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 things are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, emnity, 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. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with it's passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16-26)
Because this passage contains the fruits of the Spirit, it is pretty popular. But people often overlook the perplexing message it holds.
I find it curious that nearly all of the "Works of the Flesh" listed in verses 19-21 are the opposites of the Fruits of the Spirit in verses 22 and 23:
Love instead of sexual immorality, impurity, and sensuality. Joy in place of envy and jealousy. Gentleness and patience instead of anger, peace over strife. Not emnity, but kindness, goodness instead of sorcery and orgies. Faithfulness over idolatry, rivalries, and divisions; self control in place of drunkenness.
These "Fruits of the Spirit" are meant to conquer the sin in our lives. And yes, it is possible. "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." (Verse 16)
Fruit is a byproduct; an offspring. If you want to have the fruit of the Spirit, purely having the Spirit comes first.
The desires of the flesh and of the Spirit do not coexist. "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." (Verse 17). We cannot be filled with the Spirit while still giving way to sin.
That's not to say we'll never sin. We won't be perfect until we reach Heaven's shores, but the Christian desires/strives to walk with the Spirit.
Fruits tell a lot about the life its superior is living. Matthew 7:16 says, "You will recognize them by their fruit." The analogy of a tree in the following verses compare: "Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:16-20)
Okay, we know what fruit is and that we are supposed to have the fruit of the Spirit, but what does it mean to have the Spirit and walk by it?
Only Christians have the Holy Spirit walking with them. Only those who have repented from their sins and turned to Christ and His blood shed at the cross to cleanse them from every stain know the joy of daily communion with the Spirit of God and their Father in Heaven. When God saves us, a change happens. At the point of salvation, His Spirit enters into us, transforming us into the image of Christ Jesus.
The fruits of the Spirit are things we should strive to obtain. Not all of the Spiritual fruits are visible to our peers, but that's okay. God sees the heart, and the heart is what matters. "...Do not look on his appearance... For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7). To God, unseen beauty is far surpasses the value of appearances. "Do not let your adorning be external... But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." (1 Peter 3:3 & 4). I love that. The imperishable beauty of the heart is precious to God.
We are told to: "deny [ourselves], take up [our] cross[es], and follow [Christ]." (Matthew 16:24) During my six years of knowing the Lord, it has only recently been shown to me that I cannot effectively yield to the Spirit of God while I am not daily denying myself. My nature is battling me to sin, wallow in my selfishness, complain, and be unfeeling to my siblings. But when I deny myself, I'm basically crucifying my sinful nature, the desire to have the world revolve around only me, and essentially yielding to the Holy Spirit. "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Verse 24) That is when God will work in me (and you) the most.
A challenge for unbelievers: Paul warned the church at Galatia in this passage that the works of the flesh "will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Verse 21) This message wasn't just for them back then, but for you today. If you seek Him, you will find Him. "As and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." (Matthew 7:7 & 8)
A challenge for Christians: Strive for the imperishable beauty that is precious to God. In the end, it is the only thing that matters. Know God, be in the Word not of the world, run the race so that you can look back at the end of your life and truthfully say, "I have done my best for Jesus."
<3 Berea
The desires of the flesh and of the Spirit do not coexist. "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." (Verse 17). We cannot be filled with the Spirit while still giving way to sin.
That's not to say we'll never sin. We won't be perfect until we reach Heaven's shores, but the Christian desires/strives to walk with the Spirit.
Fruits tell a lot about the life its superior is living. Matthew 7:16 says, "You will recognize them by their fruit." The analogy of a tree in the following verses compare: "Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:16-20)
Okay, we know what fruit is and that we are supposed to have the fruit of the Spirit, but what does it mean to have the Spirit and walk by it?
Only Christians have the Holy Spirit walking with them. Only those who have repented from their sins and turned to Christ and His blood shed at the cross to cleanse them from every stain know the joy of daily communion with the Spirit of God and their Father in Heaven. When God saves us, a change happens. At the point of salvation, His Spirit enters into us, transforming us into the image of Christ Jesus.
The fruits of the Spirit are things we should strive to obtain. Not all of the Spiritual fruits are visible to our peers, but that's okay. God sees the heart, and the heart is what matters. "...Do not look on his appearance... For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7). To God, unseen beauty is far surpasses the value of appearances. "Do not let your adorning be external... But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." (1 Peter 3:3 & 4). I love that. The imperishable beauty of the heart is precious to God.
We are told to: "deny [ourselves], take up [our] cross[es], and follow [Christ]." (Matthew 16:24) During my six years of knowing the Lord, it has only recently been shown to me that I cannot effectively yield to the Spirit of God while I am not daily denying myself. My nature is battling me to sin, wallow in my selfishness, complain, and be unfeeling to my siblings. But when I deny myself, I'm basically crucifying my sinful nature, the desire to have the world revolve around only me, and essentially yielding to the Holy Spirit. "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Verse 24) That is when God will work in me (and you) the most.
A challenge for unbelievers: Paul warned the church at Galatia in this passage that the works of the flesh "will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Verse 21) This message wasn't just for them back then, but for you today. If you seek Him, you will find Him. "As and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." (Matthew 7:7 & 8)
A challenge for Christians: Strive for the imperishable beauty that is precious to God. In the end, it is the only thing that matters. Know God, be in the Word not of the world, run the race so that you can look back at the end of your life and truthfully say, "I have done my best for Jesus."
<3 Berea
Comments
Post a Comment