The Fruit of the Gospel
The Gospel Lens • Sermon • Submitted
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· 9 viewsThe application of the gospel is more than taking away sin or entrance into heaven. The gospel correctly applied provides freedom from the flesh as well. Every Christian has the enteral struggle of the flesh and the Spirit. When we learn to walk in the Spirit, we can overcome the lust of the flesh.
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Transcript
Series: The Gospel Lens
Introduction:
Gospel Review
The Definition of the Gospel
The Justification of the Gospel
The Bewitching of other gospels
The Freedom of the Gospel
The Fruit of the Gospel
What would our lives look like if the gospel were applied?
One thing that we have learned through this study of Galatians the intricate role the Spirit plays in the Gospel. The gospel is more than believing the truth but receiving the indwelling of the Spirit. The gospel is applied when we put off the old man with his deeds and put on the new man in Christ. When the Spirit is removed from the equation you get two thing:
“Easy Believism”: Salvation based on a prayer instead of a relationship.
Legalism: Spiritualism based on a set of rules by which all are judged.
For all of my ministry, I have been fighting this idea of "easy believism," which requires no change in a person's life once they receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. Faith in Christ is diminished to a moment in time when someone prays to receive Christ. There is no expectation of change or course correction.
A person is indeed saved by grace through faith in Jesus alone. Nothing can be added or needs to be added to the work of Christ to purchase or secure one's salvation.
The evidence of faith is repentance toward God: turning from the ways of this world and the gods of this world and following the Lord Jesus Christ.
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Through God's grace, we are set free from the penalty of sin and secured in the righteousness of Christ.
Through faith, we are set free from the flesh to walk with God through the Spirit.
Through the Spirit, we bear the fruit of the gospel.
Scriptural Outline:
Our Freedom in the Spirit
Our Freedom in the Spirit
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
Christian liberty (or freedom) can be a tricky thing. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it.
Here are 5 Questions to ask about your Christian liberties:
Are my actions offensive to God?
Are my actions offensive to others?
Can I do what I'm doing in faith toward Christ?
Does it enhance or hinder my relationship with God?
Will it cause others to stumble in their walk with God?
Our Fight with the Flesh
Our Fight with the Flesh
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
The War of the Spirit and the Flesh.
The War of the Spirit and the Flesh.
The battle is in your mind.
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
The desires of the flesh come from inner feeling and outer senses.
The Spirit guides us into all truth
Victory over the flesh is all about the focus of the mind.
Victory over the flesh is all about the focus of the mind.
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
We renew our minds with the Word of God.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
We set our minds on things above and not on things of the earth.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
We yield to the leading of the Spirit.
Between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day we will be talking about How to set your mind on The Kingdom of God and live in the Spirit.
The Fruit of the Spirit
The Fruit of the Spirit
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Laws control the flesh.
Laws control the flesh.
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The flesh naturally destroys relationships.The flesh is the reason for eternal damnation.
The Fruit of the Spirit is the character of God.
The Fruit of the Spirit is the character of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
There is no need to control the Spirit.
The death of the flesh produces the fruit of the Spirit.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Application Questions:
Are you walking in the freedom of the Spirit of the bondage of the flesh?
What fleshly desire do you need to kill so that you can walk in the fruit of the Spirit?
How will you kill it?
When will you kill it?
How will you set your mind and affections on the kingdom instead of the earth?
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.