LIVING BY THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
The Fruit of The Spirit (Part 12)
Galatians 5:16-25
• Galatians 5:16-25 (NIV)
[16] So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature [the flesh]. [17] For the [flesh] desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the [flesh]. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. [18] But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
[19] The acts of the sinful nature [the flesh] are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; [20] idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions [21] and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature [the flesh] with its passions and desires. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
INTRODUCTION:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way. . .”
Perhaps you can identify with the contrast Charles Dickens uses to open his classic A Tale of Two Cities. Have you ever had a day when everything was going great, and then the bottom fell out? Have you had times of sharing a tender moment with those you love only to give way to a heated argument? Have you ever found your peace and solitude to be broken by conflict and strife . . . even when no one else is around? Yes, on any given day we may say being able to say of ourselves, “It is the best of times; it is the worst of times . . . I’m going straight to Heaven, I’m going straight the other way.” Am I the only one who has felt such a tug of war going on within my soul? Surely you have felt it too.
Today we bring to a close this series on the Fruit of the Spirit. Through the last three months we have been looking at how these characteristics can be developed in our lives. (Now don’t worry, I’m not going to try to dump it all on you again this morning!) Today I want to again bring us back to the full context of the fruit of the Spirit in order to learn how to live our lives with the fruit of the Spirit. Living by the fruit of the Spirit comes down to essentially two things: UNDERSTANDING THE CONFLICT, and FINDING FREEDOM THROUGH THE SPIRIT.
UNDERSTANDING THE CONFLICT
• Galatians 5:16-17 (NIV)
[16] So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature [the flesh]. [17] For the [flesh] desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the [flesh]. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
1. The Conflict is Ongoing!
The desires of the flesh are in conflict with the desires of the Spirit. The Spirit and the flesh are constantly in a tug of war to lead us in opposite directions. As long as you live in a human body you will experience this conflict; you are not going to grow out of it. The desires of the flesh and the Spirit are in opposition to each other.
Paul did not say the Spirit was at odds with your “sinful nature.” Many modern translations use sinful nature instead of the literal translation “flesh” of the Greek word “sarx” as found in the KJV. That’s why I change “sinful nature” to “flesh.” Paul wants you to understand that the desires of the Spirit are not the same as the desires of your human body – flesh.
Now if you want to call it your “sinful nature,” that’s okay with me, but my Bible tells me, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17NIV). When I accepted Christ, God made me a new creation; His Spirit took up residence within my life and I’ve never been the same. Well that’s not completely true . . . I still live in the same body; I’ve got the same flesh and blood with its natural desires and urges that it had before I became a Christian. Paul says the desires of my flesh stand in opposition to the Spirit; therefore, I need to learn to live my life according to the desires of the Spirit and not the desires of my flesh.
That’s why you need to know the tug of war between the flesh and the Spirit will continue as long as you are living in a human body. One day our bodies will be changed; our bodies will be transformed to be like the resurrected body of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then the conflict between the body and the Spirit will be gone because we will be like Him, but until then the struggle will continue.
2. The Conflict is Obvious!
Paul tells us that the Spirit and the flesh “are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” In other words you will recognize when you follow the desires of the flesh and when you follow the desires of the Spirit. When you follow the impulses and whims of the flesh you do what you don’t really want to do.
Fortunately for folks like me who are a little slow to see the big picture Paul then goes on and continues to explain the difference between the actions of the flesh and the Spirit. Paul lists the acts or works of the flesh followed by the fruit of the Spirit. Let’s take a closer look at what our bodies’ desire as opposed to the desires of the Spirit.
• Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV)
[19] The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; [20] idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions [21] and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Notice these are described as the ACTS or WORKS (KJV) of the flesh. The acts are plural as opposed to the fruit of the Spirit which is singular. Remember I’ve said it’s FRUIT and not fruits. The fruit is singular in that as one develops the other fruit likewise develops.
Love is the blossom through which all the other fruit develops. Love will empower you to live others centered instead of living self centered. Therein is the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit; will I live selfishly only to satisfy the desires of my flesh, or will I live with a loving heart open to others fulfilling the desires of the Spirit?
The acts of the flesh are plural because any one of these sins can be the evidence of the selfish desires of the flesh at any time independent of the others. In other words, you may have control over some desires while others keep leading you astray. Likewise the things I struggle with may not be the things you struggle with because our desires are different.
Susie and I don’t have a problem with alcohol and drunkenness. We don’t drink beer, wine or other alcoholic beverages. In almost 23 years of marriage you could count on one hand the number of times we have shared such a drink together. Now for other people alcohol may be a big problem for a variety of different reasons. However, there is a big difference in my desire and Susie’s desire for fermented drink. I found this out after we were offered a glass of wine at a New Year’s Eve party; no big deal right – it’s just one glass among family and friends. Well it’s not as big of a deal for me as it is for her. My desire is much lower than hers because I don’t like the way the stuff tastes. Susie however grew up around it and through her family was given a taste for fine wine. I could down a glass and be done with no desire for more; I would be looking for a glass of water because I lack the finer culture of a refined palate, while Susie on the other hand would want another glass of wine because she enjoyed the taste. . . which could lead to another and another. Now I’m not saying I’m immune from the temptation to drinking alcohol, it’s only that my desire or motivation would be very different from Susie’s. Fortunately we both have developed the fruit of self-control and do not give into desires for the “fruit of the vine.”
The conflict between the flesh and the spirit is obvious, and the outcome of giving into the desires of your flesh is equally obvious. Paul describes the acts of the flesh. While you will know them when you see them these acts of the flesh or deeds of sin can be broken down into four basic categories.
1. Sins of Sexuality
You are born with your sexuality; you were born either male or female.
(Now folks we don’t need to be too embarrassed to talk about our sexuality. God made us as sexual creatures, male and female. The Bible talks about sexuality. Our culture is not afraid to express its views about sex. So why should we be afraid to talk about it within the church or in our families? Isn’t about time we told our children the truth about their sexuality instead of letting Hollywood or the schools do it for us?)
As you grew up you looked for ways to express your sexuality. Some restrain their sexual desires, while others look for any and every opportunity to satisfy their sexual impulses.
Paul lists these as examples, “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery.” This is by no means an exhaustive list; a complete list would make all of us rather uncomfortable.
Sexual immorality or adultery includes any sexual expression outside the boundaries of the marriage relationship between a man and a woman. If you are involved in any sexual activity with anyone, male or female, who is not your husband or wife then it is sin. It doesn’t matter if its is as supposedly innocent as simply flirting and teasing; if it’s not within the marriage relationship then it is sin. PERIOD!
Impurity or fornication takes in not only our actions, but also includes our thoughts. Paul used the word “porneia” from which we get our word pornography. Regardless of how you package it, from sexual innuendos, to pictures in magazines, to romance novels and soap operas, to movies (from PG to XXX), to 900 numbers, to the internet—the sources go on and on—regardless of the package, pornography stimulates our imagination and desires in unwholesome ways.
Debauchery or uncleanness and lasciviousness includes any kind other type of sexual expression and wickedness. Bill Clinton may have said “I did not have sex with that woman,” but he was not controlling his sexual desires and his actions were sexual sin by any definition. We now have a generation of teenagers who thanks to Mr. Clinton believe oral sex is not sex; well whatever you call it, God still calls such perversion sin. Likewise, homosexuality, bestiality and any other form of perversion you can name are all examples of sins of sexuality.
God wants us to control the desires of the flesh. Sexual desire doesn’t go away just because you are a Christian. Any sexual desire outside the relationship of marriage is at conflict with the desires of the Spirit, but within the marriage relationship . . . well have fun! The conflict is ongoing; the conflict is obvious.
2. Sins of spirituality.
God created us not simply as a physical being. We are spiritual beings also. God placed within your body the real you. Your spirit and soul cannot be touched with the hand or seen with the eye, but it is nevertheless interwoven and connected to your body. Without your spirit and soul the body is dead.
You may be wondering how spiritual sin can be acts of the flesh or be caused by the desires of a human body. Your spirit does nothing apart from your body. Again the spirit, soul and body are interwoven and connected to each other; without the spirit, the body is dead.
God created you with the ability to perceive spiritual reality beyond your own body. Furthermore you experience pleasure through being in contact with other spiritual beings. Therein is the desire of the flesh; we can either satisfy our desire for spiritual reality through our relationship with God or we can look in other places.
Paul lists the sins of “idolatry, and witchcraft.”
Idolatry is any form of worship given to anyone or anything other than God. Again God made us as spiritual beings and we find pleasure through worshipping; we were created to worship. Some may worship an idol; the Bible tells us such worship is really given to demons. Others may choose to worship their ancestors. Still others may direct their worship in more practical ways like to TV or movie stars, athletes, money or things.
Witchcraft is more than sorcery and magic spells. It is really the desire to manipulate and control spiritual realities, even to change your own spiritual reality. Witchcraft comes from the word “pharmakeia” from which we get our word pharmacy. Drugs can be used to heal, but they can also be misused and abused. In a drug induced state an individual can seek to attain a higher level of consciousness, to get in touch with other spiritual beings or find inner peace.
God wants us to find spiritual satisfaction through a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Satan however continues to offer short cuts and other ways to find pleasure within the spiritual realm. The conflict is ongoing; the conflict is obvious.
3. Sins against Society
God made us to be in relationship with other people. In the beginning God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” Adam and Eve lived in perfect harmony with one another and with God; that is until their desires got the best of them. When Adam and Eve ate of The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil they gained more than an understanding of knowing what was right and wrong. With sin they suddenly had a self awareness that was more important that anyone or anything else. The Bible says when they sinned, “At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they strung fig leaves together around their hips to cover themselves” (Genesis 3:7 NLT).
Sin did more than rob the human race of innocence. With sin came our self-centered awareness. Instead of thinking about others, it’s ME FIRST! Adam and Eve could not return to the innocence and wholeness their relationship had been before they had sinned. Now they defended themselves and tried to shift the blame for their actions onto someone else.
Human relationships have never been the same since. Two of Adam and Eve’s sons had such a heated sibling rivalry that Cain eventually killed his brother Able. While we may not be guilty of murder, how often do we sin against one another?
Is it any wonder that this group of the acts of the flesh is longer than any of the others? Paul lists “hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy.” Yet like the list of sexual sins, this list is far from being exhaustive.
The conflict between the flesh and the Spirit continues to spill over into our relationships with one another. All too often we think only of how to please ourselves instead of being willing to share with others. The conflict is ongoing; the conflict is obvious.
4. Sins of Surplus and Excess
Whoever said, “you can’t get too much of a good thing” understood the desires of the flesh. If a little is good, then more is better. If I can find satisfaction and pleasure then don’t stop; go for more!
Paul lists only two: “drunkenness, orgies.” However the list is not complete because he concludes this list of sins with “and the like;” in other words Paul says “I COULD GO ON AND ON!”
The conflict is ongoing; the conflict is obvious.
We all feel the tug of war within us. You don’t need a catalog to list the various kinds of sin. It isn’t necessary to break the acts of the flesh into different categories of sin. The list of sin, the sin of sexuality, sin of spirituality, sins against society, and sins of surplus and excess serve one purpose, and one purpose only. It’s to help us understand the conflict between the flesh and the spirit. The conflict is ongoing; the conflict is obvious.
FINDING FREEDOM THROUGH THE SPIRIT
While the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit will continue as long as we live in this body of flesh, THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE HAVE TO BE DEFEATED! The desires of the flesh can be overcome and we can live a life of victory—we can live our lives with the fruit of the Spirit being developing more and more in our lives.
The fruit of the Spirit is seen perfectly in Jesus; He lived His life under the control of the Spirit. Jesus felt the conflict with the flesh, but He found freedom from the desires of the flesh through the Spirit. The personality and characteristics of Jesus is best described in the fruit of the Spirit, and as we likewise learn to live by the Spirit, the fruit matures and develops in our lives making us more and more like Jesus.
Look with me again at what Paul told the Galatians; while there is a conflict between the flesh and the Spirit WE CAN HAVE FREEDOM FROM THROUGH THE SPIRIT!
• Galatians 5:16, 18, 22, 23 (NIV)
[16] So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature [the flesh] . . . [18] But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law . . . [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Live by the Spirit and you will not live to fulfill the desires of the flesh. Live by the Spirit and you will be free from the law. Live by the Spirit and the fruit of the spirit will mature in your life; then no law will restrict you—you will find freedom through the Spirit
Some people claim to be free from sin. Do you know anyone who claims they are beyond temptation that they are done with sin? While that may sound super spiritual it just isn’t true!
• 1 John 1:8 (NIV)
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
• If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. (MsgB)
How do people try to deal with sin? How are you handling the conflict between your flesh and the Spirit? What are you doing to try to break free from the grip of sin? Many people try one of four extremes to cope with the sin in their lives. Like the points on a compass people will run off in different directions to try to escape sin’s mastery over them.
1. Denial No, I didn’t say they moved to Egypt to live in the Nile; I said they live in denial.
Some people just deny there is even any conflict. Their hearts have been hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. They are unable to see themselves because they are living in the dark.
• John 3:20 (MsgB)
Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure.
Such people will read this verse and not see that it is talking about them; they don’t make a practice of doing evil – Jesus must be talking about someone else. Ah but they are addicted to denial and illusion; they don’t see things as they really are. Instead these folks make up their own reality.
People who live in denial may attend church regularly, but they stay on the edges spiritually. You won’t find them getting to close to the altar because there is nothing wrong with them. Or they may have stopped attending church; they may have been hurt and their hearts are bitter; the church is just full of hypocrites – I can serve God better on my own.
Step into the light and get out of denial! You are only fooling yourself.
2. Legalism
Some people overcome their sin by being holier-than-thou. They are quick to see the faults in others, but they are unable to see their own sin because they won’t stop to look in the mirror. They will see the spec in a brother’s eye, but cannot see the 2x4 in their own eye.
• Matthew 7:3-5 (NIV)
[3] "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? [4] How can you say to your brother, ’Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Legalism may help you to feel better about yourself, but the longer you leave the plank of judgmental legalism in your eye the more your eyes will be come irritated. The irritation will cause you to be harder and harder on those you see; you will become more and more nit-picky. Only your eyes will only grow worse; infection will set in – your eyes will run and be full of puss. Soon you will be blind to everything except the faults of others.
Legalism is powerless to set you free from sin.
3. Excuses – God will forgive
Others won’t give into denial, nor will they fall into the trap of legalism. These folks know they are a sinner and they just can’t help themselves, so they make excuses. Besides they know God will forgive them for their sin, so they just don’t worry about it. “Everybody’s doing it, but God is gracious” is their motto.
• Romans 6:1-2 (NIV)
[1] What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? [2] By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
Stop making excuses for your sin. The devil didn’t make you do it! You are giving into the desires of your flesh instead of choosing to live by the Spirit. Excuses will never set you free from the power of sin.
4. Despair – hopelessness
Some people just give up. They quit trying to live for God; it’s hopeless. They are like Paul in Romans 7—except they stop at verse 24; they never finish the chapter or go on to chapter 8; they just live in despair.
• Romans 7:18-24 (MsgB)
[18] I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. [19] I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway . . . [21] It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up . . . [24] I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me?
Don’t get stuck in a pit of despair and hopelessness. While you can’t give yourself victory over sin, CHRIST CAN!
• Romans 7:25-8:2 (MsgB)
[25] The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different. [8:1] With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. [2] A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.
The desires of the flesh and sin cannot be handled through DENIAL. The desires of the flesh and sin will not be mastered by LEGALISM. The desires of the flesh do not give us a list of EXCUSES for our sin. The desires of the flesh and sin are not to leave us filled with DESPAIR.
We can find freedom through the spirit over our desires of the flesh. Christ has set us free from sin and empowered us to live a victorious life.
Throughout this series I’ve reminded you, “It’s the fruit of the SPIRIT, not the fruit of the SAINTS.” What you are powerless to do, CHRIST CAN DO IN YOU BY HIS SPIRIT!
• Galatians 5:24-25 (NIV)
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature [the flesh] with its passions and desires. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Living with the fruit of the Spirit, overcoming the desires of the flesh requires two steps.
1. Put to death the deeds of the flesh—nail your flesh to the cross of Christ and choose to live by the Spirit. Crucifixion is never easy! You will feel the nails when you put your flesh to death. Remember the conflict is ongoing and the conflict is obvious.
2. Choose to daily live by the Spirit. KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT. You can’t do it on your own; only the Spirit can do the work in you to empower you to overcome the desires of the flesh.
• John 15:5 (NIV)
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Trust in the work of Christ – stop trying to overcome the desires of the flesh in your own strength. Let the life of Christ flow in you; he is the vine you are the branch. Only by the power of the Spirit in you can you overcome sin!
