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.
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