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Walking in the Spirit - Galatians 5:1-26 By Massimo Lorenzini There once was a man in a state medium security prison who wanted freedom. He came with a
fool-proof plan to break out of prison. He was working in the laundry room and had
the idea to hide himself in the laundry cart under the clothes as they were
taken out of the prison in a truck. After a while someone pushed the laundry
carts into a truck and drove for a while. Eventually the truck came to a stop
and was parked. When the prisoner no longer heard anyone around he climbed out
of the laundry cart and look up at the sign on the wall that read “Maximum Security
Prison.” Do you ever struggle to gain freedom from besetting sins?
Sins that you thought you should have conquered long ago? Maybe you recently did
something that you knew was wrong but couldn’t seem to resist the temptation. Maybe you have tried living according to certain rules to
keep yourself from sin. And in spite of your best intentions and efforts you
found yourself breaking those rules only to commit more sin and increase more
guilt. This is called legalism and it has no power to deliver someone from the
power of sin. I think if we’re honest we can all say that we struggle with
sin in our lives and wonder how we can consistently live a life that pleases
God. I realize that in this life we can never completely eradicate our sin
nature. But how can we overcome our sin nature on a daily basis without
resorting to legalism? (Legalism is adding other requirements to faith for
salvation or fellowship with God.) What is the cause of legalism? (Low view of God. High view
of man.) What are some things legalists add to faith in order to be
saved or be more holy? (Sabbath, music, women wearing pants, KJV only.) The
problem with legalists isn’t that they don’t love God. It’s that they want you
to love God in exactly the same way that they do. Why is it important
that we get victory over sin in our lives? Do you see your sin
as your deadly enemy? Are you willing to engage in a mortal combat against sin?
This is the heart attitude of every true Christian. We do not settle in with
sin. We realize it is kill sin or be killed. So we fight and kill sin—this is
called mortification. Text: Galatians 5:1-26 1 Stand fast
therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be
entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul,
say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And
I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to
keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ,
you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For
we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For
in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision
avails anything, but faith working through love. 7 You ran
well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This
persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little
leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you,
in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall
bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11 And I, brethren, if I
still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense
of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who
trouble you would even cut themselves off! 13 For you,
brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an
opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For
all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your
neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you bite and devour
one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! 16 I
say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For
the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these
are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But
if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now
the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred,
contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions,
heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the
like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past,
that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such
there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we
live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let
us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Occasion: Paul was writing to the believers in Galatia to correct the erroneous idea being taught by the Judaizers that to be saved one must not only believe in Christ, but must also obey the Mosaic law, the sign of which is circumcision. The effect of this was: (1) Hindering their obedience to the Lord (5:7). (2) They were starting to observe some parts of the law (4:10). (3) They were considering a
complete acceptance of the law (1:6; 4:9). The key verse of Galatians is 5:1 (against legalism). The key verse of chapter 5 is 5:13 (against lawlessness/sin). We are free from legalism on one hand and lawlessness on the other. So how are we to be governed in our Christian walk? In Galatians 5:25, Paul tells us, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” So we are to be governed in our behavior by walking in the Spirit. The pinnacle of our text is in verses 16-18: I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you
shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the
Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one
another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by
the Spirit, you are not under the law. Paul wrote to the Galatians to tell them that they could
experience the freedom they had in Christ from sin and legalism. And because the gospel hasn’t changed since Paul preached
it, today we also can experience the freedom we have in Christ from sin and
legalism. You might say, “That sounds good, but how can I really
experience this freedom? I have tried and tried again and I still end up
sinning!” Our text gives us the one and only principle for
experiencing the freedom we have in Christ from sin and legalism. The principle
is this: You can experience the freedom you
have in Christ from sin and legalism by consistently walking in the Spirit of
God. Gal 5:1 – We are free from keeping the law as a means of
right standing with God, but as we saw in v. 13, we should not use our freedom
as a license to sin, rather we should use our freedom for service. See also Gal
6:1-10. v. 16 – I say then – Paul is now transitioning
from the false teaching that doesn’t bring freedom to the true teaching which
does. walk in the Spirit – Amplified Bible reads,
“Walk and live habitually in the Holy Spirit – responsive to and controlled and
guided by the Spirit.” Walking in the Spirit means to live your life according to the Holy Spirit’s leading. This is not some kind of mystical leading, but the leading we have in the gospel revealed in the Holy Scriptures. We are lead by the Spirit insofar as we are obedient to God’s Word. I
rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as
we received commandment from the Father. And now I plead with you, lady, not as
though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the
beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to
His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the
beginning, you should walk in it (2 John 4-6). Paul wrote, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). What does it mean to “walk by faith.” (To rely on Christ for one’s own salvation and to trust that the promises found in Scripture are dependable and will be faithfully fulfilled.) So then, to walk in the Spirit means to live in such a way as to rely on and submit to God’s Word, or, in other words, to live by the gospel. walk – This word indicates continuous action,
or a habitual lifestyle. Walking also implies progress. As we submit to the
Spirit’s control. We grow in our spiritual maturity. and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh
– Amplified, “You certainly shall not gratify the cravings and desires of the
flesh – of human nature without God.” You will live free from sin in direct
proportion to your submission to the Holy Spirit. This is the simple principle
of garbage in, garbage out. v.17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit –
The reason this is so; the flesh is the enemy of Spirit living. It’s like a tug-of-war between the Spirit and the flesh. Why didn’t God just remove the fleshly nature from
believers? To keep us reminded of our own weakness apart from Him; to keep us
continually dependent on Christ our high priest and advocate; and to cause us
to praise unceasingly the One who saved such wretched creatures. The flesh and Spirit are constantly in conflict. This is
normal. The believer’s duty is to resist the flesh and yield to the Spirit. so that you do not do the things that you wish
– This is what happens when we don’t walk in the Spirit. Sin will control you,
rather than you controlling it. v. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The contrast of Spirit-led living and law-living. If you are Spirit-led, you are not under bondage of trying to please God by minute observation of the law for salvation or sanctification. This also means you are not under the condemnation and guilt of the law. The law cannot save us, it shows us our sinfulness and our need for salvation. We are not justified by the law nor are we sanctified by the law. Both are by the power of the Holy Spirit through faith in the gospel. “To suppose that whatever God requireth of us that we have power of ourselves to do, is
to make the cross and grace of Jesus Christ of none effect” (John Owen,
III:433). What Owen is saying is that if you could keep God’s commands, then Jesus died on the cross in vain and what He accomplished is unnecessary. What then was the purpose of the law? See Gal 3:19-25. The law serves as a fishing net trapping all humanity, but faith is the door that sets us free from the law. So we are no longer trapped in condemnation of the law. But we also do not disregard the law. For the Christian, the law serves to show us God’s moral standards. The law tells us how to love God and love our neighbor (Matt 22:36-40; John 15:12; Gal 5:14; 6:2; Rom 13:8-10). “Now
the purpose [goal, end] of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a
good conscience, and from sincere faith” (1 Tim 1:5). You were not justified in God’s sight by keeping the law and
you are not sanctified by keeping it either. It’s all the work of the Holy
Spirit. See Rom 8:1-8. God fulfilled the requirement of the law on our behalf
by sending His Son to die as an offering for sin. Vv. 5-6, You now are indwelt
by the Holy Spirit and you are to live by yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
An unbeliever has no choice but to follow the flesh. A believer has the choice
to follow the Spirit or the flesh and we demonstrate that we are saved when we
choose the Spirit over the flesh. Remember, the principle that we are studying is this: You
can experience the freedom you have in Christ from sin and legalism by
consistently walking in the Spirit of God. How Do I Walk in the Spirit? Let’s now think of
how we can put this idea of walking in the Spirit into practice. Dead to Sin How
shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? (Rom 6:2). The guilt of our sin in Adam (as our original representative head) resulted in our being given over to sin’s dominion as a penal consequence. In other words, outside of Christ we bear the guilt of sin and we are delivered over to the dominion and bondage of sin as a penal consequence of our guilt. Dead to the Law Therefore,
my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ,
that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we
should bear fruit to God (Rom 7:4). The law of God contains precepts and penalties. The law is eternally an expression of God’s moral will. We do not die to the law in respect to the precepts of the law. But we do die to the law’s penalties. We who are in Christ are dead to the law’s condemnation and curse. Jesus Christ paid the full penalty of the law thereby delivering us from sin’s guilt and dominion. Therefore, all true Christians are dead to the condemnation of the law and to the guilt and power of sin. Consider Yourself Dead to Sin So what do we do to combat the remaining sin in our lives? Likewise
you also, reckon [consider, count, believe] yourselves to be dead indeed to
sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 6:11). Paul is not telling us to do something but to believe something. Though you are personally guilty for the sin in your life, God no longer regards you as guilty because Christ bore your guilt on the cross. The penalty has been paid in full. You have died to sin’s guilt. No sin can be crucified either in heart or life, unless it be first pardoned in conscience, because there will be want of faith to receive the strength of Jesus, by whom alone it can be crucified. If it be not mortified in its guilt, it cannot be subdued in its power (William Romaine). Sin will continue to seek expression in your life, but it cannot have dominion over you. Do
not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but
present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness to God. For
sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace
(Rom 6:12-14). “How do I do this?” By focusing on the gospel. By relying on the fact that you are freely and warmly welcomed into the presence of God and nothing stands between you. It’s the love of God that motivates us to resist our sinful urges and give ourselves to Him. For
the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all,
then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer
for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again (2 Cor 5:14-15). We must “preach the gospel to ourselves everyday” if we would find victory over sin. Sanctification
Can you think of a time when you put this principle into
practice? Why is it better to yield to the Spirit by preaching the
gospel to ourselves rather than living according to rules—whether God’s or
man’s? In addition to preaching the gospel to ourselves daily we can apply two practices that are mentioned in Rom 13:14: “Put
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its
lusts.” Clothing is symbolic of thoughts and behavior. Provision is planning
or forethought stemming from wrong ideas and desires. Based on this verse, what are two aspects of walking in the
Spirit? (1) By exposing yourself to things that appeal to the
Spirit of God who lives in you. Someone once asked
Charles Spurgeon about what determines which nature will prevail—the Spirit or
the flesh. The person described it as an all-out fight between two dogs. Which
one will win? Spurgeon said, “The one you feed.” The best way to keep
tares out of the bushel is to fill it with wheat. What kinds of things should we expose ourselves to that
would appeal to the Spirit rather than the flesh? (A) Let the Word of God enter your
mind daily. Read it, study it, memorize it, meditate on it, quote it, obey it
(Ps 119:9,11). (B) Seek
godly company more than ungodly company (Ps 1) (C) Confess
your sins immediately (1 John 1:9). (D)
Discipline your mind to think godly thoughts (Phil 4:8-9; 2 Cor
10:3-5). (E) Keep
busy for the Lord (2 Cor 5:9). (F) Read
Christian books and listen to Christian tapes. (G) Set
your affections on the things of God (Col 3:1-10). (H) Think
about what Jesus went through to pay the price for your sins. (I) Think about the price you will
pay in consequences if you commit the sin you are tempted with (Gal 6:7-9). (J) Pray without ceasing. Practice
the presence of God. Don’t think about prayer time as different from any other.
(i) Constantly remind yourself of God’s presence in all that
you do. (ii)
Do everything out of love for God as an act of worship to him. The second aspect of walking in the Spirit? (2) By refraining from things that appeal to the flesh.
Don’t make choices that favor the flesh. What kinds of things should we refrain from the appeal to
the flesh? If you have a problem with: (A)
Drinking, don’t go to bars, drinking parties, or hang out with those who drink. (B) Lust,
don’t look at pornography or entertain lustful thoughts. (C) Bitterness,
don’t dwell on injustices. (D) Gossip,
don’t let anyone tell you any gossip. (E)
Selfishness, think of others needs. (F) Sexual
immorality, avoid situations that you know will lead to it. Remember, the principle the Word of God gives is this: You
can experience the freedom you have in Christ from sin and legalism by
consistently walking in the Spirit of God. Where do you find yourself today? Have you had a recent struggle
with the flesh? What do you believe God wants you to do about it? Maybe you’re slavishly keeping rules and trusting them to make you holy? Maybe you’ve been trying to live up to God’s standard of righteousness apart from the gospel? God’s forgiveness is available and so is His power to
sanctify you and make you holy through the Holy Spirit. God can shape your
character to that of Christ. He can make you a person that He can use to impact
others around you as they notice what God is doing in your life. Acknowledge to God whatever he’s dealing with you about. Trust
Him to set you free to serve Him as you discipline yourself to yield to the
Holy Spirit who forevermore lives within you. |
