The Spirit against the flesh

Bible Reading: Galatians 5

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

If a person is not born again, the Spirit of God does not live in them.  It would be impossible for this person to ‘walk in the Spirit’ because they are not spiritual.  To be ‘spiritual’ according to the Bible is to have the Holy Spirit living in you and to walk in the Spirit. The lost person is referred to as the ‘natural man’.

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Not only can the natural man not understand the things of God but he cannot walk in the Spirit.  But he can be religious!  Religion always appeals to the flesh.  The flesh tries to do religious things to impress God with the righteousness it produces.  However, the flesh can never do anything spiritual.  The Galatian believers were going backwards in their sanctification.  Someone had ‘bewitched’ (Gal 3:1) them into going back to the bondage of the Law.  They wanted to be spiritual but Paul insists that they are free in Christ and will fall from grace by going back to the law. 

The reason the law does not make one spiritual is because of the flesh.  The flesh can never be spiritual.  The Spirit will never manifest the works of the flesh.  The flesh produces things like adultery, drunkenness and hatred.  God’s Spirit will never produce these things in our lives.  So the Bible tells us that there is a constant battle going on between the flesh and the Spirit in our lives.  The flesh constantly wants to do the works of the flesh and God’s Spirit is leading us to follow Jesus.

What is the answer?  The answer is to walk in the Spirit.  The Spirit of God produces fruit in our lives that the flesh never can.  He produces love which is the fulfilling of the law.  Love never fails the Bible tells us so we are actively living the Christ-like life when we love.  When we walk in the Spirit, we are allowing Jesus to bear fruit through us.  We are abiding in the vine.  We will produce fruit because that is what the Holy Spirit does. 

Don’t go back to the bondage of the law.  Walk in the Spirit and love.

Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

In Christ,

Rody

My little children

Bible Reading: Galatians 4

Galatians 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you…

Paul saw the people that he had led to Christ as his spiritual children.  There are several times that he spoke in this way.

1 Corinthians 4:14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

Paul had a deep affection and concern for the well-being of these disciples like a father would have concern for his children.  He wanted them to prosper in the faith.  However, he knew they were floundering.  They had been infiltrated by false brethren who were teaching them doctrines that were contrary to the truth in Christ.  They were being told that they needed to keep the law in order to be saved.  Paul had led them to Christ and they had received the gospel and were believers.  Yet, they were being taught false doctrine and Paul wanted to help them see the light of truth.

Paul uses a metaphor of birth pains to describe his concern and anguish for these believers.  He had seen them born again when they received Jesus.  Now he was in agony once again wanting them to allow Jesus to have control of their lives instead of the false teachers.  Being a Christian is about knowing and following Jesus.  It is not about religion and ritual.  These believers had been influenced by religionists and Paul was hurting for them.

Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

If you are born again, Jesus lives in you.  This is the mystery of the gospel and a wonderful reality.  Paul knew these believers had Christ; he wanted them to allow him to fully have them.  This is a powerful verse that teaches us that being Christ-like and being legalistic are not the same thing!  Keeping rules and laws does not make you righteous.  Seeing Christ in you is what righteousness looks like.  

As a spiritual parent, Paul wanted these believers to walk in the truth of Jesus.  Do you walk in the truth of Jesus?  The key is to realize that Christ is in you and allow Him to have all of you.  Don’t go back to bondage.  Live in the liberty of Jesus!

In Christ,

Rody

The scripture hath concluded all under sin

Bible Reading: Galatians 3

Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

The scripture has concluded all under sin.  

Psalms 53:1-3 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

The great problem of mankind is moral.  We are not the righteous people that we think we are.  We do not obey our loving Creator.  We are rebels at heart.  No government can fix this situation.  Improving education cannot cure this disease of the soul.  No psychiatrist can ‘regress’ us to the point where we stop sinning.  There is only one cure for this moral failure on the part of man.  That is to return to God with repentance and faith.  

The love of the Creator is shown to rebels in the promise of the One who would bruise the serpent’s head.

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

All the way back in the Garden, God promised to send a deliverer.  He promised Abraham when he made his great covenant with him.

Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Throughout all history, God has graciously promised to provide a Serpent Stomper!  He has promised to bless us all through the Seed of Abraham.  That Seed is Jesus Christ.  The answer to the sin of this world is faith in Jesus Christ.  The promise of forgiveness and eternal life is given to those who believe on him.  Only those who believe on him will receive this great promise.  What an incredible reality!  Let us remember that the answer to this world’s problems is Jesus.

In Christ,

Rody