Sermon Tone Analysis

Galatians 5:18-21

 

There’s a lot of talk about war these days in the news.

Most of the wars we hear about are being fought on foreign soil many miles from where we live and work.

For the average American, war is a geo-political concern in the newspapers and nothing more; unless we know friends or relatives in the service, it isn’t really a personal concern.

In a geo-political conflict, the weapons of warfare are military strength and firepower.

We can usually ‘see’ the enemy and identify his mannerisms and demeanor, plotting locations on a map.

But there is also a spiritual reality.

In the spiritual conflict, the enemy is unseen and the borders are undefined.

In the spiritual battle for life, every Christian is a soldier.

This is not optional in the spiritual life.

As a soldier, you are either a prepared soldier or an unprepared soldier.

Though talk about a spiritual war with a hidden, evil enemy may sound frightening, and it is; our Commander and Lord has exhorted His timid warriors, “Be not afraid.

The battle is the Lord’s”

 

The second stanza of Martin Luther’s great hymn sets this battle in its proper context:

 

Did we in our own strength confide ~/ Our striving would be losing;

Were not the right Man on our side ~/ The Man of God’s own choosing.

Dost ask who that may be? ~/ Christ Jesus, it is He;

Lord Sabaoth is His name, ~/ From age to age the same,

And He must win the battle.

Luther used the Hebrew name “Lord Sabaoth” for God.

Most people don’t know what this name means, much less how to pronounce it.

It means “the Lord of Armies”.

It describes the militaristic arm of God in fighting the battles of His people.

It means He is the God who wages war against evil and He wins the victory for His people.

For the Christian, the reality of war has a deep and personal meaning.

For the Christian, war is a relentless spiritual reality for which we cannot be over-prepared.

With the indwelling Spirit of God, our principle weapon is the living Word of God.

Spiritual darkness cringes at the utterance of God’s Word!

I have personally experienced the power of God’s Word even in the depths of enemy attack.

Under spiritual assault I have actually quoted God’s Word out loud and have felt the burden lift.

The Word of God is far more powerful in our spiritual battles than most of us will ever imagine.

The informed church has always held this reality to be true.

Back in the mid-1400s, Christian theologian and philosopher, Thomas a’ Kempis said:

 

The devil does not sleep, nor is the flesh yet dead; therefore, you must never cease your preparation for battle, because on the right and on the left are enemies who never rest.

This morning, we’re going to address the Christian’s relentless spiritual battle against the flesh; and the Christian’s assured victory by the Spirit of God, who is still Lord Sabaoth of His people.

Turn with me to Galatians 5:18.

We’re going to consider the liberating truths in verses 18-21.

Remember, Paul was telling the Galatians that empty people will bite and devour each other.

But people who are filled with the much-ness of Jesus will serve one another in love.

In the passage we have this morning, we’re going to see how the Spirit can give a Christian victory over the sinful nature even when the flesh is screaming for satisfaction.

What a relevant word for our day!

In honor of God and His word, let’s stand for the reading of these verses.



16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.

They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

[NIV]

 

[Prayer] If you are a Christian, you are engaged in a spiritual battle.

The Christian life is not a playground of indulgence for believers; it’s a battleground of constant spiritual warfare.

All of us as children of Adam’s fallen race, will battle with the ongoing desires of the flesh in this life.

The Bible states this premise as a given.

What is not a “given” is whether you, as a Christian, will be victorious in this battle—or whether you will be a spiritual casualty.

That sounds frightening, and it should be.

This will become clear as we get into the text.

What is at stake in these verses is not just rewards, but spiritual life itself.

Therefore, Paul begins in verse 16 with the recipe for survival in your battle against the sinful nature.

Here’s the point of vv.

16-18…

 

*I.

The battle between the flesh and the spirit is won when we live by the Spirit* (16-18).

Listen to what God says: “16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.

They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.”

Let’s begin with the obvious.

Hearing these words and understanding them is not the same as /obeying/ them.

You and I may hear and understand and yet still fall under the bewitching spell of sinful self-indulgence.

I have never known of a Christian layperson or a Christian minister yet who fell morally who didn’t also know or understand these verses.

This should be a warning to us this morning.

Knowing and understanding the truth is not enough.

This is a spiritual war.

If a foot-soldier has a flack-jacket, but doesn’t bother to put it on, he’s no better off when the bullets fly his way.

We must put on God’s truth, like body armor.

This putting on the truth is called application.

The enemy knows his mark; he has studied his prey.

In this battle for life and purity, victory is pronounced “obedience”.

For there is no victory without obedience; and there is no obedience without corresponding victory.

These two are inseparable.

This is so plain in God’s Word that I can say categorically, if you obey the principles in God’s Word you /will/ be victorious in your battle against the flesh.

That’s a guarantee.

But the negative corollary is also true.

If you disobey or fail to apply the principles in God’s Word, you will be defeated in your battle against the flesh.

You choose victory when you choose obedience.

Now let’s look at the text.

The NIV translates the word “flesh” with the words “sinful nature”.

This is a helpful rendering to keep us from confusing the sinful nature with the physical body in general.

The sinful part of what we call our “flesh” is really what we are by nature, in Adam.

When a person is born again by the Spirit of God, there are then two natures striving for dominance.

This striving within us is what the war is all about.

That’s where the battle comes from.

If there were no battle within you, then that would mean the enemy has already claimed you and there’s no need for a fight.

But wherever the Holy Spirit enters in, the battle for control is fierce.

Christians must begin by recognizing the terms of the battle and the presence and desire of the Holy Spirit.

This is war and all Christians are involved in spiritual conflict.

In verse 16, he says “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

The word for “live” is also the word for walk, in the sense of going about your daily life.

So he’s saying if you go about your daily life actively pursuing the desires of the Spirit, you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature [the flesh].

The words “you will not” are emphatic in the original.

He uses the Greek double negative to forcibly state the principle: /ou// me/—/you will not by any possible means/ gratify the sinful nature.