Flesh Works vs. Spirit Fruits
27 January 2013 AM – Galatians 5:19-26 – Scott Childs
Introduction: Charles Spurgeon once said, “The old nature never does improve, it is as earthly, and sensual, and devilish in the saint of eighty years of age as it was when he first came to Christ; it is unimproved and unimprovable.” Exploring the Mind & Heart of the Prince of Preachers, p. 326
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
The old nature within your heart is deceitful, slippery, and sly above all things. It is desperately wicked or incurable. You cannot fix your old nature, and it will be with you until death. Your only hope is to become a new creature or new creation, in Christ Jesus, set free from the chains of sin, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
Transition: This morning we are going to examine both flesh works and Spirit fruits and then make several practical applications.
I. Flesh Works
A. Our flesh refers to our sinful nature
1. Works of the flesh are sins that are common to the human sinful nature. They are sins that please self and disobey God.
2. Last week we learned that fulfilling the lusts of the flesh was opposite to walking in the Spirit.
a) Unbelievers frequently participate in works of the sinful flesh.
b) Christians still have their old sinful nature that is contrary to the Holy Spirit indwelling them (v.17). Thus, Christians still struggle with the sinful works of the flesh.
B. God lists for us seventeen sinful works of the flesh
1. Adultery – marital infidelity
2. Fornication – sexual relations outside marriage. This sin begins in the mind with unholy thoughts. Holding hands, kissing, and petting all lead to fornication and thus should be saved for marriage.
3. Uncleanness – lustful, sensual, impurity, including self-gratification and pornography.
4. Lasciviousness – uncontrolled indecency, shamelessness, unrestrained living, doing anything that pleases the sensual flesh.
5. Idolatry – idol worship, putting anything before God
6. Witchcraft – sorcery, magical arts, taking drugs
7. Hatred – hatred, hostility, conflict
8. Variance – strife, quarrel, debate, contention
9. Emulations – an envious and contentious rivalry, jealousy
10. Wrath – passion, anger, heated feelings
11. Strife – faction, desire to put one’s self forward
12. Seditions – division, disunion, dissension, party strife
13. Heresies – taking sides, dissensions from opinions
14. Envyings – ill-will, envy, jealousy, spite
15. Murders – to kill for revenge
16. Drunkenness – intoxication
17. Revellings – carousal, riotous procession, wild parties
18. Such like – similar acts. The pleasure of these sins does not last. It is far better to do as Moses did.
Hebrews 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
II. Spirit Fruits
A. The Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit
1. The Holy Spirit lives in every true Christian.
2. Last week we learned that if we walk in the Spirit or in close harmony with him, we cannot fulfil the lusts of the flesh.
3. Instead of fulfilling any of the works of the flesh, if we will walk in the Holy Spirit, yielded to his guidance and control, he will produce beneficial fruit in our lives.
B. Fruits that the Spirit produces include:
1. Love – self-sacrificing giving of one’s self to meet another’s needs
2. Joy – deep-seated gladness, cheerfulness, delight, joy grounded in conscious relationship to God
3. Peace – harmony, concord, tranquillity of soul regardless of outward circumstances
4. Longsuffering – slowness to avenge wrong, patience, endurance under injury from others
5. Gentleness – kindness, usefulness, gentleness, integrity, showing goodness toward others
6. Goodness – active goodness, uprightness of heart and life, virtue, generosity from the heart
7. Faith – faithfulness, reliability, trustworthiness. Here faith does not refer here to faith exercised by the saint, but to faithfulness and fidelity as produced in the life of the yielded Christian by the Holy Spirit.
8. Meekness – mildness, calmness toward God, acceptance of God’s dealings, controlled strength, ability to bear reproaches and slights without bitterness and resentment
9. Temperance – self-control, especially in sensual matters
III. Practical Applications
A. The works of the flesh have terrible consequences
1. All who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (v. 21).
2. This judgment is difficult to interpret.
a) Paul warned the Christians that if they did not walk in the Spirit they would fulfil the lusts of the flesh. However, this verse cannot mean that a Christian who may stumble morally, quarrel, or get angry will lose God’s promise of eternal life in his kingdom.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
b) Many interpret it to mean that all who habitually commit such sins have never received God’s salvation and will miss his kingdom. However, this leaves it uncertain as to how often a sin can be done without it being habitual. Also, it does not explain what happens to a Christian who does fulfil the lust of the flesh occasionally.
c) For some reason the Holy Spirit inspired the word “inherit” instead of using the word “enter” as in many other Scriptures. This word means “to receive by lot or inheritance” or “to receive a portion assigned”. Therefore, a possible interpretation is that when a Christian fulfils the lusts of the flesh, he forfeits a part of his inheritance in God’s kingdom (either the millennial kingdom or the eternal kingdom).
B. The fruit of the Spirit is always lawful
1. No law forbids the blessed fruits of the Spirit.
2. These are virtues that each of us need.
C. Christians can and should bear the Spirit’s fruit
1. True Christians have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts (v. 24). When a sinner repents and asks Christ to pay his debt for him, the power of his flesh dies with Christ (Galatians 2:20). This makes victory possible.
2. As we saw last week, if you live in the Spirit as a true Christian, you must choose who whom you will yield. You can walk in the Spirit – letting him take control and produce his fruit in you. The Holy Spirit will give you victory over any sin that you confess, forsake, and yield to him.
3. Because it is the Holy Spirit who gives the victory, no Christian has the right to be proud (v. 26).
Conclusion: Every moment of every day there is a battle raging in your life. Your sinful flesh wants you to fulfil its lusts and the Holy Spirit wants to produce his virtuous fruits in your life. You must decide. If you yield to the flesh, you may enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, but you will lose treasures in the end. If you yield to the Holy Spirit, you will enjoy a fruitful, guilt-free, satisfying life now and gain a priceless inheritance in the end.
If you are not 100% sure you are going to heaven, you must trust Christ before you can have victory over sin.
Song: Victory in Jesus, 496