Holy Spirit - Galatians & Ephesians

pneuma (408 Times in the NT)

“pneuma” = The Root and General Word for “Spirit” (Sometimes “Wind” and “Breath” - 379 Times

“pneumatikos” = “Spiritual” - 26 Times

“pneumatikōs” = “Spiritually” - 2 Times

“theopneustos” = “Inspired By God” - 1 Time

In Galatians, Paul is Dealing with a False Teaching in the Galatian Churches

Judaizers are Persuading the Rest of the Church to Keep the Old Law

Paul Writes this Letter to Tell Them…

They are Not Under the Law, But Under Faith

They Received the Spirit of God When They Placed Their Faith in Jesus

And the Spirit of God Leads Them to Obedience to God

Galatians 5:16–25 (NASB95)

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

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.24 Now 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.

Having a Written Code of Law Let’s You Know What to Do and What Not to Do

It Also Let’s You Know Every Time You Fail to Perfectly Follow it

But it Doesn’t Take Away Your Desires to Disobey it…

In Fact, it Only Increases Those Desires

But God’s Spirit Produces Within Us the Desire to Please God

Law is No Longer Needed Because We Have God’s Spirit Conforming Our Desires to God’s

This Will Lead to True Obedience From the Heart

Living a Life of Trying to Outwardly Follow Law Results in the Works of the Flesh

Because Following a List of Rules Doesn’t Change Our Hearts…

Trying to Live By a List of Rules Will Only Result in Works of the Flesh

But Living a Life of Following the Spirit’s Guidance Results in the Fruit of the Spirit

Fruit is Singular

Different People Don’t Grow in Different Fruits From the Spirit

A Spirit-Filled Person will Grow in All of These Areas

These are Characteristics of New Creation in Jesus

Those Who Have the Spirit Indwelling Them Will Produce this Sort of Character

The Spirit Won’t Make Us Have All of These Attributes

But He Will Help Us Desire What God Desires

But it Does Take Effort on Our Part as Well

We Must Crucify the Flesh with its Passions and Desires

And We Must Keep in Step with the Spirit

To Conform to His Standard of How We Should Live

To Follow His Lead

If We Seek to Please God From the Heart, the Spirit Will Be Our Helper

Galatians 6:7–10 (NASB95)

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will 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.9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

If We Follow the Desires of Our Flesh, Our Flesh will Reap Corruption

That is to Say, We will Be Destroyed

We will Not Have Resurrection to Eternal Life

But if We Follow the Desire of the Spirit Living in Us…

That Same Spirit will Give Us Eternal Life in the Resurrection

To Follow the Desire of the Spirit is to Do Good to All People

Ephesians 2:11–22 (NASB95)

11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands—12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

17 And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near;18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

Just Like the Dividing Wall of the Temple Complex that Separated the Jews from the Gentiles…

The Law of Commandments Separated the Gentiles from the Jews

In His Death, Jesus Tore Down that Wall…

So that All People can Equally Be Children of God

It’s No Longer Circumcision or Law-Keeping that Marks a Child of God

It is the Presence of the Holy Spirit Within Them

Anyone can have Access to God Through the Holy Spirit Now

We are All Living Stones in the New Temple of God…

Where His Holy Spirit Lives

Ephesians 4:29–31 (NASB95)

29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

By Choosing to Act Against the Will/Desire of God…

We Grieve His Spirit/Heart

Ephesians 5:18–21 (NASB95)

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

There’s 2 Ways to Interpret this Passage

1.) To Be Filled with the Spirit will Lead to Teaching, Singing, Giving Thanks, and Being Subject to One Another

2.) These Things will Lead to Being Filled with the Spirit

I Believe the 1st One Makes the Most Sense

When Comparing this Passage to its Parallel in Colossians 3:16…

Being Filled with the Spirit is Synonymous with Letting the Gospel Live Within Us Abundantly

When that is the Case, We Teach, Sing, Give Thanks, and are Subject to One Another

Ephesians 6:17 (NASB95)

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Sword of the Spirit is the Word (“Something that is Said”) of God

What is it that Christians are Supposed to Be Saying?

The Gospel

The Sword of the Spirit is the Gospel

The Gospel is How the Spirit Works

When the Gospel is Believed and Obeyed, the Spirit Indwells the Believer

Living By the Spirit is How We Defeat the Devil