Flesh Vs. Spirit

Intro

Galatians 5:16-26

I was in the 5th grade. Scared of a war after 9/11. Afraid the war would come here.

Main Idea: The Spirit and the flesh are at war

There is a war occurring between the flesh and the Spirit. Verse 17. If you are a Christian, you know this war. My sin doesn’t agree with the Spirit. Romans 7:15. Sin dwells in me. Clear up: we received righteousness, but we have not been given the eternal righteousness. So, we continue to struggle.

App. You’ve probably felt the tension. You’ve felt:

In the moment struggle.

Guilt and shame after the sin.

This is the war. The war proves:

The Spirit’s presence in your life.

Future victory.

Truth #1: Flesh produces lawlessness

Exp. Paul warned them about pursuing the law and the sin that comes with it. Pursue human achievement = deny Christ. Deny Christ = disunity. If I believe it’s about me, then it goes against you thinking it’s about you.

Ill. In metaphysics, impenetrability means that two objects cannot occupy the same space. Not even gas molecules.

Arg. Physical law is a spiritual reality. No two objects can occupy the same spiritual space. 10 Commandments. No other gods, no images, etc. It’s either Jesus, or it’s you. And if you decide it’s you, than it will bump heads with everyone and everything. Nothing can satisfy you.

Exp. Works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit are against each other. But notice Paul’s language. “Works of the flesh.” These are not fruit of the flesh. These are the means to something else. Let’s walk through these. Verses 19-21. Four categories:

Sex = sexual immorality, impurity, and sensuality. Anything deviant from the biblical mandate of sex. You use these to try and fill your heart with something that won’t satisfy. (ex. premarital sex, pornography, etc.)

Religion = idolatry, sorcery. Idolatry is putting something in the place of God. This includes yourself. Sorcery is an attempt to explain the things of God other than himself. (ex. witchcraft, crystals, worshiping something other than God)

Relationship = enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy. All how you relate to others. Discord among the fellowship. Stirring division. Jealous of someone else’s ability or of their looks. (ex. easily angered, gossip, bitterness, etc.)

Indulgence = drunkenness and orgies. Festival of sex. Less about immorality and more about “I’m just giving into my desires.” (ex. lack of self-control, gluttony, getting drunk, inability to say no)

Arg. You know what we try to do? We try to use sex, religion, relationships, and indulgences as a way to receive the fruit of the Spirit. We hope sexual immorality and sensuality will produce love. Religion will produce faithfulness. Relational category produces goodness. Indulgences produce joy. THEY DON’T!

Christ - That place you’re trying to fill can only be filled with Jesus. He came to get rid of the works of the flesh. He fulfills the sex category with true intimacy. Religious category with the revelation of truth. Relationship category with a new identity. And indulgence category with spiritual satisfaction.

App. What do we do with these?

Gratify - Verse 16. Immediate gratification has an eternal impact.

Crucify - Verse 24. Go to war and kill it. Put it in the grave as Christ has.

Truth #2: Spirit produces fruit

Exp. Fruit is the outcome, not the means. Verses 22-23. Fruit, not fruits. Totality in that all of these collectively make up Christlikeness. The Spirit living inside of you produces these fruit. Evidence of the Spirit in our lives. We trust the Spirit to produce them.

Ill. Garden. You don’t ponder the science behind the water and soil. You just wait for the fruit to be produced.

Arg. Evidence of the Spirit comes out in these forms. But it is important to note, that this isn’t a list of things to do, but description of someone. Jesus Christ.

Love - Definition of love. Jesus loved us so much he laid his life down for us. John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Joy - Jesus exemplified joy. He expressed joy in the midst of suffering. Hebrews 12:1–2, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Peace - State of well-being. John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Patience - Long-suffering. Jesus displayed this on the cross, and with his disciples. 1 Timothy 1:16, “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.”

Kindness - Excellence or uprightness. Not looking down at others. Jesus displayed this with the woman who was bleeding. Luke 6:35, “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”

Goodness - One who does good. God is definition of good. Nahum 1:7, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.”

Faithfulness - Perseverance and content of faith. Hebrews 10:23, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

Gentleness - Consideration humility. Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Self-control - Mastery of self. Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Exp. These are produced in us with the help of the Spirit. These should be markers for us. Do we see the fruit of love? Joy? Kindness? What are we doing to try and see that fruit?

App.

Walk by the Spirit - Verse 16. Actions in the Spirit.

Led by the Spirit - Verse 18. Following his leading. Like an “in-ear” piece.

Live by the Spirit - Verse 25. We are given new life by the Spirit. He has renewed us, and he must continue to do that.

So how? Verse 24. Crucify it. War rages. Kill it.