could be translated “decay” or “disintegration.” Sowing to our sinful nature will lead to our life falling apart. Sin has consequences. You reap what you sow.  

      “…sow to the Spirit… reap eternal life…”  This is not saying that we are saved through “…sowing to the Spirit…” But it is talking about believers experiencing life the way it should be. Jesus said, “I came that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly…” John MacArthur summarizes this well…

The Christian who is preoccupied with the things of God rather than the fleshly things of the world will produce the fruit of the Spirit (5:22-23). To sow to the Spirit is the same as to walk by the Spirit (5:16), to be led by the Spirit (5:18) and to be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18). It is the same as abiding in Christ and in His Word and having His Words abide in us (John 8:31; 15:7). It is the same as walking in Christ (Col 2:6) and “setting one’s mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (3:2). It is the same as giving one’s body as a “living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God,” and not being “conformed to this world, but [being] transformed by the renewing or your mind that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:1-2) [Galatians, p.189].

As you read that quote you might wonder, is this a description of someone who is “so heavenly minded that he is of no earthly good”?  I am glad you asked, since Paul answers that in the next two verses! He is saying that if we prioritize growth in our spiritual life, we can increasingly experience the abundant life for which we were created. As we do that, the good we have received will overflow in good works that are a blessing to those around us.

III. The Principle Applied: We are saved unto good works (9-10). The lament of the people in Psalm 4 asks, “Who will show us any good?” God would use us to show his character and to demonstrate his grace to the people around us.

⁹ And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  ¹⁰ So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

      "And let us not grow weary of doing good…” Do you ever “grow weary,” even though you are doing good things? One reason we may “grow weary in doing good” is that often times, those “good works” are things which are behind the scenes and out of the spotlight. No one notices! The person we are helping may know, but maybe not, maybe it is only you and God. Are you ok with that? Is it really important that others, besides God, know? Then you have to ask, why are you doing it after all?

       I believe that we can also grow weary if we are doing things in our own strength, even though they are good, they may not be things for which we are called and gifted. I have been there, have you? We can’t do everything, we can’t meet every need we see. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. And as we persevere in doing what we are equipped to do, it won’t always be easy, but as we walk in the Spirit, as we trust God to guide and empower us, as we stay faithfully engaged in our part in God’s mission as we serve as a part of the church, we should not give up. We are saved to serve! We are not here to be consumers, sponges soaking up the truth but unavailable to help anywhere or anyone. Why?

       “…for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”  Don’t give up! Remember, we were saved by grace through faith, unto good works, which God before ordained that we should walk in them. He saved us on purpose, for a purpose, to use our gifts to encourage and build each other up, and somehow, by our life and by our testimony, to represent Christ to the world. We are His ambassadors. Can the struggle against sin, and life in a fallen world get us down? Only if we allow it to. Remember the end of this story and be encouraged. Jesus wins! In due season we will reap if we do not give up. Tim Keller said this may not always be so visible, but it is nonetheless certain and real…

But we need to realize that there are deeper harvests that happen even when we don’t meet with much outward success. We will find our own character changing deeply through ministry. Our consciences will be clear and our hearts happier, since we’re less self-indulgent. We’ll develop a less selfish and more satisfied character, which will serve us well when we are under pressure. We may not reap quickly, and we may not see all that we reap; but we can know that there is a great harvest for those who sow to please the Spirit (Keller, Galatians Kindle location 2337-2340).

       ¹⁰ “So then, as we have opportunity…” The day is coming when no man can work. But that is not today. Why did God save us and leave us in the world? He has a plan, a mission, and by grace we are included in it. How long? Do we retire or take time off from serving others as we serve God?  As long as we have life, we have work to do. Someone said, “God will give us work until our life is over, and life until our work is done.” So, while we have the opportunity, stay faithful!

       …let us do good to everyone… Not only to the lovely and the likeable, but to everyone in our sphere of influence, everyone we come in contact with. I asked our brother Richard this week what he thought that looked like. And he pointed to his brother being there to help adjust the wheels on his chair, and other acts of kindness they have been shown at this time. We see a need, and instead of waiting for someone else [Someone Else is a faithful friend!] step in and help.

       …and especially to those who are of the household of faith.  We have a special obligation to “one another.” God would use us to bear each other’s burdens, to encourage one another, to build each other up. I was surprised that by far the most repeated “one another” command is to “love one another.” And I think that ties in to the idea that we have a responsibility to one another, we have the same Father, we are part of the same family -- “household” implies as much. It describes a family unit. Because God has loved us, we should love Him back, and that should overflow in our love for each other.

What is God saying to me in this passage? If we prioritize growth in our spiritual life, we can increasingly experience the abundant life for which we were created.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? If you planted a garden in the spring, and you did not grow weary weeding and watering through the summer, you are probably enjoying a harvest about now. If you planted corn, you aren’t harvesting strawberries! You reap what you sow. What about your spiritual life? Are so sowing to your sinful nature, or to the Spirit? One way to determine that is to consider how you invest your time. Do you give attention to Bible reading and prayer? Daily? Are you intentional about allowing the Word of Christ to dwell richly within you? Are you developing relationships in your life where you can sow into the lives of others, helping them to learn and grow in the faith? That can be working with children or youth in the ministries of the church. It can be meeting one-on-one with a brother or sister in Christ to encourage them in their faith. It can be through participating in a small group. If you are a member of this church, we are responsible for one another. Our mission is to make disciples and every ministry that we do should support that in some way.

      The emphasis here is on the spiritual. It is also true that how we use the material things with which we have been entrusted reveals something about where our heart is. Where your treasure is, there you heart will be also. Are we being good stewards, investing not only our time, but also our resources, in the things of God? A lot of things about the Christian life can be an act, but how we use our money shows what we really value. Let’s sow to the Spirit.  AMEN.

Gospel-shaped Relationships: Am I my brother's keeper? - Galatians 5:25-6:5

Gospel-Shaped Relationships: Am I my brother’s keeper?

Galatians 5:25-6:5

Introduction: The well-known question from the sub-title of today’s message came from the familiar story of the first sons of Adam, Cain and Abel. Cain became jealous when God accepted his brother’s offering but not his own. Cain ignored God’s warning and failed to steel himself against the flesh, and a wrong heart blossomed into violence… Seeking to hide his sin, he asked God in denial, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Relationships. When fallen humans interact with one another, there will be problems. But something happens when God intervenes. Believers, having experienced the grace of God, knowing the love that is demonstrated toward us in the Gospel, can reflect a measure of that love to others. And so, in 5:13,14 of this epistle we read,

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

We can do that because the Gospel is the foundation and the fuel of the Christian life. And so I call this study, “Gospel-shaped Relationships.” In Martin Luther’s commentary on Galatians he said,

The truth of the Gospel is also the principle article of all Christian doctrine wherein the knowledge of all godliness consists. Most necessary it is therefore that we should know this Gospel well, teach it to others, and beat it into their heads continually…

If you feel like you are getting a bit of a headache after 4 months or so studying Galatians together, I won’t apologize! As Paul said in Romans 1:16,17…

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."  

We live by faith, believing God, trusting Him, allowing His Word to dwell richly within us. As we do that, we are led by the Spirit of God, walking by the Spirit.

The Maine* Idea: As we walk in the Spirit, we will find joy in the Christian life as we gently help others who are struggling on the way.

I. The Prerequisite to serving others: Walking in the Spirit (5:25,26)! Only in a right relationship with God will be find the perspective and the empowerment we need to have healthy relationships with the people around us.

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.

       Paul reminds us of the context in v.25. If we live by the Spirit, and we do, that is our reality, our experience of New Life in Christ, then let us also walk by the Spirit… The Spirit is the presence of God in the life of believers, the One by whom we have been regenerated, baptized, and sealed. In the light of that reality, we are to walk in conscious dependence, trusting His empowerment and leading, as we allow the Word of Christ to dwell richly within us.

       What does that look like in our relationships? Paul lays the groundwork for the opening verses of chapter 6 in 5:26… “Let us not become conceited…” The word translated “conceited” occurs only here in the New Testament. Tim Keller calls our attention to the meaning of the word “conceit,” a compound Greek word, literally “vain-glorious,” or “empty of glory,” in this context. He says,

…conceit is a deep insecurity, a perceived absence of honor and glory, leading to a need to prove our worth to ourselves and others. This in turn fixates our mind on comparing ourselves with others. When we seem better than someone else in some trait, our “honor-hunger” puffs us up and makes us feel great. When we seem to be inferior to someone else, we are devastated for the same reason. In addition, “honor-hunger” can make us very competitive. This describes the natural state of our heart without the gospel. If we are conceited, we will be “provoking and envying each other” (v 26)… (Galatians for You, Kindle locations 2082-2087).

       Keller argues that we were created to bring glory to God, and so more than anything, we long to hear His affirmation, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” But if we don’t know Him, or we’re not walking with Him, that longing in our hearts is unrequited, and so we seek to fill it in other ways. Principally, in comparing ourselves to others. So when Paul says “let us not become conceited…” he is urging his readers to be spiritually and emotionally healthy, to see themselves rightly as they really are in the light of the Gospel: a human created in God’s image, but a fallen human, deserving of judgement, desperately needing grace, and now saved by grace! So, when we see a struggling brother or sister, we know the truth: there I go, but for the grace of God! The two actions described in v.26 are ways that we react to others if we lose sight of the Gospel truth…

       First, the phrase “…provoking one another…” speaks to that person who feels himself “superior,” looking down on others, a kind of superiority complex. This is another hapax legomena found only in this verse in the New Testament. The word has the idea of competitiveness, someone who is always challenging others, always needing to win the debate or to be proven right.

       The second phrase, “…envying one another…” has the opposite idea, the person who looks at others and sees their giftedness or their abilities, or their standing in life and thinks, “I could never measure up to that, that’s not fair!” He has a kind of “inferiority complex,” that effectively leads him to despise others, or even to question God’s character who made such a flawed creature as himself!  These seem like such opposite ideas, can they both be examples of vainglory, or conceit? Tim Keller says yes, that…

…though provoking and envying seem like exact opposites, they are both forms of conceit. As C.S. Lewis pointed out, humility is not thinking less of yourself: it is thinking of yourself less. Self-flagellation and low self-esteem are not marks of gospel humility. They are just as much a rejection of the gospel as are pride and self-confidence! So both the superiority complex and the inferiority complex are, at root, born of insecurity and inferiority. They are just two different outworkings of our desire to gain glory for ourselves, to feel worthwhile as people.

When our heart is right, when we are walking in the Spirit and centered on the Gospel, we’ll see ourselves more clearly, with a proper humility, a sinner saved only by the grace of God, but also, because of Christ, loved and honored in the eyes of the only One who really matters! Then we’ll be in a position to serve one another in the love of Christ. That’s the Maine idea in these verses, as we walk in the Spirit, we will find joy in the Christian life as we gently help others who are struggling on the way.

II. The Purpose of confronting sin: Restoration (6:1).

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

       Don’t miss the way Paul addresses his dear Galatians, addressing them once again as “brothers.” This has been a stern, confrontational letter to be sure. But Paul’s heart is exactly the attitude he is urging the Galatians to adopt when confronting a brother who is struggling. Motivated by love, his goal is not condemnation, but rather restoration.

      First of all, notice what Paul is urging the Galatians, and us to do: “If anyone is overtaken in a trespass… restore him…” I don’t think Paul is talking specifically about situations like John 8, and the woman caught in adultery—in the very act. It seems Paul is saying the person has been “overtaken” by some transgression. As I thought about this, the Lord’s warning to Cain came to my mind from Gen 4:6-7,  

⁶ The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?  ⁷ If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."  

We all know what happened next. Cain met his brother in the field, and killed him. God warned him, using powerful language, picturing sin as a demon crouching at the door, ready to pounce. I think we should take that warning to heart. Most believers who fall into a sinful practice or a sinful relationship are caught up in it, caught off guard. That might be what the Proverb is getting at that says “above all things guard your heart…” (Prov 4:23). So, when we see a person is struggling in some area of life, what do we do? Shun them? Ignore the problem? Talk to someone about him or her? Write an accusatory Facebook post? Remembering God’s grace toward us, we come alongside, and seek to restore them, getting them back in step with the Spirit.

       What we are to do is to seek to restore. But who is to do it? Paul tells us, “…you who are spiritual…” You might think, “Well good, that leaves me out! I never liked confrontation anyway!” Don’t you know that you are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? Paul says in Rom 8:9 that “…Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” “Spiritual” is not talking about someone who is a super-saint. It means someone indwelt by the Spirit, and in this context, walking in the Spirit. That is what we all desire to be if we are in Christ, and so it means that we are all responsible for one another. I am my brother’s keeper! Have you noticed how many commands in the Bible use the phrase “one another”? We’re told to love one another, to be kind to one another, to forgive one another, to serve one another, to encourage one another, to show hospitality to one another, to pray for one another, to build each other up… You get the idea? God created the church, and he designed us to be mutually inter-dependent. Who is to seek to restore? We are, if we belong to Christ. If you see a brother or sister overtaken in some trespass, some sin, seek to restore them.

       How it is to be done is indispensable: “…in a spirit of gentleness… watching yourself, lest you too be tempted.…” A few verses back gentleness was listed among the fruit of the Spirit. And this is the kind of situation where we need a special portion of it. We don’t come to someone judgmentally or pridefully. We don’t come like the Pharisee that Jesus spoke of in one of his parables, who prayed, “Lord I thank you that I am not a sinner like that guy!” (at least that is more or less the sense of what he said!). With love in our heart, gently, remembering the grace of God in our own life, understanding that but for God’s grace that could easily be us, we come… And notice the follow-up admonition, “…watching yourself, lest you too be tempted…” Don’t ever think, “That could never happen to me!” We are all vulnerable, and the moment you think it could never happen to you is the moment you are most vulnerable. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall! We need to walk in the Spirit, and as we do, we will find joy in the Christian life as we gently help others who are struggling on the way.

III. The Possibility of sharing, and bearing, our burdens (2-5). This highlights one of the beautiful “one another” statements of the New Testament… and also presents a counter-point, we need to take responsibility for our own struggle against sin! “Bear one another’s burdens… each will have to bear his own load…”

² Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  ³ For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  ⁴ But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.  ⁵ For each will have to bear his own load.

       Constrained by the love of Christ, bear one another’s burdens (2).  Though “love” is not specifically mentioned in this verse, “the law of Christ” drives us back to 5:14, and should invite us to think of passages like John 13:34 where Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” How, in this context in Galatians, are we to fulfill that command? Specifically, by bearing one another’s burdens (2). Sometimes the issue might be clear, but often times there is more going on than we realize. This week I came across a reportedly true story of a boy who was being bullied, and when he was knocked down by a bully, another boy came to his aid, and not only stopped the bullying, but helped him pick up his books. Long story short they became friends, and the boy who had been knocked down, his life changed. In fact, years later he was asked to give a speech at graduation…

…In the speech he shocked everyone, especially his friend, by saying that the day he was being bullied he actually had cleared out his locker of all his books, and was going home planning to take his own life! Only his new friend was there, coming to help him, not only carry his books but also his burden, he found hope, and it changed the direction of his life…

The context here in Galatians is talking first of all about someone overtaken in a transgression. Is that a burden do you think? When a Christian is overtaken in a sin, they can be the most burdened, most miserable person in the world. Sometimes exactly what they need is not someone judging them, but caring enough to gently tell them the truth, and even to help them along the way. Love one another, encourage one another, bear each other’s burdens… We were made not to be an isolated lone-ranger Christian. We were made to be a member of the body of Christ, so that we could help others along the way, and so that they can help us.

       Don’t think more highly of yourself than you ought (3; cf. Rom 12:3). “For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself…” This statement is deliberately strong, I would say hyperbolic, language. The point is that we should not think too highly of ourselves, we have to see the truth about ourselves, recognizing we have no righteousness of our own, that our only standing is in the grace of God. Do you remember how Paul needed to confront the Corinthians, who, though they had been overtaken in various trespasses, rather than mourning about it they had become prideful. At one point he is confronting them for their arrogance and asks, “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (I Cor 4:7). We should care enough to confront, but gently, with proper humility.

       Take responsibility for yourself in the battle against sin (5)! Paul says in v. 4, “But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor…” The conceit that was mentioned back in 5:26 comes to mind – comparing ourselves to others. No need – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… there is none righteous, no not one (Rom 3:23; 3:10). That is why I called this study “Gospel-centered relationships.” Every person has value, we are all created in God’s image. Every person needs grace. That realization frees us to serve one another in the love of Christ. In fact…

What is God saying to me in this passage? As we walk in the Spirit, we will find joy in the Christian life as we gently help others who are struggling on the way.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? How are you doing in terms of keeping in step with the Spirit? Are you available for God to use to help others along the way? When you “get out of step,” do you more easily tend to avoid confrontation, thinking you’ve got nothing to offer someone who is struggling, or the other extreme do you tend to fall into pride and chastise someone out of a sense of superiority? Maybe like me you can vacillate between those extremes when you are not walking with God. Guard your heart, watch yourself lest you too fall into temptation, and then pray for wisdom, and for a godly boldness, with gentleness, and care enough to get involved, to be available for God to use. Am I my brother’s keeper? By God’s design, we have been entrusted with that privilege. The words of Paul in 2 Cor 5:20 come to mind, “…we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”  May we be found faithful.  AMEN.

Keep in Step with the Spirit! - Galatians 5:16-25

Keep in Step with the Spirit!

Galatians 5:16-25

Introduction:  D.L. Moody held a glass up and asked the crowd, how can I remove all the air from this glass? After several suggestions of ways to suck out the air, Moody went over, took a water pitcher, and filled the glass. “There,” he said, all the air it out of the glass!” Galatians has talked about our justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. But how does that impact the way we live? Can we live a victorious Christian life? This passage calls on believers to walk by the Spirit, in contrast to living a life that manifests the works of the flesh. The question before us today is, how do we live a Spirit led, Spirit empowered, Spirit-filled life? That is the “heart question” at the “heart” of this passage.

       Two parallel imperatives bracket this pericope. This passage begins and ends with an exhortation to “walk by the Spirit.” What does that mean? And how do we do It? We’ll see that we are not simply trying to remove “sin” from our lives with some kind of vacuum. That is like trying to follow the mere outward requirements of the Law without a changed heart. Instead we need to allow the Spirit of God to fill us and control us, renewing our mind and transforming our heart. This passage in Galatians is addressing the heart of the Christian life, what Paul meant in Galatians 2:20 when he said, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” That new life lived by faith is described in this passage in chapter 5 by three parallel phrases in 5:16,18 and 25… “Walk by the Spirit… if you are led by the Spirit… let us also keep in step with the Spirit…” In this context, these three different verbs reflect aspects of this new life of faith.

Since the first and the last are imperatives, we don’t want to miss the emphasis on human responsibility. “Walk” in v.16 is translated “live” in some versions. The Greek word peripateo has that idea of walking along the path of life. The Hebrew word halak has that same force in passages like Psalm 1:1, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…” But notice the means by which we walk that walk, the power by which we live that life: by the Spirit. That is implied in 5:18 when Paul refers to being “led by the Spirit.” The Spirit who empowers us to live the life of faith, also leads us, guides us, along the way. John MacArthur said that “In its most profound, yet simple definition, the faithful Christian life is a life lived under the direction and by the power of the Holy Spirit…”

The Maine* Idea: Walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh!

I. Believers are exhorted to walk by the Spirit (16-18).

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. 

      This passage begins with an imperative, a command: Walk [by] in the Spirit…  The students of Aristotle were known as the “Peripatetics” because of their habit of following the philosopher around from place to place as he dispensed his teachings. Rabbinic students would also follow their teacher around, learning on the way. We see that reflected by Jesus teaching His disciples. In Paul’s vocabulary, to "walk in the Spirit" or be "led by the Spirit" means to go where the Spirit is going, to listen to His voice, to discern his will, to follow his guidance. The ESV translates the Greek dative (there is no preposition in the original) “walk by the Spirit.” That fits the context, it is not only being in the sphere or the presence of the Spirit, but being capacitated, enabled, to live a transformed life.

      The second part of 5:16 shows the consequence of walking by the Spirit: “…and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” The phrase is written as an emphatic negative, “you will by no means fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” Our English word “lust” conveys the idea of sexual desire, but the Greek word used here would include that idea, but is even broader in scope.  Tim Keller suggest that it refers to an “all-controlling drive and longing.” He said that

The main problem our heart has is not so much desires for bad things, but our over-desire for good things. When a good thing becomes our “god”, it creates “over desires” (see Ephesians 2:3; I Peter 2:11; I John 2:16). Paul says that sinful desires become deep things that drive and control us. Sin creates in us the feeling that we must have this, or that, or the other.

Keller refers to Christian counselor David Powilson who reflected on the term as used in this context,

“If ‘idolatry’ is the characteristic and summary Old Testament word for our drift from God, then ‘desires’ (epithumia) is the characteristic and summary New Testament word for that same drift … The New Testament merges the concept of idolatry and the concept of inordinate, life-ruling desires … for lust, craving, yearning and greedy demand (Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 3:5).” (The Journal of Biblical Counseling, page 36)

      And notice the conflict described in 5:17, “The flesh sets is desire against the Spirit and the Spirit the flesh…” This parallels pretty closely Romans 7 in describing the struggle believers have against sin. Do you ever sense that struggle? “I know what God wants me to do here, but…” You fill in the blank. “This is an exception, don’t I have the right to be happy, to have a little fun after all I’ve been through…” etc. We have an amazing capacity for justifying our actions! That is part of the battle. Learning to call our sin, sin. Learning to trust God, and take Him at His word.

So, while our flesh glorifies and adores and yearns for all kinds of created things and conditions and people, the Spirit glorifies and adores and yearns for Jesus. The Spirit speaks of the beauty and greatness of Christ… The Spirit, then, longs to show us Christ and to conform us to Christ. And ultimately, this is what the Christian wants, too…

This is a battle that won’t be won by mere human effort to conform ourselves to a system of rules. We need divine intervention! The just shall live by faith! And so, walk by the Spirit, trusting Him to guide and empower you, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh!

II. A life lived to gratify the flesh will be exposed by its acts (19-21).

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. 

       Paul starts the list in v.19 with sexual sins… “…sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality…” The first term in the list, “sexual immorality,” translates the Greek word porneia, from which we get the English word “pornography.” It refers broadly to any illicit sexual conduct outside of marriage. The world has embraced a casual, no-fault, anything goes idea about something God designed to be exclusively and specifically enjoyed in the context of a lifetime commitment between a man and a woman. We have several long-term, 50 plus year marriages in our church family. That is not so common today.

      Next Paul turns to a couple of overtly “religious” sins: “…idolatry, sorcery…” Idolatry in its broadest sense is anything that we put before God, something that we give the affection or worship that only God should get. “Sorcery” translates the Greek work pharmakeia, from which we get our word “pharmacy.” The connection might be that drugs of some sort were used in process of evoking spirits. That has been true in at least some pagan cultures.

       Finally, the greater part of the works of the flesh he describes relate to our relationships with fellow humans: “…enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,  ²¹ envy, drunkenness, orgies [partying], and things like these.” Some of these, if you think about it, will probably be a little convicting. Strife? Jealousy? Envy? Divisions? Things like these? You get the idea. We should be peace makers, as we saw last week, people marked by love for one another. Think about this: While you were still a sinner, Christ willingly took your place and died for you on the cross. You didn’t deserve it. You might think, “Do you know what that so-called brother did to me?” God forgave you, right? If your brother has something against you, go to him. If he listens, you have won your brother. Let’s strive to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace! If God so loved us, we ought to be able to love one another right? If that isn’t convicting enough, let me remind you that the world is watching. They are also reading your Facebook posts by the way. We are His witnesses, for better or for worse!

       “Those who practice such things shall not inherit the Kingdom…” (NAS). Paul is not saying that if someone sins in one of these areas he is not saved. If that were the case, I dare say we’d all be in trouble! He does say “those who practice [prasso] such things will not inherit the kingdom…” The word Paul uses speaks to actions and attitudes that are regularly showing up in our life, the kind of thing we are known by. He is talking about being given to things like these, having them characterize your life. Read this list, and be honest with yourself. The Maine* Idea is that if we walk by the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh!

III. A life lived in submission to the Spirit will be evident by its fruit (22-23). Now in contrast to the “works of the flesh” Paul relates a series of characteristics that he describes as “fruit of the Spirit.” Let’s let the text speak for itself…

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. 

       Again, this is not intended as an exhaustive list, “…against such things there is no law…” The difference in terms should capture our attention. The works of the flesh vs. the fruit of the Spirit. You don’t make fruit grow. You can provide the right environment, adequate sunshine, water, good soil, maybe a little fertilizer, but you need a healthy plant. Fruit comes forth from the life that is in the plant or the tree. It’s a metaphor Paul’s readers would have grasped. Spiritual life brings forth spiritual fruit. These are the character traits that increasingly become evident in the life of a believer, these are the “marks” of a Spirit-filled life.  This isn’t something we “put on,” it is the result of the transforming power and presence of God in a believer’s life. Do you see these kinds of things increasingly in your life?

       Do you love others? The brethren, your family, your neighbors? Do you have joy and peace that goes beyond the circumstances of the moment? Do you treat others with kindness and gentleness? Is self-control something that God is producing in you? Walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh!

IV. Believers are urged to exemplify faithful living (24-25).

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. 

        Again, Paul begins with an indicative statement: “…those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh…” Notice first of all that we “belong to Christ.” Wherever we are, whatever the battle we are facing today, if you have trusted Christ as Savior, you are His. The enemy may try to exploit your weakness and discourage your spirit and entice your heart, but the God who is has spoken, He has looked down among humans and said, “No, this one is mine!” Let that sink in for a moment. No one can snatch you out of His hand. Our standing before God comes not from works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us. So, we come confessing our sin and struggles, crying out to Abba, Father, resting in His power and trusting in His presence. In Christ alone, my hope is found! Tim Keller describes what is means to crucify the flesh:

“Crucifying the sinful nature” is really the identification and dismantling of idols. It means to put an end to the ruling and attractive power that idols have in our lives, and so to destroy their ability to agitate and inflame our thoughts and desires. Crucifying the sarx is about strangling sin at the motivational level, rather than simply setting ourselves against sin at the behavioral level.

John Stott made a good observation about this. He said that crucifixion, as a means of execution, did not produce death instantly, it was slow, gradual death. Believers “have crucified” the flesh. The Greek tense indicates a completed action. But the flesh dies slowly, and our sanctification will only be complete when this corruptible puts on incorruption, this mortal, immortality. So, repentance and faith must go together, and be renewed daily. But there should be growth, progressive sanctification, as Christ is formed in us.

      The imperative (5:25): “…let us also walk…” This is a different word from the word “walk” in 5:16. Some translations have “keep in step,” like soldiers marching in a parade, moving in lock-step in the same direction. Could a better translation be, “Keep in step by the Spirit…”? That idea actually fits well with v.26, “…not conceited, provoking one another, envying one another…” The objective in a parade is to stay in step, not to draw attention to one’s self! Gordon Olson translated this, “Let us keep in step with one another” by the Spirit. When you think about the divisiveness that the works of the flesh brings to the church and to our relationships, that fits the context. The Spirit empowers us and leads us, even as we are being transformed, to keep moving in the right direction. So, God gets the glory, and the world sees something authentic, something attractive, in our relationships. Jesus said, “By this men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

What is God saying to me in this passage? That is the Maine* Idea: Walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh!

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? If you are standing in the foyer drinking a cup of coffee, and someone bumps into you, what is going to come out of the cup? Not tea, not water, coffee! That is what was in the cup. When we run into bumps in life, we come up against moments or situations that shake us, what spills out? It depends on what fills us. Outburst of anger? Impatience? Anger? Or, Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness… You get the idea.

       Let’s end where we started, how do we live like this, walking in the Spirit… led by the Spirit… keeping in step with the Spirit? It seems to me that it comes back to believing God, taking Him at His Word. Paul wrote two other letters, Ephesians and Colossians, during his first Roman imprisonment. There are several parallel passages in those letters, but I want to focus on one, and the slight change in its parallel. I’m talking about Ephesians 5:18, and Colossians 3:16…

Ephesians 5:18-20  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,  ¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart,  ²⁰ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ..

Colossians 3:16-17  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Notice the opening imperative, “…be filled with the Spirit…” (Eph 5:18) is parallel with “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly…” (Col 3:16). How are we filled with the Spirit? We let God’s Word abide in our heart, we receive what He said and take Him at His Word. Your daily reading and study and meditation on the Word, coupled with prayer, leads you deeper, closer, into more intimate fellowship. Learning with other believers, in a small group or Sunday School class. Iron sharpens iron. We need fellowship, so we can benefit from the gifts of others, and hopefully they can benefit from our gifts. That means embracing opportunities to serve God by serving others. And soon, you start thinking God’s thoughts more consistently. Before you know it, guess what comes out of the cup when someone bumps into you? What is in the cup! To God be the glory, AMEN.

The Freedom of Grace! - Galatians 5:1-15

The Freedom of Grace!

Galatians 5:1-15

Introduction:  From the days of the American Revolution, it may have been Patrick Henry [?] who said: “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”  That might sound a little radical at some levels but that isn’t too far from what Paul is saying in this transitional passage in the letter to the Galatians.  The paraphrase The Message puts Gal 5:1 like this: “Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you…” (Gal 5:1, MSG).  Jesus told his followers “…if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed!” (Jn 8:36).  How are we to understand Christian freedom? And if we are truly free, how then does obedience fit into the Christian life? This passage will shed some light.

Context: After defending his apostleship in Chapters 1 and 2, after clearly arguing for the superiority of the Gospel of Grace in 3 and 4, Paul now applies that doctrine to practical Christian living (5-6).  He emphasizes that right doctrine should result in right living. We’ll see as we work through this chapter over the next couple of weeks that the “…freedom for which Christ has made us free…” (v.1) is freedom to live a life of righteousness in the power of the Holy Spirit.  The final 2 chapters of Galatians are a portrait of the Spirit-filled life, a picture of believers implementing the life of faith under the control, and in the power, of the Holy Spirit.  In this part of the letter it is clear that the Spirit-filled life is evidence of and testimony to the power of justification by faith.  Paul is making his appeal for the Spirit-filled life of freedom, and warning against reverting to a futile works-bound life of legalistic self-effort. He begins with the negative, a warning against the consequences of false doctrine and the potentially deadly influence of false teachers.  The New Hampshire state motto says “Live free or die!­” Paul says, “Yes, that’s it!”

The Maine* Idea: Because of Jesus we are free, a freedom which overflows in Spirit-empowered love to serve others.

I. First, we are set free by the Son! Therefore, Stand fast in the Liberty…  (5:2-6).

 ² Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.  ³ I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.  ⁴ You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.  ⁵ For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.  ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

      Paul affirms the Gospel is exclusive: By grace alone, through faith alone!  Any religion that requires “works” contradicts grace (5:2-4). To accept circumcision as necessary for our justification implies the atonement of Christ was insufficient. The basic error of every man-made religious system is to think that we can make ourselves good enough to earn God’s favor.  The Scripture is clear that God was never pleased with mere “outward” obedience: We read in Deuteronomy 30:6, “The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.” Divine intervention! God acting on human hearts. So, the Lord also warned the sinning nation through Jeremiah of the need for a new heart,

…but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.  ²⁵ "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh--  ²⁶ Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the desert in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart."  (Jer  9:24-26).

It is a heart matter. Likewise, the Psalmist said the sacrifices of God are “a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart.” Outward acts of religious piety may impress men, but God looks at the heart. Charles Spurgeon said that: “One might better try to sail the Atlantic in a paper boat than to get to heaven by good works.”

       Why then the Law? It shined a light on human inability, exposing our total depravity. In Galatians 5:3 Paul said,  “…every man who lets himself be circumcised… is obligated to obey the whole law.”  In Gal 3:10-11 Paul had written, 

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."  ¹¹ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."

Similarly, we read in James 2:10, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” Grace is our only hope!

       Life in the Spirit (5:5-6) Paul now switches to describing what genuine authentic Christianity looks like. “For we by the Spirit…”  Life in the Spirit will be a key theme in Gal 5…  God’s Spirit is the means, He empowers us to live in faith, hope, and love. Look how these terms come together here…

           First we believe Him,  “…by faith we wait…” (v.5). In v. 6 he repeats the key word again, “In Christ what matters is faith…”  This has been a key theme repeated in this letter, “The just shall live by faith!” Faith is believing God, taking Him at His Word, trusting in Jesus and what He did for us on the cross.

           We are, by faith, eagerly waiting for “...the hope of righteousness…” Because we are justified, declared righteous in Christ, God’s Spirit in us enables us to look ahead in hope, with confidence about the future, to the day when this corruptible will put on incorruption, the day when we see Him and are like Him! We wait with a sure hope. That hope fuels our living as the Spirit empowers us…

       “…faith working through love…” (v.6). James said faith without works is dead, being by itself.  What he means, I think, is that genuine, authentic faith… works!  Ephesians 2:8-10 similarly says we are saved by grace, “…for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  Faith, hope, and love these three… So, because of Jesus, we are free, a freedom which overflows in Spirit-empowered love to serve others. So, we are set free by the Son, we must…

II. Beware of false teachers who compromise the Gospel of Grace (5:7-12). 

⁷ You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?  ⁸ This persuasion is not from him who calls you.  ⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole lump.  ¹⁰ I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.  ¹¹ But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.  ¹² I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

       Notice first of all, they hinder the truth (5:7).  “You were running well…”  Paul uses the imagery of a race: “…who hindered you and kept you from obeying the truth…” The question is rhetorical, he is pointing at the false teachers that were undermining the Gospel message and even denying the Scriptures they claimed to revere.

       They are not of God (5:8) Legalism doesn’t come from God: “This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.” God does not contradict himself - If someone is preaching another message it comes from the father of lies.

       They contaminate the church (5:9).  “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” I am not a baker, but I know it doesn’t take a lot of yeast to make a loaf of bread rise. A little works through the loaf. Paul is saying false teaching can be like that, if you let it in, it can work its way through the body quickly.  Infections are like that, they can start small, but if unattended they can spread rapidly to deadly effect.

       They will be judged (5:10). “I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.” False teachers will give an account. We are responsible to be diligent, searching the Scriptures. His Word is truth! A side-point here: make no mistake, Believers are secure in Christ. Paul said, “I have confidence in you…” Jesus said  

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand…” (Jn 10:27-29).

Know this: Genuine believers won’t lose their salvation. Eternal life is forever. But we can become so compromised in our witness, that our testimony is ruined, and the gospel is obscured. Keep your eyes on Jesus, because of Him we are free, a freedom which overflows in Spirit-empowered love to serve others.

III. We are free to serve others through love (13-15). This is what Paul meant in Ephesian 2:10 when he said we were “…created in Christ Jesus unto good works…” It is the idea he expressed to the Philippians when he said, “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you…” (Phil 2:12-13). We are saved by grace alone through faith alone, and a changed life is the result.

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

These verses pick up the theme of love from 5:6 and press it home with a command in verse 13: "Through love be servants of one another." Rather than being a license to sin, our liberty in Christ is an opportunity to serve: because God has loved us, we are free to love God, and our brothers. Ray Pritchard said: [Our] “…freedom is freedom from sin, not freedom to sin. As M. Luther put it, freedom is not the right to do what you want but rather the power to do what you ought.”

       Whatever your thoughts on John Piper, it seems he got to the point here:

“The works of the flesh and the fruit of love are not two different optional ways to live in freedom. When you live according to the flesh, you are in slavery. But when you serve each other in love, you are in freedom. Why? Because love is motivated by the joy of sharing our fullness, but the works of the flesh are motivated by the desire to fill our emptiness.”

The flesh is all about me. Love works for the good of others. People look for meaning and fulfillment in life in all kinds of places. Only Jesus can satisfy the deepest longing of our soul, and as we grow closer to Him, we are transformed from the inside out. What does that freedom look like? Paul gives some insights…

        We are free to oppose the flesh (v.13a).  “…For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh…” First Paul states a negative, he points out what our liberty should not do- The NIV translates the word “flesh” here as “sinful nature,” and it seems that is the idea Paul wants to communicate.  Our freedom should not be an “opportunity” for the flesh. The word translated “opportunity” in the older classical Greek meant “starting point, or base of operations, esp. in military campaigns.” Think about that: In his subtlety, Satan looks for any opportunity, that is, a “base of operations” for his spiritual warfare with us—and even our freedom in Christ can be so attacked!

       Adam and Eve were morally free people, able to choose good or evil.  They were free not to sin, yet Satan deceived them into believing that true freedom would only be found in asserting their autonomy and disobeying God- Their “freedom” become a “base of operations” from which Satan could attack. Satan is an expert on human beings and our weaknesses and he will look for any opportunity, any foothold he can get, and this is one of his favorites. Peter warned,

For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.  ¹⁹ While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. (2 Pet 2:18,19).

      In Christ we are free from that kind of bondage. We are free to serve others (v.13b). “…rather [BUT… strong contrast] serve one another through love…” Notice there is no compulsion, it is service that is motivated by love.  The word “serve” here is a strong one, it is the verbal form of the word for slave, “serve as a slave…”  If you must be a slave, be a slave to the law of Love. The disciples were a bit slow in learning this lesson that Jesus both taught and modeled (NB. Luke 22:24-27).  Paul urged in Philippians 2:5-7, “have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus…”  In John 13:5-15 As Jesus was preparing His disciples for what was about to unfold the last few days of his life on earth, He, their teacher and Master, stooped down and washed his disciples’ feet.  He served them in humility and gave them an example of selfless service: “As I have done for you, do so for one another.”  The Law gave an example of service motivated by love in Exodus 21:2-6,

…if the servant plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,'  ⁶ "then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.”

So, God has called us to the freedom of fullness which overflows in love, not to the slavery of emptiness which is never satisfied. Because of Jesus we are free, a freedom which overflows in Spirit-empowered love to serve others.

       We are free to fulfill God’s Moral Law (v.14). “…For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  This is the way life should be, and because we are no longer slaves, because Jesus has set us free, we are free to love one another, sincerely, unselfishly. True Christian liberty produces self-control, service to others, and obedience to God—these attributes are the result of being in a relationship with God, not the means…

       We are free to build others up rather than tear them down (v.15).  “…But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” The Christian life is lived in community. We are part of a family.  We are a members of His body.  Our liberty in Christ is not intended to be something that would cause us to harm one another, to tear one another down. The phrase “…bite and devour…” evokes wild animals engaged in the fury of a deadly struggle. If we are still operating as legalistic slaves we are operating in our own strength, trying to fill our emptiness instead of rejoicing in the fullness of Christ.

       Piper again had good insight on this: The works of the flesh and the fruit of love are not two different optional ways to live in freedom. When you live according to the flesh, you are in slavery. But when you serve each other in love, you are in freedom. Why? Because love is motivated by the joy of sharing our fullness, but the works of the flesh are motivated by the desire to fill our emptiness.  The meaning here of "flesh" in the book of Galatians is not the physical part of man, but man's inner self which feels a deep emptiness and uses the means within its own power to fill that emptiness. We’ll see later in the chapter, it is enslaved to one futile desire after another in its effort to fill an emptiness which only Christ can fill. When Paul says in 5:13, "Don't use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh," he means, don't surrender the freedom that you have in the all-satisfying Christ to return to unsatisfying desires for mere physical pleasures or self-exaltation.

       I think Piper is on to something here: the works of the flesh are motivated by a desire to fill our emptiness. Love is very different—it is motivated by the joy of sharing out of our fullness. "Love does not seek its own" (1 Cor 13:5). When we love, we are not enslaved to use things or people to fill our emptiness. God fills us, and love is the overflow. When God frees us from guilt and fear and greed and fills us with his all-satisfying presence, the only motive left is the joy of sharing our fullness. When God fills the emptiness of our heart with forgiveness and help and guidance and hope, he frees us from the bondage to the world, the flesh and the devil. We don’t live to accumulate things and manipulate people. When God is our portion we are truly free, free to serve one another through love.

What is God saying to me in this passage? The Maine* Idea: Because of Jesus we are free, a freedom which overflows in Spirit-empowered love to serve others.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Despite all the business of life, do you feel that something is missing? Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord?  “If your life is empty it can be filled to overflowing.” Only Jesus can fill the deepest longing of your soul. If you have trusted Christ that means He has redeemed you, you are no longer a slave to sin and to Satan—you are free!  As you allow his Spirit to fill you and control you, as you think his thoughts after him, you will discover a freedom to think of others, to serve them because you love God. Have you believed in Jesus as the Savior and Lord of your life?  If so, you have been justified by faith, declared not guilty. You are free!  What’s more, God Himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit, abides in you! Trust God, and live free! AMEN.