Over the past several weeks, we have discussed the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. So often, as we look at the list of the fruit of the Spirit, it feels like something that could never be achieved in us. Perhaps we are like Henry, who struggles with his anger. He knows it is a problem. He doesn’t want to live an angry life. But, no matter how hard he tries, the anger seeps to the surface (often like a raging volcano). Maybe we are like Sally. Sally knows that she should not be such a negative, bitter person. She wants to think the best of others, but they are just so stupid. As a result, every conversation she has seems to be a complaint fest about someone or something. She has tried to change. She just doesn’t know how. We want the fruit of the Spirit to be true in us. We just can’t seem to see it happen.

Thankfully, Paul does more than give us the two lists (works of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit) and then expects us to figure out how to avoid the one and cling to the other. As Paul concluded Galatians 5, he gives us instructions to change. Note Galatians 5:24-25, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” If we are going to see the Spirit produce fruit in our lives, we must follow the two steps outlined in these verses.

First, we must learn to crucify the flesh. This is Paul’s graphic description of repentance. We became united with Christ’s death when we came to Christ for salvation. We were crucified with him. Yet, our sin nature has a way of coming off the cross and re-engaging with us. So, we must continually crucify it. The secret to holiness lies in the decisiveness of our repentance and hatred of sin. Often, our sin struggle lies in the fact that we have not truly repented of sin. We feel sorry for it but don’t hate it and turn our back on it. Although our sin was nailed to the cross, we look at it with longing and take it back down.

Crucifying the flesh often requires drastic steps. It may require removing ourselves from situations where we know we will struggle. It may mean that we find a new job, hobby, or even friends. But it is this living out of the Christian life that the world hates so much. When obedience becomes hard, most seek an easier route. One person describes us as religious tourists seeking sensational entertainment, instantaneous pleasure, and emotional excitement. But the way of the cross is not easy. It is a long, hard road that makes tough choices with eternity in mind.

Second, we need to walk in the Spirit. Verse 25 describes it as keeping in step with the Spirit. This means to walk in a straight line and conduct oneself rightly. The pull and allure of sin are strong in our lives. If sin were not so pretty, we would not struggle with it. Satan rarely appears as the horned devil we often associate with him. Instead, he appears as an angel of light. We struggle with sin because we enjoy it. Yet at salvation, and as we grow in our relationship with God, God implants in us through the Holy Spirit a new desire toward God. Any desire to do right is from God alone. This is good news. Although we are to work out our salvation, God is the one who works in us, implanting in us the power to overcome sin through a new motivation to please God.

Have you ever met someone with little to no motivation to accomplish the task at hand? Perhaps that individual at work doesn’t pull their weight. Maybe it’s that kid on your child’s or your own sports team who is more interested in chasing butterflies and counting dandelions than in the game itself. Perhaps it’s your child who has no desire to clean their room or accomplish their chores. It’s aggravating! Yet, for many of us, this is how we approach sin. We have simply determined that this is who we are, and we cannot change. We have tried, and we simply can’t. This verse gives new life to those people. As you draw near to God, He will implant within you a new desire to overcome sin and please him.

Yet not only does God implant in us the desire to overcome sin, but God also grants us the power to overcome sin. You are not alone in this battle. When you feel like quitting on your marriage and your family, don’t. You are not alone in this battle. When you feel like you can’t help but go to that wicked web page again, don’t! You are not alone in this battle. When you are sick of fighting against sin and temptation because you feel as though no one else is with you, don’t! You are not alone in this battle. When you think you don’t have the power to overcome that sin yet again, remember you are not alone in this battle. When we lean into the Spirit, He gives us the power to do right.

We tap into this power through the spiritual disciplines. To walk in the Spirit, we must spend quality time studying God’s Word in its context. We must spend time in prayer communing with God. We must spend time serving and worshiping with God’s people. These and the other spiritual disciplines allow us to draw close to the Spirit and tap into His power. They move the transmission from neutral to drive and provide power from the engine (the Holy Spirit) to the wheels (our works). In short, we see the Spirit produce His fruit in us through Spirit-empowered, Christ-initiated, committed effort.

As we seek to evaluate our walk with God, we must begin by examining the production of the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Unfortunately, many Christians believe they have a fantastic walk with God while demonstrating the works of the flesh, not the fruit of the Spirit. One person gossips to another, spreading discord between Christians. Another person responds in anger when things don’t go their way. Some hold grudges because they have not been treated how they expected to be treated. When this happens, we can be sure the individuals are not walking in the Spirit.

Over the last few weeks, we have looked at the first few characteristics of the Fruit of the Spirit. Interestingly, the last six deal very closely with one another. They all address our interpersonal relationships. When someone walks in the Spirit, they deal with others in love and graciousness. We discover that Spirit-filled people are marked by patience. Patience is the idea of longsuffering or forbearance with other people. It is the ability to be wronged and move forward without bitterness.

Instead of bitterness and anger, this patience results in kindness. We do not retaliate or simmer but serve the one who wronged us. Rather than gossip or slander them, we speak well of them. As opportunity arises, our attitude towards them becomes gentleness, not hostility. This kindness is furthered by goodness. We serve them and seek to do them good. We observe opportunities to advance their lives and act on them. When someone responds with bitterness to wrong suffered, it is natural and a work of the flesh. It can only come from God when someone responds with patience, kindness, and goodness to wrong.

Those who walk in the Spirit are also marked by faithfulness. There are two aspects to this characteristic. First, this person is a person of faith. They regularly manifest faith in God through their actions and reactions. They are a person of the word and prayer. Second, this results in a person of faithfulness. They become trustworthy, dependable people. Because they are not easily offended, they are loyal.

When these characteristics mark an individual, they are also marked by gentleness or humility. They do not think more highly of themselves than they ought to think. They recognize that everything they have and every ability they hold is a gift from God. So, they treat others with respect and love. They do not seek their glory but God’s glory. They are not loud and brash but humble.

Because they are humble, they are also able to exercise self-control. They control their tongues, they control their bodies, and they control their desires. There are a myriad of applications to this. Spirit-controlled people say no to laziness, gluttony, and excess. They care for their bodies and minds. They recognize that life is not about their pleasure, so that they can resist excess pleasure.

As you read through the list, you probably feel overwhelmed. There is no chance that this list could ever be said of you. I know I feel that way. Yet, we can have hope because seeing these things become a reality is not dependent on our ability. Over the next few weeks, we will discover that these characteristics will become a part of us when we submit to the Holy Spirit. So, we will discuss what that means and what we need to do to submit to Him.

Hank stared into the distance. From the outside, his life seemed like it should be perfect. He had a fantastic job, a wonderful wife, beautiful kids, and a lovely home. Yet here he was, completely unhappy and questioning life. Sally had everything she dreamed of as a child. But her husband, kids, and friends seemed to annoy her now. She spent day after day miserable. Both these people live a life devoid of joy. And this is the story for the vast majority of Christians today.

However, God has something better for us. In Galatians 5, the second characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit is joy. Scriptural joy is deep-seated satisfaction and contentment with life. A characteristic all desire, but few have. Yet, when we recognize that it is the fruit of the Spirit, we discover that it can be (and should be) engrained in our life. It comes through a strong relationship with God.

In 1 John 1, the Apostle John introduces his book with the statement that he wrote it so that we could find joy. This joy comes from the Word of Life, Jesus Christ. But we only gain this joy through a correct, passionate relationship with Christ. In verse 1, we discover that we must honestly believe that Jesus is who He said He is. We must believe that He is real. John informs us that he saw Jesus, touched Jesus, and experienced fellowship with Jesus. And he declares to us that he is real.

In verse 3, John concludes that we must believe that Jesus is real to have a relationship with God and God’s people. When we state that we must believe that Jesus is real, we must believe that He is who He said He is. Jesus is the absolute authority over all things, holds all things in His hands, and died and rose for our redemption. He controls every aspect of your life and the world around you. Far too many Christians lack joy because they downplay Christ’s sovereignty. As a result, if life does not go as planned, they become bitter, angry, and controlling. But when we develop a proper relationship with God, we find joy!

This proper relationship with God involves walking in the light (1 John 1). It means we fix everything in God’s Word and anchor ourselves to it. We don’t make it say what we want it to say. Instead, we allow the Word to say what it says and obey it. Walking in the light means that we humbly confess our sins. We recognize that we regularly sin and deal with it quickly. Walking in the light looks like walking in the Spirit in Galatians 5.

Christ reiterates this reality in John 15. In verse 10, Jesus informs us that we abide in His love when we keep His commandments. Then, in verse 11, Christ tells us that this obedience results in joy. When we discover an unhappy and bitter Christian, we discover a Christian failing to obey God’s Word. They have lost sight of Christ. A joyless Christian is a Christless Christian.

How, then, do we find this joy? By deepening our relationship with Christ. Do you regularly repent and confess your sin (Proverbs 28:13; James 5:16; 1 John 1:8-9)? Are you regularly spending quality time in God’s Word (Psalm 119:105; Hebrews 4:12)? We should note that this quality time is not simply five minutes with a devotional book. Are you regularly spending time in prayer (Philippians 4:6-7)? Are you spending time fellowshipping with and serving God’s people (Hebrews 10:24-25)? Are you practicing the spiritual disciplines (Romans 12:1-2)? If your answer to these questions is “no,” it is not a mystery why you don’t have joy.

Walking in the Flesh, Part 2

January 3, 2025

We live in a day of moralism. A day in which anyone who claims the name of Jesus is considered a Christian. As a result, Christians have lost their way in what it means to live like a Christian. We have allowed many “acceptable sins” and destructive attitudes to mark our lives. Unfortunately, these actions and attitudes reveal that we are not walking the Spirit but after our flesh. We are not living godly lives.

The problem of Christians living like unbelievers is not new. In the early church, Paul penned a letter to the churches of Galatia. In that letter, he provided a way for us to tell if we are walking the Spirit or the flesh. In short, our actions and attitudes reveal what we are following. Last week, we began looking at the list that marks those living after the flesh.

The second part of the list deals with what we worship. Those who walk after the flesh are marked by idolatry and sorcery. Immediately, most Christians would proclaim that this is not an issue for them. We don’t generally have a statue in our homes to which we sacrifice. Nor do we hold seances in our homes. Yet, when we consider these concepts, we discover that we struggle with these sins.

Idolatry is to worship anything other than God. To worship something is to assign it inordinate value. As we examine our lives and the lives of Christians around us, we discover that we all struggle with idolatry. Our hearts are idol factories that create them as fast as we can destroy them. We regularly struggle with valuing things more than God or asking things to do what only God can do.

One sure way to discover your idols is to examine your time/money, and conversations. You might also ask what makes you angry. Inevitably, we get angry when our idol gets poked. When we examine our lives through these filters, we discover that they are full of idols. Sports, money, jobs, family, politics, conspiracy theories, recognition, and acceptance quickly become idols. Unless we remain vigilant, they begin to dominate our lives.

As we consider sorcery, we might discover two ways we unintentionally struggle with this sin. First, some Christians fall prey to concepts like karma and rituals, which bring luck. We “knock on wood” and wear the lucky clothes. These seemingly innocuous actions reveal that we trust in something other than God for direction. Second, the word used here is the same word from which we get our English word pharmaceutical. Many Christians reveal how they live an addiction to items in life. Things like caffeine, over-the-counter drugs, and yes, even vitamins and oils become an addiction. These things can be used for health and God’s glory in their proper place. But they become harmful when we allow them undue weight in our lives. We must always be on guard to keep Christ first and not allow other things to become a talisman to us.

I am taking a break from our study regarding decision-making this week because I want to share a lesson that God has driven home to me in the last twenty-four hours. I have coached my boys’ soccer teams for the past twelve years. I watched them grow from fun little guys into men who now tower over me. Each stage has been an incredible blessing. Last night, that chapter of life closed for my oldest son. As he walked off the field, ending his senior season of high school, it hit me that I would no longer be on the bench as he came off the field—no more practices or strategy sessions as a coach. I went out to him and met him on the field. Through tears, we hugged each other. I expressed my pride in him and thanked him for letting me coach him. It also hit me that I will do this again with my other son next year. That one will be harder because then it will be all done.

This morning, I received a call from my dad that my mom suffered a stroke. As I write this, we are still waiting to discover the long-term impacts. Thankfully, it appears that her life is not in immediate jeopardy. Yet, it reminded me that life is brief. We all have an end date, and we don’t get to decide or know when it is. Each day is a gift.

These events remind me that we must live each day for Christ while we can. We must savor every day that God gives us. In James 4, James addresses the foolishness of believing that we control life. In verse 13, he challenges those who make plans with the belief that they are in control. In verse 14, he reminds us, “You do not know what tomorrow will bring.” Our lives are like steam coming off a pot of boiling water. It appears, and then it is gone.

So often, we live life as though nothing will change and everything will remain forever. Yet we know that this is not true. It feels like our children grow up overnight. Our minds tell us we are young, while our bodies scream otherwise. Before long, we look in the mirror, and an old person stares at us. Life keeps moving. But this is not a sad or terrible thing. Each season of life holds importance. God has sovereignly ordained each segment and event. James reveals that our role is to acknowledge God throughout. We should respond, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As we walk through every stage, we must acknowledge God. Acknowledging God means more than lip service. It involves walking in obedience to Him.

We should treat each day as a precious gift from God. I see two practical ramifications. First, savor each day. While we plan for the future and work for what is coming, we must not overlook the day in which we live. Parents, your kids will not always be there. When they ask you to do something with them, prioritize it. Put down what you are doing and spend quality time with them. Kids (both old and young), your parents will not always be there. Don’t dismiss them for insignificant things. Talk to them, hug them, and spend time with them.

Second, money and events don’t last. Relationships and service for Christ last. I do not regret missing money-making opportunities to coach my boys. I do not regret missing time working on my car or reading my books to play with my kids. I do not regret prioritizing friendships over things. Make sure you prioritize the things that matter. In the last twenty-four hours, one chapter with my son closed, and my mom suffered a significant health event. These events reminded me to enjoy and make the most of where I am now. Life changes quickly.