The Driving Force: Our Flesh or His Spirit?

Galatians 5:16-26

ETS: Paul urged the Galatian believers to let the Spirit lead them through life.

ESS: We should submit to the Spirit’s leadership in our lives.

OSS: [MO: Devotional] (SO: I want the hearers to commit their lives to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.)

PQ: What is the driving force in your life?

UW: Force

Intro.: The war in Ukraine: many at least saw pictures and some may have watched videos this week of the conflict happening there- some maybe even of missiles flying into objects or buildings. However, we watch those videos and see those images- though as heartbreaking as it is there- we ignore and often are even numb to the war taking place in our lives every day. This war is called Spiritual Warfare. Paul wrote about Spiritual warfare Galatians 5 where he continually instructed the believers to not yield to the flesh but to submit to the Spirit. He instructed them to walk by the Spirit, being led by the Spirit and producing fruits of the Spirit. However, the other aspect of the warfare is that of the flesh. Paul urged the believers to put off the flesh and not yield to it remembering that they, in Christ, had died to it in order to live for the Spirit. The question today as we study is simple: what is the driving force in your life?

TS: Let us examine together the two driving forces discussed by Paul in this passage.

The force of the flesh (vv. 19-21).

Expounded on in vv. 19-21:

sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything like these

One Scholar stated that the list is so similar in nature that it is difficult to distinguish and expound upon each specific work of the flesh. However, if they must be grouped or broken down, he stated “first come three concerned with breaches of sexual law (sexual immorality, moral impurity, and promiscuity), then two concerned with ritual sins, idolatry and sorcery, which are usually linked in the OT as being so linked in pagan religions; then eight concerned with social life (hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy); then two dealing with strong drink” ( R. Alan Cole, 214)

Of such thing, Paul stated that one who continually practices them (implied by present tense participle, πράσσοντες- to do, to practice) will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Cole commented on this verse explaining, “Paul’s whole point is that those who do such things thereby show themselves to be without the transforming gift of faith which leads to the gift of the promised Spirit, which, in turn, leads to the fruits of the Spirit, the seal of our inheritance.” (Cole, 218)

The force of the Spirit. (vv. 16-26, specifically vv. 22-23)

Four times over the course of this passage and into chapter 6 does Paul allude to the believer walking in step with or being led by the Spirit (5:16, 18, 25, 6:8)

The fruits of the Spirit are expounded on in vv. 22-23:

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Three perspectives at work here: (1) manward towards others (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness); (2) Godward towards God (faithfulness) [Could be either towards humans or towards God] (3) selfward (self-control or discipline)

Final observations vv. 24-26:

V. 24 asserts that those who identify with Christ should have also identified with His death, letting go of and dying to the old self, the fleshly nature and its passions and desires.

V. 25 asserts that if we live by the Spirit, we should evidence fruit congruent with the Spirit.

V. 26 asserts the need for humility, both emphasizing and summarizing the humble aspect of the Spirit as well as highlighting the need to not boast in our own efforts.

CONCLUSION:

At least one person has chosen to translate v. 22 as, “The harvest of the Spirit...” This is significant for the following reason:

With no root, there is no harvest of fruit. If the Spirit of God never took/takes root in your life, then you can never expect to experience the harvest of the fruit of the Spirit. Nor can we expect that to happen in others’ lives, either.

The challenge and call for response today is simple: Examine your life and your heart: what is the driving force in your life? Your flesh, or His Spirit?

Before I lead us in beginning to think practically about this, let me share two experiences

:

(1) the old saying, “You can’t have your cake and eat it, too” holds some validity in the world of Christian thought: you cannot have the Spirit of God (and let it take root in your life) and yet still also hold onto the things of the flesh. The two are against one another (Gal. 5:17)

(2) An old Chinese Proverb suggested that there are two dogs that are constantly fighting one another. The good dog and the bad dog. Which one will win? The answer is simple: the one you feed the most.

Practically speaking, let’s close our eyes together and imagine a pie chart (or maybe two dog bowls to continue the idea of the proverb). On your chart, document and make a note of what portion of your life is controlled by the Spirit (meaning there is evidential fruit of the Spirit) and what portion of your life is controlled by your flesh (meaning there is evidential fruit of the flesh).

After doing so, what did you determine? What is the driving force in your life? Your flesh or His Spirit?