Chico Alliance Church
December 6 , 1998
“Born Slaves, Living Free”
Review
The message of Galatians is as needful today as it was when Paul first wrote it. True freedom comes by grace through faith in and relationship with Christ Paul addressed all these issues in a forceful, straightforward yet fatherly manner.
I. Paul Possessed the Correct credentials from Christ 1-2
II. Paul Proclaimed the Correct Concept of life in Christ 2:15-5:12
III. Paul Presented the Correct Conduct of life in Christ 5:13-6:10
Paul draws attention to four basic areas concerning life above the clouds.
Life lived according to the Spirit of life in Christ continually seeks to:
1 – Serve, not swallow one another 5:13-15
2 – Depends on the Spirit not the flesh 5:16-26
3 – Restore and bear one another’s burdens 6:1-5
4 – Sow to the Spirit not to the flesh by sharing 6:6-11
A. Life in the Spirit serves not swallows one another
Reality – you were called to freedom.
Restriction – don’t allow the flesh an opportunity for selfishness
Regulation – Serve one another through love
Reason – Love fulfills the law
Warning – If you continue to bite and devour, be careful you aren’t consumed.
A focus on the flesh and legalism leads to judgmental relationships. Rather than focus on our common life as fellow heirs of the kingdom we focus on measuring one another against some arbitrary set of rules. There is much more to be said regarding what living in the flesh does to relationships later. One of the sure indications of a life operating by the desire of the flesh is strained relationships.
Paul addressed the Corinthians on this matter. 1 Cor. 2:12-3:9
Here in Galatians, Paul describes a flesh walk in even more detail.
What is the answer to a fleshly walk? How do we live above the selfish desire of the flesh which always strains relationships not only with each other but with God? How do we demonstrate the genuine fruit of the Spirit?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:22-24
Paul was clear both here in Galatians and in Colossians that it is not by making more rules or trying to do better at keeping the rules. Having begun this new life by the spirit through hearing with faith are you now being perfected by the flesh through doing keeping rules?
Col. 2:18-23
So what is the answer? Today we focus on the word of the Lord regarding a Spirit directed and energized walk rather than a flesh driven and energized walk. Use your freedom to become one another’s slaves Be careful not to consume one another by living according to the desires of the flesh.
B. Life in the spirit lives by the spirit not the flesh
“BUT” As opposed to a flesh driven walk which results in biting and devouring…
“Walk by the Spirit” AND (result) You will not carry out the desire of the flesh”
Romans talks about an identification with Christ which enables to walk in newness of life. The Word for walk here is actually the common word for walk with the preposition around linked in front of it. It means to walk around, conduct ones life. This kind of command is found quite often in the New Testament.
Walk worthy of God
Walk worthy your calling.
Walk worthy of the Lord
Walk as children of light
Here, Paul instructs us all to continually walk in Spirit as opposed to the flesh which results in biting and devouring and destruction. Walk by the direction and desire of the Holy Spirit who works through our spirit. Doing so will enable us to not fulfill or satisfy the appetite or desire of the residue flesh that still seeks to find satisfaction through the things of the flesh. The word desire used here referred to the appetites or drive for food or sex. It came to be used for unbridled passion and desire for things of the flesh.
Paul declares that if we live our life under the direction and help of the Holy Spirit who indwells us, we will not be driven by the impulses of the flesh. The desires and passions of the flesh focus on self-satisfaction. The flesh is never satisfied.
Sensuality
Self-promotion
Self-protection
Self-motivation
Self-satisfaction
Self-fulfillment
Self-image
Our whole society operates on the basis of self-fulfillment.
Self help, self help. “Focus on satisfying myself first and then I will think about you.” The problem is that a self life is NEVER satisfied.
Our life then becomes nothing more than a continual pursuit to feel better or feel satisfied.
Entertainment, drugs, alcohol, sensual stimulation, sexual stimulation, and as we will see later, the more you seek to satisfy the flesh, the more ensnared one becomes and the more destruction to relationships. A life in the flesh expends all is energy trying to feel better. Before going further it might be helpful to again try to understand the issues and elements that go to make up this life.
Paul describes the internal conflict that rages in the soul.
“For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit and the Spirit sets its desire against the flesh For these are in opposition to one another So that you man not do the things that you please.
The verb used here is the same as above for desire or longing and is in the present tense. The flesh continually desires things opposed by the Spirit. The spirit continually desires things opposed by the flesh he result is a war that prevents us from continually doing the things that the new person in Christ really wants. n Romans 7 Paul adamantly asserts that the longing of the new inner man is to live according to the law of God. is answer to the internal dilemma in Romans is the same thing he here offers to the Galatians.
1 THEREFORE there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. Romans 8:1-2
Since you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The word translated “led” in this passage was a tem used for education or breeding or training certain behavior. Since you are instructed by the spirit, led by the spirit, directed by the spirit, then you are not under law. So stop trying to live the Christian life by the flesh power Live by the direction and energy of the Holy Spirit working out of your spirit.
APPLICATION
Another great illustration of the principle of the Christian walk is a hot air balloon.
Two things are necessary to rise above the earth.
1 – Hot air heated by a burner.
2—Release the tethers that keep the balloon tied to the ground.
Two choices for heating the air
Fire up the burner
Fill it by your own breath.
Trying to live the Christian life by the energy of the flesh and keeping the law is like trying to fill a hot air balloon by blowing into it. We must invite the fire of the indwelling Holy Spirit to heats the air by faith. Faith turns to the Holy Spirit to heat the balloon. Our attention must not be to try to fill up the balloon, our attention must be focused on what encourages faith. The Holy Spirit only works in our life in response to faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Whatever is not of faith is sin. We also need to give continual attention to the weights that keep the balloon tied to the earth. Living by the law of by the energy of the flesh is as effective as trying to blow up the balloon without the benefit of the fire. This new live is experienced by continual faith in Christ to do what we cannot.
We now have a choice. Live on or near the ground in conformity with the world because you refuse or neglect the things that heat the air and remove the weights.
Hebrews 12 reinforces this principle.
After citing many examples of those who lived by faith the writer instructs us.
Being surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses to the benefits of living by faith let us also lay aside every sin and encumbrance that so easily besets us and run (fly) with patience the race set before us, looking to Jesus the author and perfecter of faith.
Only two aspects ultimately to the Christian walk.
• Deal with the weights and shackles. (confession)
• Depend on the Holy Spirit to heat the air. (faith)
What builds faith?
• Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word.
• Prayer
• Fellowship and encouragement
• Worship, celebration of our identify with Christ.
Recognize those things? Devotion to the basics. Return to the deeds of a first love. You want to soar above the world, the flesh and the devil? Walk by the direction and enablement of the Spirit and you will not carry out of complete the passion of the flesh.
THIS MORNING!
Deal with the weights and shackles this morning and deny the flesh.
Depend on the Holy Spirit to heat the air in your members so you can fly above the earth.
