The Christian Life

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES When you receive Christ into your life you receive a new life and you are a new person, 2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. The terms “old nature” and “new nature” identify the difference in the lifestyle of a person The characteristics of the old nature are described in Galatians 5:19-21 as “works of the flesh” The characteristics of the new nature are described in Galatians 5:22-23 as “Fruit of the Spirit’ The Fruit of the Spirit is in contrast to the “works of the flesh” as described in Gal 5:19-21 Works of the flesh are the characteristics of a life without Christ, those who are spiritually lost Christians who allow the works of the flesh to still be a part of their life are known as “carnal,” 1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. (A “babe in Christ” is the Christian who is not growing spiritually) The comparison is between those who are spiritual and those who are carnal The carnal Christian is the one who is living as though they had not been saved or received a new life, 1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? The spiritual Christian is growing and maturing as a Christian under the control of the Holy Spirit, Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; When a person is drunk, they are under the influence of the alcoholic beverage and their life proves it Christians are to “be filled with the Spirit,” which means to be influenced by the Holy Spirit Allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and direct your thinking, the decisions you make, and how you live The evidence of the “Spirit Filled Life” is that which is described as the “Fruit of the Spirit” When you are “Filled with the Spirit” your life will prove to others that you are a “spiritual” person Seven characteristics of the Spirit are found in, Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Two are found in, Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Nine characteristics are listed but the word “fruit” is singular Which presents the Fruit of the Spirit as one cluster of fruit Which means that we are not given a list to choose from We are not given the privilege of picking that which we like the most and leaving the rest off The Fruit of the Spirit represents our walk of life which begins with “Our Walk With God” Our “Walk with God” begins with “LOVE” Our English word love can be used in so many different ways with so many different meanings Which makes it difficult for our modern society to really think about the truth of “God’s love” Because love is difficult to define or explain in words, it must be revealed through our life Love must first be experienced before love can be explained and love begins with God The Fruit of the Spirit “love” is the love of God, the same love found in, Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. It is the love of God that can only be known and experienced through Jesus, Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. It is the love that we receive from God when we receive Jesus and the Holy Spirit, Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. The love of God that flows in us must be the love that flows from us, 1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. Page 1 of 5 When we experience the love of God and others experience God’s love through us, there will be, JOY You can expect “joy” when you experience love, joy is the result of love The “joy” of the Holy Spirit is not a worldly delight or a worldly gladness The joy of the Spirt is not the same as the “happiness” of this world Worldly happiness is based upon the circumstances of the daily life, when things are good Happiness is based upon the “happenings” of our daily life (the way something happens) But “Joy” is based upon Jesus in our life, there is joy in our heart because Jesus is in our heart The “Joy of Jesus” is not controlled by the circumstances of our daily life There is “Joy in Jesus” regardless of what happens, when it happens, or the way that it happens When Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, He promised us a life filled with “Joy,” Joh 16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. No man or anything that happens can take away the “joy” of Jesus in our heart We find that the joy of Jesus can be found in the most unusual circumstances or places From a dungeon cell Paul wrote, Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Was Paul happy that he was in prison, in a dungeon cell? No! So how could there be joy? Because Jesus was with him, Jesus was still in his heart! Christians can walk through all kinds of trials and troubles with the joy of Jesus in their heart Peter explains why, 1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Tears may be in our eyes, but there will be joy in our heart, because of Jesus The joy is the love of Jesus in our heart and that is why we find love, joy, and “PEACE” This is not peace as a result of good circumstances of life and material security It is the peace that comes from knowing that we are in a right relationship with God through Jesus It is “peace” that can be experienced in the midst of trials, troubles, and all of life’s problems Peace that this world of trials, troubles, and tribulation cannot take away from us Even though we live in a troubled world we can experience the peace of Jesus, Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. The peace of God is freedom from worry, Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Paul said, don’t worry about anything, pray about everything, and peace will be yours, Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Live for God and don’t worry, your work for God will then be identified as the fruit of the Spirit The fruit of the Spirit called “LONGSUFFERING” is the result of love, joy, and peace It is the “longsuffering” which allows you to be patient with people Christians must learn “to put up with” other people, you must be able to put up with people “Longsuffering” is being tolerant with aggravating people without becoming irritated and angry You must be patience when others are impatience and be in control when others are out of control “Longsuffering” is the ability to be mistreated without reacting in a negative way “Longsuffering” is the opposite of wrath or revenge we are not to be quick tempered Paul gives us a good definition of patience with people in, Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; (Forbearing one another is to be patient with others) Only through God’s love can we be patient and longsuffering with one another The evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in your life is a “forbearing love” for others Remember that as Christians we are God’s people, Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Page 2 of 5 As God’s people we are to have a heart of compassion and be kind to others when they are not kind to us We are to be a living testimony of the mercy of God, 1Ti 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. To be “longsuffering” toward others we must exercise the spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, and “GENTLENESS,” This word means “kindness” or “goodness,” with the thought of kindness in action “Gentleness” is acting in a kind, merciful, and tender way, in which others will profit from your actions Today too many people are doing too many things that others do not benefit from Unkind actions are too common among families and church families today In view of what God has done for us through Christ, we are to be kind to others As God’s people we are to be clothed with kindness, Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Because God has been so good and kind to us, we are to be useful and helpful unto others, Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Love continually looks for a way to be kind to others Love begins the day by praying, “Lord, let me be kind and helpful to someone today” And don’t let me miss an opportunity to be kind today or fail to be helpful to others GOODNESS, is a lifestyle of moral excellence, that which our world greatly needs today “Goodness” is the opposite of sin which hurts others and destroys others “Goodness” is the desire to be kind and helpful unto others, willing to do whatever it takes to do it “Goodness” looks for ways to help and for things that can be done for others Good people are the kind of people that you like to be around They are the kind of neighbors you want to live by and the kind of friends you want to have Those who are willing to give their time for others, those who will sacrifice self in-order to help others, 1Th 5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Through acts of “goodness” we encourage, instruct, warn, and counsel others Every act of goodness must be for the purpose of pleasing God and must be motivated by “FAITH” Fruit of the Spirit “faith” refers to the life we live because of what we believe Our “faith” is what we live because of what we have learned from God’s Word Our “faith” is allowing the Holy Spirit to apply God’s Word to our daily life “Faith” then is faithfulness, trustworthiness, dependability, reliability, and fidelity “Faith” is the life of the believer who is fully persuaded by the Word of God Our “faith” is our “faithfulness” to the present opportunities of life Being faithful right now wherever you are in life, whatever the circumstances of life might be Being faithful to God at all times; wherever we are; under all circumstances of life “Faith” was the beginning of our Christian life, Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Our Christian life must continue to walk with God “In-Christ,” Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: To walk in Christ is to pattern your life after His life through faith, Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. We walk through life according to what we believe about God’s Word and not what we see in this world, 2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) Our daily walk of faith is the real evidence that we are a child of God Our daily faith in Jesus is a daily walk filled with the Spirit and manifesting the fruit of the Spirit Page 3 of 5 MEEKNESS does not mean spineless, spiritless, weak-kneed, or lamb-like It is not a word of weakness it is a word that speaks of power under control “Meekness” is the right use of our God-given authority found in the Word of God “Meekness” has the thought of a teachable spirit, willing to listen to God “Meekness” is the attitude of not being too proud to learn, you welcome the Word of God When you are ready and willing to be taught the Word of God and not opposed to learning “Meekness” is submission to the will of God and to the Word of God, Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (Save your souls” refers to our past, present, and future salvation, the Christian life) James compares the Word of God to a seed, a seed planted in the good soil of the heart We must be willing to learn how to live with ourselves and how to live before others Meekness is the quality of your life because you have allowed God to be the authority of your life Meekness is when you know that you are under God’s control We will learn that “meekness” is the right attitude toward others, Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Colossians 3:12 is another good verse revealing to us the characteristics of the Christian life Meekness must be “put on” before we leave the house to communicate with others, Tit 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. We are to show “meekness” to all others, which is only possible through the Spirit’s influence “Unto all men” refers to all that we come in contact with, especially those who are lost We must live our daily Christian life in consideration of others, Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; We are told to restore a brother in the “spirit of meekness,” Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. We need Christians who are under the control of the Spirit to help those who are out of control Which is “TEMPERANCE” “Temperance” is life under control, when self is not the master, but self has been mastered “Temperance” is when your life is under control, when no area of your life is out of control “Temperance” is when you are not out of control because of something that has happened “Temperance” is living the disciplined Christian life, being filled with the Spirit daily “Temperance” is the result of spiritual growth and spiritual maturity through all the events of our life It is the control of passions, impulses, desires of the flesh, and self-pleasures When self-pleasure, money, position, and prestige are all under control It is the power to say “no” to the sinful desires of the flesh and “yes” to the Spirit filled life CONCLUSION Peter gives us a good parallel to Galatians 5:22-23 in, 2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Pe 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Peter gives us a list of Christian characteristics and tells us to concentrate upon them We must be concerned about our daily spiritual life, we must bear spiritual fruit daily We must never forget that we have “been purged” from our old sins, that we may live a spiritual life In Galatians 5:22-23 we find a list of 9 spiritual characteristics describing the “Christian Life” Page 4 of 5 The list is not exhaustive, it is not all that the Spirit does in our life on a daily basis Paul does give us a good check list to evaluate our spiritual life, but much more fruit can come forth The value of a “Spirit Filled” life is found in, Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (There is no law necessary for the Spirit-filled life) The “Law” was written to prevent evil practice, to restrain wrong No law is necessary when one lives under the control of the Holy Spirit The evidence of the power of the Holy Spirt in your life is not what you have quit doing The real power over sin is more than sin conquered in your daily life The real power over sin is the evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit in your daily life The “Fruit of the Spirit” is the life that you live daily because you are saved and filled with the Spirit FOR FURTHER STUDY GO TO https://prairiegrovebaptist.com and click on “SECURITY OF SALVATION” Page 5 of 5