Evidence of Freedom

Intro

- Illustration- Heather’s accent

o We do this all the time in life- look at the evidence!

o when we view someone’s life, we can get a pretty good idea of what is important to them. Of the principles that drive them

o What do people see when they look at you? At us? At our church?

o What does the evidence of your life reveal?

- Last week we talked about the reality of war

o We focused on our call to walk in the Spirit rather than pursue the desires of our flesh and how these two things are at war within us

o In these verses (19-23), Paul gets into some specifics of what it looks like to walk in the Spirit

- In this passage we find 2 lists

o The first list is identified as Works of the flesh

o Fruit of the Spirit

- So first of all, I want us to look at What these lists are not

o They are not a checklist for us to follow in order to be good or righteous people

§ If we are honest with ourselves, we like lists

· Lists give us a good indication of our progress and our purpose

§ I like to have a defined list

· Do this, this, and this, and you’re done

· But the command to "walk in the Spirit" leaves so much unknown in our minds- we have so little control- and we don't like it

· We feel like it isn’t defined enough

· There are times when Heather sends me to the grocery store to pick up some things she needs at the house- I always want to make sure I have a good list- I want to know the brand name, the size, the location, how much I should be paying so I don't this mess up!

· That is not what these list are- a checklist of don’t do this/do this and you will be good

o These lists are also not quick fixes to our spiritual walk

§ Where we look at our lives and say, “somethings not right, I need to be more loving or more patient and that will bring me closer to God.”

§ Just like we like lists, We like quick fixes for the problems in our lives

· Same thing for sin, we see a problem, we want to know what I can do to fix it

o But when we take this approach, we simply cover it on the surface

o Illustration- painting over rust

o Viewing these lists in that way is why we easily slip back into living under the law instead of by the Spirit

§ But the law (a list of rules, our self-effort) is powerless to save us from the grip of our sinful nature

- Read Gal. 5:19-23

- As God’s Children, we are not justified by our attitudes or actions, but how we live and what we do are evidence of what controls us.

Identifying the Works of the Flesh

A. The works of the flesh are evident- or obvious

1. doesn't necessarily mean that everybody will see them- many of our sinful acts are hidden

a. This leads to living a double life, a lack of integrity, and feeling like no one really knows who you are

(1) What are you hiding that no one else sees? God sees

(2) It’s not just the obvious sins, the noticeable sins that are the problem

b. This way of living can have devastating effects in our lives and in our relationships with God and others

2. Does mean that acts are clearly evil- at face value they are wrong- it doesn't take a specific law to know that these things are not right

a. We know evil when we see it

b. Because they go against God's very nature- and we see the effects of those who pursue this type of lifestyle

- So we know these works of the flesh are out there

B. Knowing that we have a sinful nature within us (that pulls us toward these things), we need to be on the lookout for the ways that it shows itself (the evidence) in our lives

1. Sexual sins- in the Greco-Roman culture of that day, sexual sin permeated so much of life- many credit this tolerated lifestyle as one of the primary reasons for the decline and fall of the Roman Empire- I believe our culture in America today is not that much different- we have accepted what God condemns and condemned what God has established as right

a. Sexual immorality- fornication- illicit sexual relationships- anything sexual relationship that goes outside of what God intended- between a man and a woman within a marriage relationship

b. Impurity- any moral uncleanness- not just in our actions, but in our words and thoughts

(1) A picture of what our sin does- defiles us, separates us from God- Leprosy

(2) But scripture tells us the answer to uncleanness- 1 John 1:9-

c. Sensuality- debauchery- open, shameless immorality- doesn't care what God or others think

2. Religious sins

a. Idolatry- worshipping other Gods

(1) Obviously we are not bowing down to idols, but Today we see the worship of the gods of money, sex, and power

b. Sorcery- worshipping evil

3. Social Conflict- these are the ones that are most evident in our churches (15, 26)- the casualty is unity- the casualty is the gospel!

a. Enmity- hatred between groups

b. Strife- the result of enmity

c. Jealousy- self-centered

d. Fits of anger- outburst of rage- inability to control feelings (often jealousy)

e. Rivalries- selfish ambition- working to get ahead at the expense of others

f. Dissensions- results of these quarrels

g. Divisions

h. Envy- a selfish desire to have what someone else has

4. Alcohol related

a. Drunkenness

(1) Eph 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit

b. Orgies- tied to drinking parties thrown in honor of pagan gods

5. A list that, hopefully, we don’t want to define our lives, but one that paints a pretty accurate picture of the world around us and, if we are honest, bubbles up in our own hearts as well

6. And the like- this is not a comprehensive list

C. Those whose lives are characterized by these sins are not Christians

1. This does not mean that Christians who do these things will lose their salvation

a. We talked about this last week- this is a battle- we will not always walk in the Spirit- we will fail

2. But those that live a lifestyle characterized by this type of immorality give evidence that they do not have the Spirit within them.

3. If there is no evidence of changed lives and actions, the work of the Spirit, then how could one claim that the Spirit lives in them?

a. Illustration- - farmer with rough hands etc.- doesn't focus on getting callouses- those come with the work- if I shook his hands and it was weak and had soft skin, I would question him!

4. One commentary put it this way- sanctification is not the basis of justification but the inevitable result of justification

- So how do we overcome these fleshly desires? How do we gain victory?

We have Hope in the Spirit!

A. There is an alternative to living in the flesh

1. We don't have to do these things- we are not bound to these expressions of our sinful flesh

2. And it is not found in just stripping these negative things out of our lives

a. God doesn't just remove things without giving us something so much better

B. Our command is to walk in the Spirit

1. This is His work in us

2. The Spirit produces righteousness in us

a. Paul's desire was that Christ would be formed in the Galatian Christians

(1) 4:19

b. This is what that looks like…

C. Fruit not fruits- these are a package deal- another evidence that this is the Spirit's work

1. We don't pick and choose- can't say, "I don't really have the gift of patience. That’s just not something that God has given me."

2. Difference between 'works" and "fruit"

a. Works of the flesh are produced through the effort of our sinful human nature

b. The fruit of the Spirit are a result of his presence in our lives

(1) These traits are a gift, not things that we produce out of our own self-effort

3. Illustration of fruit crop- no amount of care or effort on the part of the farmer can produce the perfect crop. He cannot control the weather, or the insects. The final product is a gift of the land

a. These fruits are not produced by us as Christians- they are not direct results of our efforts in becoming better people

b. It's not, I need to try harder to love or be patient

Evidence of a Spirit-filled life

A. The fruit of the Spirit- 1 fruit that shows itself in 9 ways that are grouped into 3 categories of 3

- This could be a whole series, We aren’t saying do these things better in your life, but rather look for these things as evidence of the Spirit in you

1. From God- his character- he gives us

a. Love- this primary- everything else flows from this

b. Joy

c. Peace

2. In light of the love, joy, and peace that God gives to us, how do we treat others?

a. Patience- implies provocation

b. Kindness- to those who are undeserving

c. Goodness- looking for opportunities to bless others

3. General character of those who walk in the Spirit

a. Faithfulness

b. Gentleness

c. Self-control- controlling our desires of the flesh

4. There is no law against these things- it is known, by believers and unbelievers, that these things are good, righteous- no one says, “how dare you be kind!”

a. How do people that don't believe in God know these things- they are created in God’s image- this is evidence of God and the existence of absolute truth

B. This does not mean that we are passive in the process

1. We saw last week that we are led by the Spirit, but we also saw that we are commanded to walk in him, active

2. We have been shown the path and given the power to walk it, but we need to take action!

3. 5:6- what matters is faith working through love

4. 5:13- serve one another through love

C. We are known by are fruit

1. Matt. 7:16-20

So What?

o What evidence do you see in your life?

§ The Spirit, or the flesh?

§ Evident or hidden

o Are you trying to produce fruit in your life, or are you depending on the Holy Spirit’s work in you?

o Are you actively keeping in step with the Spirit?

o Are you aware of the consequences?

§ Life in the flesh- Will not inherit the kingdom of heaven

§ Life in the Spirit- Will not be condemned