Galatians 5:15-26 Bible Teaching

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Okay we left off with Paul writing to the Galatians (at verse 14):

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

And we talked about this passage and its importance in Paul shifting here from doctrine to practice.

Remember, most of the epistle thus far has been Paul talking about salvation coming by faith – and not by the Mosaic Law.

But here he has adeptly shifted to speaking of the other side of the coin of salvation and the other Christian commandment – love – loving neighbor as we love ourselves.

I once had a man tell me that we are “supposed to love ourselves” and he used this commandment as his proof text. I don’t think that is the meaning.

Instead, as Jesus pointed out, we naturally love ourselves – the goal is to learn and choose to love others AS we love ourselves, meaning we treat them preferentially (like we naturally treat ourselves) and put them at the top of our priorities (LIKE we do with ourselves).

The Law of God in Christ is fulfilled in such.
At this point Paul enters into some discussion with the Galatians about the Spirit and the flesh, which are the essential elements or characters when it comes to loving others and loving self for when we love others ahead of self it is of the Spirit, and if we love self over others that is of the Flesh.

So, Paul says (at verse 15):

15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
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.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Let’s cover these passages first. Back to verse 15. Before reading it, we recall that Paul has said (in our verses last week) that there were some in their group (whom he didn’t name) that he would like to see cut off. And we talked about not really knowing what he meant, whether it was excommunication or by death (I suggest it means excommunication).

But that was just Paul’s wish and apparently was not to be – why, we don’t know. So, it seems like there was infighting amidst the people in Galatia and it appears in the context of all we have read that perhaps there was a war between those who endorsed the Law and those who did not.

The worst things to occur in the Bride, it seems, was for there to be “friction,” as that would “divide and destroy” the unity of the Church-bride faster than anything else. And Jesus was not coming back for brides but one bride, one church.

And so Paul says

Galatians 5.15-
Milk
June 30th 2019
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

The words for bite and devour, of course are not literal – unless you are a biblical literalist (gosh, when can I stop saying that) but it is a reference to the animal kingdom where beasts do, in fact, bite and not only that, bite to the devour to the death.

The meaning seems to be, “listen carefully – if you engage in biting and devouring each other you run the risk of consuming each other – destroying any and all unity. “

Of course, this is what happens in the animal world – they not only bite and attack each other ferociously, they try to consume their enemy through eating.

So, “if you contend with each other,” (in all probability in clashes between the Jews and the Gentile converts which was where the rub would have been in the context of this epistle) . . .

Be careful that you do not wind up consuming each other – why – because the surest way to destroy a group is to encourage division through angry contention.

Now, let’s address something here – because in a group there will always be differences of opinion. Even arguments.

I want to step away from the standard definition of argument in our world and speak to argument in terms of the Greeks.

In that sense, every Christian should desire and seek argumentation. Because it is through argumentation that we arrive at the truth.

But this type of argument is not the kind that includes anger, contention, or personal insults through shouting.

When we say, “they got into an argument,” it carries with it a negative connotation, right?

But if we say that we want our attorney “to argue” our case, that is a good thing, because we want our attorney to present all the information necessary to arrive at a reasonable or best conclusion – at the truth.

This is what we want in a group of believers – again, because it is a healthy, reasonable way to get to the truth of a subject.

So, we present a premise or series of premises that are given to support or endorse our conclusion. For instance:

The Bible is the Word of God. 1st Premise
The Word of God is infallible. 2nd Premise
Conclusion: Therefore the Bible is the infallible Word of God.

And someone else in the group steps in and says:

The Bible contains the Word of God.
The Word of God is infallible.
And therefore, concludes that, “the parts of the Bible that contain the word of God are infallible.”

And in the two presentations each side argues their given position as a means to come to the truth.

If it is by the Spirit, whose fruit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kind and temperace, then both sides are able – ARE ABLE – to speak, present, and even differ WITHOUT CONSUMING EACH OTHER.

What happens when this is not possible or is NOT happening and there is division? Two words:

Ready? THE FLESH

The self – emotions, feelings, anger, hate, offense, ego, judgment, man against man, and the Spirit and its fruit is lost.

LISTEN – anytime – anytime – anytime there is a hostile argument between people, THE FLESH is at work from one or both sides – simple as that. And I know this better than most.

So, the key is NOT abstaining from differing views – that is how the wonderful way we determine statements of fact and test truth claims. Come, let us reason together, right?

The key is to strip ego and emotion from the arguments, allow the Spirit to reign and to therefore test all things.

The majority religion in the state, in the face of arguments, will quickly sense contention and say the disagreement is of the devil – if the disagreement is emotional and fleshly, they are right.

But when argumentation is used in the proper way, to build a case and break down error, it is one of the best ways to prove a position – this is Good and not of the devil.

So the KEY – the KEY to any discussion or debate is to live by the Spirit and NOT the flesh.

Therefore, Paul says at verse 16

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

The Christian life is often described as a journey or a walk which is synonymous with living. Live and/or act in the Spirit.

Its an old phrase, as we see it used by religious leaders in Jesus day as Mark
7:5 reads:

“Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?”

And Paul uses the imagery of walking (and running) a number of times throughout his epistles.

But the question is . . . (beat) how? How does one walk in the Spirit?

We know the directive but what does it really mean when it comes right down to it?

It seems to me that walking in the Spirit includes

seeking the will and Spirit of the Lord
accepting the influence of the Holy Spirit when it is presented and not refuse it.
And along the way, because we have accepted the Spirit’s advances, rejecting the advances of the flesh.
And there is a fourth way I will mention in a minute.

But quickly, number 1: How do we seek the will and Spirit of the Lord? Pretty basic, right? We petition him in prayer, we seek him in scripture, we ask Him for strength and opportunity to exercise it.

This is real stuff, folks. It isn’t rote religious exercises. Talk to God. Ask him for help you grow and understand and overcome yourself.

I believe that this is the area he works in – the issues of the spirit and the heart – much more than in the material world – so include Him and seek for Him in your life.

Next, accepting the influence of the Holy Spirit in your life when it is presented.

So, we have sought God through prayer and the scripture. And we are then confronted with a situation that both the scripture AND the Spirit tell us how to respond.

Someone has wronged us – to our face. We know what scripture says. We know what the Spirit says relative to its prescribed fruit.

What do we do?!!

As young Christians, we succumb to the desires of our flesh and will. As maturing Christian’s, we learn to submit our flesh and will to that of the Fathers by the Spirit and by the Word.

Paul speak to this a bit in the infamous Romans 8 where he writes:

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

But then he adds:

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

And this naturally brings us to the last view – to walk in the Spirit is to not feed the flesh.

Again, this is a choice. We are all clothed in flesh, and as Paul says in Romans 7 there is a war between the Flesh and the Spirit with each seeking to dominate the other.

Decades ago, I was absolutely devoid of any ability to do anything but feed my flesh. No matter what came my way I saw no value or purpose for choosing the ways of the Spirit.

And so I was captive to my own will and ways, prisoner to my passions and emotions and unable to reign in my anger, lust, and appetite for the things of this world, whether it be money and materialism, escapism, sex, drugs violence – you name it – I was led by the flesh – truly a carnal man.

Then Jesus came to the town called my heart and mind. And ever so slowly, ever so gently, began – through the very things I have shared with you now – to teach and instruct me on how to reign in my flesh by the power of the Spirit.

Without question I attest to you that it is a two-way street, that he invites and we choose to respond, and in and through this process His children are led to the ability to walk more and more by the Spirit.

Here Paul provides the key – and it is as real as the sun in the sky:

“Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

By choosing the Spirit we will not, by virtue of the fact that the Spirit is in control, fulfill the lust of the flesh – no matter how powerful it may seem or be.

How could the flesh have any say in our lives IF we are walking by another source or force?

Again, it all comes down to our identity in Christ or who we think we are in Christ.

And in this I see all believers in the status of Paul when he said at the conclusion of Romans chapter 7:

Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Do you know what that means? Paul wrote this WHEN he was an apostle. After he had been converted. So, his situation is similar to yours and mine. And he says here that HE IS CARNAL, SOLD UNDER SIN.

That means that his fleshly nature is sinful – even though the law is truly spiritual, when it comes face to face with our flesh, we are proven carnal and sold under sin.

And he adds:

15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then, I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

Now listen to this:

17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

How does Paul say this? Because it is the truth. It is NO MORE Paul that fails, but it is the sin in His flesh. That is NOT who Paul is. And we can say that because when Paul took his last breath, the flesh that contained his soul, went into the grave – and all that it was about – its passions, its will, its way – gone, in the grave.

And what went to God? The real Paul – the Paul that was identified with Christ on the road to Damascus. That is who Paul became – it was what operated primarily in Him in the last years of his life.

Sure, the flesh covering Paul would rise up and exercise its will every now and again – as He admits – but that flesh was NOT Paul. He had a new identity in Christ.

And this leads us to the fourth way to walk in the Spirit – to see ourselves as new Creatures in Christ, and not identify any longer with the former woman or man of the flesh.

That is who we really are! So now Paul continues at verse 18 of Romans 7 and validates what we have just covered, saying:

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Refuse to see your flesh as a thing with a valid opinion or insight into how to live in this life. Reject it out of hand and lean on the things you have learned from the Spirit. Why? Because our real identity is in Him and nothing else.

We live in an age where the flesh is heralded as good and right. Whatever we think or feel about ourselves is to be rejoiced in and accepted. This is not the message of the Christian walk – not even close.

So, Paul concludes in Romans 7 saying:

21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (and are you ready for the grand conclusion that Paul assigns to Himself? He says)

So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

(Repeat this)

Walking in the Spirit then begins and ends in the mind, as the flesh will never conform to the will of the Spirit – no matter how much we try to make it seem so.

So, we do NOT focus on the flesh. We do not give it the attention it relentlessly demands. It is not us. It is dying, decaying, and striving to impose itself on each of us who are new Creatures in Christ.

But the Spirit and its fruit is offering the ways and means to live true to who we really on in the eternal spectrum of things. Walk in it, Paul says, and we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

So back to Galatians 5 verse 17 as Paul says:

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.

This last line hearkens right back to Paul who in Romans 7 openly said:

15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then, I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

Ever find yourself in that situation as a Christian? You want to serve God with all of your heart and soul and might, but you fail miserably into some egregious errors or actions.

This appears to be what Paul is describing when he talks about us “not doing the things we would like” because our flesh is at war with the Spirit. We would like to serve God but our flesh gets in the way (verse 18)

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Bottom line, if and when we submit to the teachings and guidance of the Holy Spirit we are wholly under a different administration – one that is NOT under the Law but is free from its demands.

Why? Because you are THEN under the control of the Spirit of God. That is the end-all that Paul is addressing – what controls you and me – is it the law of Moses, or is it the Spirit

Paul doesn’t say this here, but in this way true liberty prevails as the gentle hand of the Spirit calls us to love – to love our neighbor as ourselves – which in the verse we left off with last week but read today – is the fulfillment of the Law.

In our weekly show I often ask various guests what they believe the meaning of life to be.

The answers range from there being no meaning of life to life is all about love, or learning, or do discover oneself – whatever.

I think life is set up to learn things – but to learn what? I think life is to learn to love, but why?

And in the end it seems to me that human existence, while it may include learning to love, to me, the overall big picture on the purpose of life is to give all people the “opportunity” to be free.

To experience ultimate liberty, which of course comes as we learn to truly love.

In this there is the freedom God wants all of His creations made in his image to possess, or as 2nd Corinthians 3:17 says:

“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

The flesh and its ways ONLY offers captivity, imprisonment, and restrictions.
Because it draws to the self.

The Spirit of Love, when present and abiding, draws to the other, which is the path to true emancipation for the human soul.

Hate is bondage.
Anger is bondage.
Envy is bondage.
Revenge is bondage.
Prejudice and bias – bondage.
Unforgiveness – bondage.
Addiction, selfishness, lust, pride – bondage, bondage, bondage.

And so what Paul is telling these Galatians is to realize that walking in the Spirit will emancipate them from the clutches of the flesh – which I am convinced is the purpose of life – to learn to live free – that all who are His by faith and seek to know Him in spirit and truth, will become emancipated from the bondage in this world, its ways, its dogmas and demands.

It is with this understanding that Paul now says, as he continues to speak to them about the Christian walk and the things that are not part of it (meaning the things of the flesh – beginning at verse 19):

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Let’s wrap today up discussion verses 19-21.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

The first thing to note is that flesh (sarx in the Greek) is representative of the carnal nature of man. It is not just referring to the human body and we know this because a number of these things listed exist “outside” the operations of the flesh, meaning they are in the mind and heart of a person.

The next thing to consider is the categorizing that Paul does here. Lists and making comparative lists was a popular activity anciently and so we have Paul making a list of fleshly actions and then a list of Spirit-led actions.

In his list of the fleshly he has four general categories:

Sensual and sexual sins (4 areas)
Sins of Idolatry (2 areas)
Sins in personal engagements (8 areas)
And, sins related to drunkenness (3 areas)

I think that he addresses these sins specifically because they were prominent in the Gentile or heathen world. Or as Paul says, “they are manifest” – which means well and plainly known.

Under the first category of Sensual or Sexual sins Paul adds (and I am going to appeal to the Greek terms here)

Moicheia (adultery)
Pornea (prostitution, harlotry, all sexual relations outside of marriage)
Akatharsia (uncleanliness, moral impurity)
Aselgea (wantonless – or any sexual vice practices among the heathens)

Notice they are all lumped together and not detailed or specified really?

The next category Sins of Idolatry:

And he writes:

Eidolatreia (the worship of idols)
Witchcraft (pharmakeia, or the administering of drugs)

Drugs and idol worship went hand in hand anciently and were practiced among the heathens. Same with today.

I am a personal hater of illicit drugs – all of them and their use. I love people who use them but have seen far too many people unmoored by them to maintain any appreciation of them. They are antithetical to liberty.

Then Paul takes us to the longest list of the four main categories – the sins existing in interpersonal relationships, and he mentions eight of them!

Exthrai (personal animosity)
Eris (rivalry and discord)
Zeloi (heated zeal)
Thumos (fierce emotive wrath)
Erithea (contentions)
Deekostassea (divisions)
Hahreesis (a choice a party or sect)
Fthonos (spite and jealousy)
Phonos (murder)

I tend to see an order or escalating order present here in this list – could be wrong, but listen to the words used in the description of a person on trial for murder:

John started off with some (personal animosity) toward his neighbor Jim and his family. It developed into a rivalry among families and some real heated zeal was produced in John because of it. Before long John was filled with heated wrath, and the two men became contentious with each other even in the street! In time, the families separated completely, and they each tried to recruit the other neighbors to their side. Jim gained the most friend, causing Johns heart to seeth with spite, and on October 1st 2018, John murdered Jim in cold blood.

The last thing mentions is our fourth category of Drunkenness and so Paul adds:

Methe (intoxicated)
Komos (letting loose or rioting)
And such like. (whatever comes along with it).

Now, we enter into some factors that must be considered here.

The first is that Paul was preparing the Bride. Cannot get around that. And because that bride had to be pure, he was giving them this strict insight.

I think there is application to believers today but not in the same extreme.

But the second factor is important here – really important as Paul says:

“as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Automatically, from the King James, we are led to believe that anyone who does any of the things listed above will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

First note the word, inherit. The only way to receive a rightful inheritance is to be a Son or Daughter of God.

But even with that being said, not many can escape this world without dabbling in some most or even all of these areas – depending on the person.

And if you think you have earned the right to your inheritance because you don’t get drunk, don’t commit adultery, don’t worship idols and don’t take drugs, take a gander at the eight interpersonal rules he mentions:

Exthrai (personal animosity)
Eris (rivalry and discord)
Zeloi (heated zeal)
Thumos (fierce emotive wrath)
Erithea (contentions)
Deekostassea (divisions)
Hahreesis (a choice, a party or sect)
Fthonos (spite and jealousy)
Phonos (murder – and then remember what Jesus said about committing murder in your heart.)

So the point is, this laundry list of ‘don’t and cannots’ or there will be no inheriting the Kingdom of God must means something more than those who have fallen to one or more of them in their Christian lives, right?

The KEY to this is found in the Greek folks. The Greek word for doing – even once or twice – is POEO.

The Greek word for PRACTICING is
PRASSO which means the habituation, the practicing of, no ebb and flow, the determination to do something well.

A violinist prassos the violin. If you find yourself prassoing any on the list, Paul says here do not expect to discover yourself on the list of inheritors of Gods Kingdom.

We have said time and time again that our flesh will not choose well-doing. We have noted that when a true Son or Daughter FALLS to the flesh, the typical result is remorse and contrition and a humble return to Holy God.

There is a danger in allowing the flesh to reign in any believers life and that danger is in time the flesh can overcome the Spirit and the person can enter into a lifetime of sinful practices.

In the description of the Kingdom of God on high, the New Jerusalem and what it looks like today INCLUDING its surroundings, we read in Revelation 22:14

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15 For outside of it are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Which are all works of the flesh and those who abide in them and practice them will discover themselves outside the Kingdom of God without inheritance.

We’ll address Paul’s fruits of the Spirit next week.

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