Galatians 5:19-26

Introduction

Controlled

The last we left Galatians, we were told by the Apostle Paul to walk in the Spirit of God. The concept behind walking in the Spirit is to be controlled by the Spirit. We cannot exercise spiritual liberty, and put into practice justification by faith, unless we are not walking in the Spirit of God.

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Controlled - The last we left Galatians, we were told by the Apostle Paul to walk in the Spirit of God. The concept behind walking in the Spirit is to be controlled by the Spirit. We cannot exercise spiritual liberty, and put into practice justification by faith, unless we are not walking in the Spirit of God.

a. The last we left Galatians, we were told by the Apostle Paul to be led by the Spirit of God. We cannot exercise spiritual liberty, and put into practice justification by faith, unless we are led by the Spirit of God.

v.16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Difficulty - Paul magnifies the difficulty in walking in the Spirit in two ways:

The last we left Galatians, we were told by the Apostle Paul to be led by the Spirit of God. We cannot exercise spiritual liberty, and put into practice justification by faith, unless we are led by the Spirit of God.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and mye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Difficulty - Paul magnifies the difficulty in walking in the Spirit in two ways:

Difficulty -

5:17 - “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” There are four points to be made about the word “lusteth:”

This is a statement of fact - I worry for people who claim to be saved but they do not sense, feel or have experienced the battle.

I worry for people who claim to be saved but they do not sense, feel or have experienced the battle.

This is an active voice - meaning that the hates and Spirit and the Spirit hates the flesh.

This is a statement of fact - I worry for people who claim to be saved but they do not sense, feel or have experienced the battle.

The difficulty in walking in the Spirit is magnified in the voice Paul used for the word “Walk.” The word “Walk” is in the imperative. This means Paul is not recommending or encouraging us to walk in the Spirit but he is commanding and ordering us to walk in the Spirit.

The sense of the word is “to crave - to have an intense desire for some particular thing.” The intense desire that the flesh has is anything that opposes the Spirit of God.

This is an active voice - meaning that the hates and Spirit and the Spirit hates the flesh.

The tense of the word “lusteth” is present - meaning that there is no completion. There will never be a time when the flesh is satisfied.

The sense of the word is “to crave - to have an intense desire for some particular thing.” The intense desire that the flesh has is anything that opposes the Spirit of God.

The tense of the word “lusteth” is present - meaning that there is no completion. There will never be a time when the flesh is satisfied.

The difficulty in walking in the Spirit is magnified in the voice Paul used for the word “Walk.” The word “Walk” is in the imperative. This means Paul is not recommending or encouraging us to walk in the Spirit but he is commanding and ordering us to walk in the Spirit.

The difficulty in walking in the Spirit is magnified in the voice Paul used for the word “Walk.” The word “Walk” is in the imperative. This means Paul is not recommending or encouraging us to walk in the Spirit but he is commanding and ordering us to walk in the Spirit.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. The difficulty in walking in the Spirit is magnified in the voice Paul used for the word “Walk.” The word “Walk” is in the imperative. This means Paul is not recommending or encouraging us to walk in the Spirit but he is commanding and ordering us to walk in the Spirit.

The difficulty in walking in the Spirit is magnified in the voice Paul used for the word “Walk.” The word “Walk” is in the imperative. This means Paul is not recommending or encouraging us to walk in the Spirit but he is commanding and ordering us to walk in the Spirit.

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.The difficulty in walking in the Spirit is magnified in the voice Paul used for the word “Walk.” The word “Walk” is in the imperative. This means Paul is not recommending or encouraging us to walk in the Spirit but he is commanding and ordering us to walk in the Spirit.

The question becomes, “how do we know if we are walking in the Spirit?” This is an important topic for Paul. He spends a lot of time dealing with this subject. It is easy to confess anything; how do we validate our confession? This is the subject Paul addresses in our text this evening.

The question becomes, “how do we know if we are walking in the Spirit?”

This is an important topic for Paul. He spends a lot of time dealing with this subject. It is easy to confess anything; how do we validate our confession? This is the subject Paul addresses in our text this evening.

Works of the flesh -

, “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.” These three verses explains why the flesh is at war with the Spirit of God. These are the activities the flesh enjoys.

The works of the flesh are obvious - Now the works of the flesh are manifested.

The works of the flesh are obvious -

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.

Now the works of the flesh are manifested.

Sexual -

18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

The point that the first four works of the flesh deal with sexual sin implies the chief enemy to walking in the Spirit sensual pleasure of any kind. “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.”

Adultery

Fornication

the Greek word is “porneia” - “Sexual acts that are morally objectionable; especially. related to prostitution.”

Uncleanness -

Dirty and impure sexual sins.

Lasciviousness -

Indulgence in sensual pleasure.

Rebellion

Idolatry -

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The worship of a material representation of a deity.

Witchcraft -

Magic, sorcery - “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.”

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,

The sin nature manifests itself in the area of relationships and society. The flesh causes breakdowns in personal relationships.

Relationships -

The sin nature manifests itself in the area of relationships and society. The flesh causes breakdowns in personal relationships.

And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

Hatred - Enmity - A state of deep seated ill-will

Variance - Contention

Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord,

Emulations - Jealousy

He hath also rejected thee from being king.

Wrath - Anger - fury, intense desire

Strife - Selfish ambition

Seditions - Dissension - Discord that splits the group

heresies - Sect; faction

Envying -

Murders

Intoxication

Drunkenness

Revelings -

Carousing, orgy - connected with binge drinking

Revelings

Consequences -

“...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.”

Fruit of the Spirit

This is an incredibly strong statement by the Apostle Paul. If he lived in our time, he would be viewed as a heretic by some independent Baptist who teach that the evidence of salvation is a confession and not works. They would view him as judgemental, and adding works to salvation.

Yet, there is a reason Paul took this incredibly strong stand? Paul understood the problem is not the outside but the inside. The outside manifested what was going on the inside. Notice the words of Jesus: “And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”

20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Fruit of the Spirit - There is a contrast here between the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. The deeds of the flesh are obvious and external; yet, the fruit of the Spirit are not actions but attitude. So what are the characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit?

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. Fruit of the Spirit

Love - A strong, non-sexual affection and regard for a person and their good as understood by God’s moral character; especially, characterized by a willful forfeiture of rights or privileges in another person’s behalf.

Love is not only the first in the list of the fruit of the Spirit but love is also the foundation - “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

This love is evidence that we are saved: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.”

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

This love is also commanded: “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” - The word “walk” is a command, not an option.

14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Joy - The Greek word for joy is used some 70 times in the NT, always signifying a feeling of happiness that is based upon spiritual realities. How vital is joy for the Christian? Nehemiah said the joy of the Lord is my strength (nehemiah 8:10).

Peace - Peace speaks of the tranquility of mind that comes from having a saving relationship wi

Peace - Peace speaks of the tranquility that comes from having a saving relationship with our Lord.

Long-suffering - Patience - Long-suffering had to do with tolerance that endures injuries inflicted by others, the calm willingness to accept situations that are irritating or painful.

Gentleness - Kindness.

Goodness - The quality of moral excellence; especially as a quality that is not stagnant, but actively working itself out.

Faith

Meekness - humility

Temperance - self-control

Connecting to Justification by Faith v.24-26 - We saw the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. How do we connect this to justification by Faith?

We cannot put justification by faith into practice using the vehicle of liberty if we are doing the deeds of the flesh. Keep in mind, in Paul’s thinking one of the nest ways to demonstrate yo others that we have been justified by faith is to live through liberty.

Justification by faith has evidences. The Bible never leaves us out in the dark. The Bible supports theological statements with evidences of the reality of those theological statements.

For example, loving Jesus is more than just words. Jesus said “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (). What does it mean to keep His commandments?

Repent

believe

Born again

Bear witness

Follow Jesus

Pray

Faith

Search the Scriptures

Let our light shine

Hold fast until He comes

Supreme love for God

Love your neighbor

No hypocrisy

Do not covet

Meekness

Love the Brethren

Have perfect love

Faithful unto death

Preach the Gospel

Wise

Paul’s assertion is the evidence of justification by faith is liberty, and the evidence of liberty is waking in the Spirit, and the evidence of walking in the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit, and the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit is having crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts, which means we are living in the Spirit; therefore, the importance of walking in the Spirit cannot be dismissed.