Works of the Flesh compare to the Works of the Spirit

Galatians 5:19–25 (KJV (WS))

Galatians 5:19–25 KJV (WS)

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Introduction

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Inconceivable Power

The Holy Spirit has transforming power, uplifting power. That power makes us more than we are and fills us with energy. He makes a home for God in our hearts. He gives us purpose, direction, and stability. A person without the Spirit is a phlegmatic, pathetic soul.

In one of his essays, Robert Louis Stevenson wrote that as a young man he sailed out into the ocean to see the founding of a lighthouse. Nothing would satisfy him until he put on a diving suit and went down where the men were working. When they stood on the floor of the sea, his companions signaled for him to spring up on a great rock which towered above his head. Young Stevenson thought they were joking, but again they repeated the signal. He obeyed and, to his surprise, he landed on top of the rock. He had forgotten that the water was buoyant and that the force of the ocean would support his body.

Just so, the Holy Spirit supports and enlarges our feeble efforts.

The works of the flesh are easy to identify.

Let’s look inward before we start looking around.

Works of the flesh are the opposite of loving service.

These are things that come naturally to us as fallen humans.

You are capable of every sin on this list.

Let’s work through the first part of this list.

Adultery = a specific term for sex with a person that is not your spouse.

Fornication = general, umbrella term for other types of sexual sin.

Root word porneia.

Uncleanness = remaining in a state of moral defilement

Lasciviousness = lack of restraint, abandon

These all have to do with the sexual tendencies of our flesh.

Sex is a powerful force in our life.

The flesh will leverage this appetite to rule over you.

Don’t be deceived.

Gos has laid out specific parameters for the fulfilment of this natural urge.

Anything out of his plan is a work of the flesh.

It is not loving.

It does not serve others.

It will destroy.

It will corrupt.

It will prevent you from living the life that God has for you.

Verses 20-21 continue the list with some sins of a different nature.

Idolatry = the worship or service of other gods .

Witchcraft = pharmakeia the use of mind altering drugs

Hatred = this word is plural and refers a continuous or plural hatred for others.

Variance, emulations, wrath, and strife = Quarreling, jealousy, temper, argumentative

Sedition = dissension and schemes to cause division.

Heresies = The forming of camps, parties, and tribes.

Envyings -

Murders -

Drunkenness -

Revellings - drinking-bouts, carousing, and orgies

and such like...

Paul summarizes this list by saying something that has bothered a lot of people.

It should bother us.

People that do these things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

There are numerous items on this list that I have been guilty of.

Some of them as recently as this past week.

Now you’re thinking oooo…which one is the pastor guilty of.

I confess, it’s murders, plural.

If you are sitting there looking at this list and you can’t identify any of these in your life, you are probably deceived.

We need to be able to admit the areas where the flesh has expressed itself in our life.

We can’t overcome the flesh if we won’t admit where it is working.

Now, if we are all seeing acts of the flesh in our lives, does that mean that none of us are going to inherit the kingdom of god?

No.

Well, at least not necessarily.

If we take Paul’s statement in the context of what we have been talking about for the last few weeks, I think it is safe to come to this conclusion.

Remember, Paul is dealing with the accusation that Christian liberty is a pretense for doing whatever you want because it’s all already been forgiven.

The legalists have said that liberty will lead to hedonism and lawlessness.

This statement about the kingdom of God is directed towards people who take this position.

People who use the concept of Christian liberty as an excuse to fulfill the lusts of the flesh do not understand the gospel and need to examine whether or not they are even saved.

All believers have the Holy Spirit living within them.

The Holy Spirit leads us to truth.

The Holy Spirit enables us to love and serve one another.

If you have the Holy Spirit and as you yield to Him, you should be seeing the effects in your life.

This means negatively, that we are not giving in to the flesh.

But there is a positive aspect to the Holy Spirit’s work as well.

It’s not just that He holds us back from something, He is also leading us toward something else.

Paul lays out a list of what the Spirit produces to counter the list of what the flesh produces.

This is one of the most memorized passages in the Bible.

Your grandma probably had a needlepoint with this on it.

Paul calls this list The Fruit of the Spirit.

Notice it is fruit not fruits.

This isn’t a menu.

You don’t pick and choose which of these fit your personality.

If the Holy Spirit is leading your life, these traits make up the singular fruit of the Spirit.

There is no law in all of the world against this list.

You are probably familiar with this fruit, but let’s work through it together.

Love

We talked a lot about that a few weeks ago.

You need a Biblical definition of love.

Love in Paul’s writings is most often directed towards the brethren.

It is the mark of a disciple.

Joy

Delight in the God of our salvation.

This is something that exists independently of our circumstances.

Peace

The work of the Spirit produces a peace that exists between God and man.

Peace means the removal of enmity.

We cease to view others as our enemy.

God has ceased to view us as his enemy.

Long-Suffering

This term is specifically tied to our response to an attack, provocation, or suitable incentive to wrath.

It’s much more than patience.

It’s the Spirit-empowered ability to remain at peace and not lose joy after misuse by someone else.

Gentleness

This one is connected to the previous trait.

This is why these are not stand alone fruits.

Gentleness is the expression of long-suffering.

You can’t one without the other.

Goodness

This one refers to an attitude towards others.

It’s a general selflessness and generosity that is uncommon for the flesh-fueled person.

Faith

We could also say, faithfulness, especially in a religious sense.

Some would say it is a similar trait to loyalty.

There is an utter lack of faithfulness in our world today.

Think about faithlessness in marriage.

Think about faithlessness in work ethics.

All of these are secondary to a lack of faithfulness to God.

We are so susceptible to any excuse that comes around to give us an excuse not to be faithful to God.

It’s not just church.

It’s all throughout our life.

Are you faithful to give God the credit when things go well?

Are you faithful to trust God when things don’t go well?

Are you faithful to keep God first in your home?

Faithfulness is a part of the Spirit’s fruit in your life.

Meekness

Meekness is possessing strength without having to prove it.

I have often said it was strength under control.

The Spirit makes us strong, but He also enables us to regulate that strength.

Temperance

Temperate in all things.

All things in moderation.

No excess in our lifestyle.

Too much of a good thing can make a good thing a bad thing.

This is where the Holy Spirit will lead you if you will yield to Him.

Application

Crucify the flesh

Affections

Lusts

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Renewing Spirit

We sometimes say that a person is not what he used to be; and, physiologically speaking, it is an accurate statement. Every minute, five million cells in the human body are destroyed and replaced. The physical miracle of renewal takes place without personal awareness. But spiritual renewal requires constant vigil and desire.

Let your life back up who you are in the Spirit.

You claim to live in the Spirit.

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Temples of the Spirit

Shortly before his death, Timothy Richards, missionary statesman to China, told of this experience. He was in Shantung visiting with a Chinese philanthropist who voiced unashamedly that he had read the New Testament through three times. Whereupon Richards asked what were his impressions and what ideas were generated. Reflectively he replied, “I think that the most marvelous thing that impressed me was this—that it is possible for us men to become temples of the Holy Ghost.”

Your walk/lifestyle/habits/behaviors should back that up.