Galatians 5:13-26

Galatians 5:13–26 (CSB)

“13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself., 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another. 16 I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy,, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—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, and self-control. The law is not against such things. 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 keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

Freedom from the law is not a freedom to serve yourself.

Freedom from legalism is not a freedom to self-indulge. You have been set free to live in a way that the law doesn’t condemn, not do whatever you desire. (This is why the fruits of the Spirit are mentioned as having no law against them. There is no law against what is good and righteous.)

Throughout Scripture we see that just because you can does not mean that you should. One of the primary reasons for self denial and self sacrifice is our relationship with others.

Serving yourself results in consuming others. It is impossible to focus on yourself and others. To get what you want you will leave a wake of people behind you. It is all too common in the church for people to be hurt in the process of one or a small group getting what they want or feel like they deserve. When you fight for what you want or think you deserve you lose sight of what God wants and what He deserves. And when you lose sight of what God wants you lose sight of loving others as well.

Freedom from the law is not freedom to live according to yourself. You have been freed from the bondage of the law to live as a servant of Christ. And to live as a servant of Christ you must live by the Spirit and not by the flesh.

Freedom from the law means you live by the Spirit

Living by the Spirit is learned behavior

Living by the flesh is natural behavior

Living by the Spirit is synonymous with living according to the Word.

God inspired and wrote the Bible through Holy Spirit.

In Acts 1:16 (CSB) Peter says, 16 “Brothers and sisters, it was necessary that the Scripture be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David foretold about Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

The Holy Spirit authored the OT and the NT. Therefore, to walk by the Spirit is always to walk according to the Word.

But it is also more than that. There is a need for Christians to grow in their discernment of what comes from the Holy Spirit and what comes from their flesh, the world, or the devil.

1 John 4:1–3 (CSB) says, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world.”

We must test what we feel, think, hear, and read. Your own flesh is sinful. The world and its ways are sinful. The devil is sinful. Everything the Spirit leads you to do will be from God and ultimately for the cause and kingdom of Christ.

I sent some time with a couple of pastors from Central MS this past Monday. One of the things we talked and prayed about was the need for Christians to focus on living their lives by the Spirit for the glory of Christ. For instance, there are many who would talk about the fruits of the spirit or even the works of God as collectors items. They may invite you invite you into see them, but not to benefit from them. But, living by the Spirit and bearing the fruit of the spirit means being used by the Lord. The gifts that God gives us are not for us to show off or to talk about. They are to be used and demonstrated for the good of others and the glory of the Lord.

This is the reason that Paul tells them that living according to the Spirit results in loving your neighbor. The work God is doing in you is meant to be used in the life of someone else.

Living by the Spirit results in loving God and loving your neighbor.

Just this past week one of our members asked me who our neighbor is. Well, when Jesus was asked that question he focused our attention on the person who serves as being a neighbor rather than focusing on who we should serve.

Jesus told the story we call the Good Samaritan. He told of three religious men passing by a man in need, and then one unrighteous and unclean man stopping to care for the man. When was Jesus was asked who is my neighbor? He told a story and then asked “who was the neighbor?” The religious leaders had to respond with the samaritan acted like a neighbor… You see it’s not about who your neighbor is or isn’t, it’s all about whether or not you are being a neighbor to everyone around you.

Too many people try and find the “neighbor” they are supposed to minister too; rather than being the neighbor to all who are around them.

Walk by the Spirit, not by your flesh

The Spirit of God and the sinfulness of your flesh are opposed to one another. Therefore you must strive to walk by the Spirit, and to do that we must know what is of the flesh and of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:19-21

19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy,, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1. Works of the flesh are obvious and inconsistent with the Spirit of God who is in you.

Walking in the flesh is the pursuit of personal gratification rather than the glory of God

Walking in the flesh hurts others

you pursue what you want regardless of the consequences“If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.” This really might mean if you like keeping people in the heat of the kitchen then you might be headed for the fires of hell.

2. Walking in the flesh divides the church

If you are doing the work of God, led by the Spirit, then it will bring unity to the church. There is a real peace that often comes through battle. So, if you are facing opposition you must make sure that your “wants” and “crusade” are grounded in the Bible.

3. Walking in the flesh taints the testimony of the church

If you are walking in the flesh then your lifestyle is a stain on the white dress of the bride of Christ. What you do impacts more than your life. What you do and how you live your life is a testimony to your faith Christ and the goodness of God’s grace.

Walking by the Spirit…

1. Walking by the Spirit requires crucifying your flesh daily (5:24)

24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

This isn’t a one time thing. As long as you are in the flesh, then you must fight against the flesh. Too many people live like they think God has blessed their flesh. But, the truth is God has saved you in your flesh (justified) and has promised to sanctify you until the day you are glorified at the return of Christ.

Jesus said, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him…”

Denial and crucifying the desires of the flesh is a part of the Christian life. Ephesians 4:20–24 (CSB) says, “20 But that is not how you came to know Christ, 21 assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to take off, your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on, the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.”

Every Christian lives by the Spirit by crucifying the flesh. The Spirit is greater than the flesh, therefore you must put it to death. There is no day off from the spiritual battle, but there is no day off for the Lord either. Even when you are sleeping is with you and watching over you.

2. Walking by the Spirt requires staying in step with the Spirit daily (5:25)

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Staying in step with the Spirit requires knowing the Word of God. In Colossians 3:15–16 (CSB) Paul writes, “15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

The peace of Christ that reigns over your heart is the result of the Word of Christ dwelling richly in you and among you. To know if the Spirit is leading you, you must know the Word. Knowing the Word is the way that we discern between our flesh and our Spirit.

3. Walking by the Spirit results in building one another up

You cannot love God without also loving your neighbor. If you are walking in the Spirit then you will be working for the good and benefit of others.

Look at 5:22-26

“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. 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 keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

The fruit of the Spirit requires relationship to be seen.

Walking by the Spirit removes our comparisons with one another and focuses our attention on Jesus. If you walk in the Spirit then you will build one another up rather than provoke one another or envy one another.

I want to give you some advice that I have learned over the years on how to deal with people who do compare, provoke, and envy you or others.

1. Pray for them

2. Love them

3. Be a neighbor, but be on guard.

Now as a pastor it is more difficult to set boundaries with people that only provoke you. Even though they may never build me up, I am still their pastor. But, I have learned that people who only want talk with me or have lunch with me when they want to criticize or give me advice on how to do things different are people I must be a neighbor too. But, you can be a neighbor to everyone one, but not everyone is being a neighbor to you.

I have found God uses the constant criticizers and complainers to keep my priorities in the right place. Being a neighbor to men or women who are not a neighbor back cultivates humility.

This is not permission to be fleshly, but it does help when dealing with people that only provoke, compare, or envy.

We are not responsible for how people are toward us. But, we can strive to be a loving neighbor to others. Jesus modeled this for us. He was rejected, gossiped about, lied about, falsely convicted, beaten, spit on, pierced, crucified, and buried because He was being a neighbor. The denial and sacrifice of Jesus demonstrates to us what it looks like to be a neighbor.

Be a neighbor by serving others, pointing them to Christ, and living for the approval of God and not man.