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Rightly Dividing
the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15)
Established
November 2008 Published Weekly on Friday
This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Savior, who desires all men (and women) to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Timothy 2:3-4)
Galatians (5:22-26)
(Lesson 21)
My wife and I send our heartfelt wish to your families that you would
enjoy a joyful Thanksgiving holiday weekend along with a harvest of
blessings.
*****
We’re presently
studying Galatians chapter 5, which deals with the spiritual life.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you
will not carry out the desire of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
This verse is one
of the most important verses in the New Testament re: the true Believer’s new life in Christ Jesus. The command walk by the Spirit is the central concept in Paul’s ethical appeal
since the Galatians’ new life began with the
Spirit:
Are you so foolish?
Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the
flesh? (Galatians 3:3)
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit
of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba!
Father!” (Galatians 4:6)
Our Apostle Paul
wants the Galatians to know the only way they can continue to walk by the Spirit is by the power of the Spirit. The only other option is to carry out the
desire of the flesh. Paul contrasted the struggle between the flesh and the Spirit in Galatians 5:17:
For the flesh sets its desire
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in
opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
What some folks
fail to understand is the struggle Paul
speaks of here is a normal part of the true Believer’s life. It has been said, “Without struggle or difficulties in one’s life, there can be no spiritual
growth.” Walking by the Spirit does not come naturally, and it is not
easy. And that’s the thing;
unfortunately, some people don’t like messages that fail to guarantee their problems will be solved by following a
given formula. But God’s Word contains
no such promise. He said the spiritual
conflict between the Spirit and the flesh is continual and inevitable
(5:17).
********
Please
open your Bible at Galatians 5:22-23.
Galatians 5
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against
such things there is no law.
Before we proceed, we need to understand what our Apostle Paul
meant by “fruit.” The Koine Greek word for “fruit” is Karpos (kar-pos), Noun, Masculine,
Strong’s Greek #2590, meaning: the result, outcome, or it can mean fruit, i.e. apples, pears, grapes, etc.
Keep a bookmark here, and turn with me to Romans 1:13; I
want y’all to see something.
And I do not want you to be unaware, brethren,
that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented thus far) in
order that I might obtain some (what) fruit
among you also, even as among the rest of the gentiles.
Paul was not saying he wanted to visit this church in Rome
and once there purchase a peck of apples
from them. He wanted to see some
visible, spiritual growth in their
lives, i.e. some spiritual fruit. How do we know this? This is what the book says, that’s how. Flip on over to Romans 15:28:
Romans 15:28: Therefore,
when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this (what) fruit
of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain.
Keep your bookmark in Galatians, we’re going back there,
but now let’s look at a verse in Philippians 4:17: Not
that I see the gift itself, but I seek for the profit (Karpos) which
increases to your account.
The “fruit” Paul’s
talking about here is a monetary contribution, i.e. sharing
(Galatians 6:6).
Staying in Philippians, turn back to chapter 1, verse
11: having
been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus
Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Righteousness is the “fruit” of
Christ’s work in our lives as New Age saints.
Paul’s saying the result
the Spirit produces
in true Believers is Christlikeness. Biblical Fruit
is not something we find hanging on a tree branch, but it
is the related to, derived from, or characteristic of living things. It is the product of the inner, spirit driven
life. As I mentioned in the previous
lesson, some folks believe present sanctification is based on their own
efforts, i.e. based on what they do. But,
per Scripture, good fruit is “the
Christlike life.” This is produced by the power of the Spirit
through us as we abide in Christ.”
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who
abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do
nothing (John 15:4-5).
This is the Lord Jesus Christ speaking to His own (the
nation of Israel) however it’s certainly applicable for His Church today. The Lord wanted justice and righteousness from
Israel (Isaiah 5:7). Justice is how we
treat our fellow man, or the way we deal with one another. Righteousness is living
our lives in conformity to God’s established laws. These are the fruit
God is looking for, and they are produced through us as we abide in
Christ.
Please note these are not the “fruits of the Spirit,”
plural, but they are the “fruit” of the
Spirit- singular. The 9 fruit of the
Spirit are like a cluster of grapes all flowing from the grapevine. Paul is not speaking of a series of fruits
that would be shared around, so that one Believer has one, and another Believer
has another. Rather, he is referring to
a cluster, such that all the qualities are to be manifested in each true
Believer or that’s how we we’ll recognize them as fellow Believer’s in Christ
Jesus – by their fruit (Matthew
7:16).
The
other thing I want you to take note of is Paul called what issues from our
flesh “deeds” (5:19), but he said
what issues from the Holy Spirit is called “fruit” (5:22). This contrast
is consistent with Paul’s emphasis throughout the letter. He repeatedly contrasted working and trusting.
Now
let’s look at these 9 Christlike, character qualities. And we all would do well to remember this is
what your life will look like if you are walking
by the Spirit.
Love - you shouldn’t be
surprised to find love holding the
top spot on this list. Remember Paul
dedicated an entire chapter to (agape) love
in his first letter to the Corinthians writing in part: “But
now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1
Corinthians 13:13). And: “Love
never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8a).
But most recently, love has
been the focus of his moral appeal to the Galatian churches: “love
is the expression of faith” (5:6); “serve
one another in love” (5:13); and “Love
fulfills the Law” (5:14). Love precedes all the other moral qualities
on this list because without the sacrificial
love of Christ working through us, it just doesn’t work – all these moral
qualities flow from the wellspring of (agape) love.
Our
culture has grown a bit careless re: its usage of the word love. I mean to say over
time they’ve reduced it to a feeling – something
a person “falls into and out of.” The world has dropped it a notch or two
lower than that by equating it with “lust” or “sex;” specifically, referring to
sleeping with someone, anyone
nowadays, or making love in a casual manner. But passionate love, the kind of love you
express when you are deeply in love with another individual, in the Koine Greek
language is Eros. This word
describes erotic, sensual love; however, this kind of love is not even
mentioned in the Bible, though it is a common form of love today.
The
word love used here by Paul is not Phileo
another Koine Greek word for the kind of love that describes affection,
friendship, a feeling of warmth or closeness toward another, i.e. brotherly love. Philadelphia gets its name from this Greek
word - the city of brotherly love. This too is a well known form of love, but it’s not what Paul is referring
to 5:22.
To
help us understand the word Paul
has selected in this verse the word love, as in all of Scripture, isn’t a static word, it’s
an action word – love a verb. The Lord Jesus Christ is the personification of
this word. We humans are great at “talking
about love for this or that, but how often do we express that love and how long
does our love last? Jesus Christ didn’t
just talk about His love for
humanity; He showed us how much He loved
us (John 3:16-17; Romans 5:6-9; Philippians 4:7-8).
Paul
used the Koine Greek word Agape.
This word was rarely used in Greek literature prior to the N.T. In the New Testament, the word Agape
took on a special meaning by the early church. Agape love became the response to someone
who is unworthy of love. This concept of
love was derived from the cross. God
loved the world and gave His Son for
it. It is a love that proceeds from the
nature of the one bestowing the gift, rather than the worth of the person who
is being loved. It is a decision you
make and a commitment you have put in motion to treat another person with
concern, with care, with thoughtfulness, and to work for his or her best
interests. It is, literally, to seek
another’s highest good. This is the only
word ever used to describe God’s love.
That’s
what love is, and this is what Paul
is talking about: If I speak with the
tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong
or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the
gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all
faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the
poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits
me nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
If
a Believer does not exhibit Agape love, he or she is nothing.
That’s Paul’s message in the passage above. The loveless person produces nothing, is nothing, and gains nothing. That’s how important love is in your life and
mine.
If
you’re thinking I’m misreading Paul’s message, turn with me in your Bible to a
familiar Bible passage Mark 12:28-31: And one of the scribes came and heard them
arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What
commandment is the foremost of all?"
Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS
ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND
WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' "The second is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE
YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than
these."
Jesus
Christ said, the greatest commandment is to love and Paul said the same thing
in Romans 13:8, although he put it a bit differently:
Owe nothing to
anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled
the law.
The
Apostle Peter put it this way: Above all, keep fervent in your love for
one another, because love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).
These
verses, and others, all say the same thing folks. They’re saying love is absolute. Above
everything else, we are called to love
God and one another, and based on what we’ve learned it’s more than a feeling,”
right? Scripture says love is a verb. The Lord said, “If
anyone loves Me, he will keep My word…” (John 14:23a). Is this possible? Not if we’re acting in the flesh. We can only love as we walk by the Spirit.
Joy is from the Koine
Greek word Chara, which means: a
deep-seated gladness regardless of one’s circumstances. Anyone can be happy about good
circumstances, i.e. the phone call informing you that you were accepted to the
college of your choice, the new-born child is healthy, and the mother is doing
well, your job application was accepted, and you start your new job on Monday morning,
etc. But the reality of joy is it marks the life of a true
Believer even when facing difficulties (day-to-day struggles) and trials.
I’m
reminded of our Apostle Paul’s comment to the church in Philippi, written from
a prison cell in Rome. You do not pick
up a hint of anger, fear, or complaint about his current circumstances. Instead, the whole letter is permeated with a
sense of joy in the Lord. Again and again he reminds the Philippian
Believers, who were themselves facing difficult times, “to rejoice in the Lord.”
Paul could do this because he experienced this joy personally; he sang while manacled in a dark, prison cell.
And when they had inflicted many blows upon them,
they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and
he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and
fastened their feet in the stocks. But
about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God,
and the prisoners were listening to them; (Acts
16:23-25)
How many of you know we are commanded to experience joy?
Rejoice
in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! (Philippians
4:4)
Joy ought to
be visible in our life even in the most terrible circumstances. Joy
comes when we are aware of God’s grace, fully realize what
this means, and focus our attention on Him and not on our circumstances. Yes, we will experience times of heartache
and sadness and at these times we are to pour our hearts out to God for He is
always near, as is the community of Believers who should come along side to assist you with your burden (Galatians 6:2, 10).
Peace is the
Koine Greek word Eirene, which
means: “an inner quietness and repose regardless of circumstances.” This peace
is a tranquility of mind based on a right relationship with
God, through faith, in Christ Jesus (John 14:6). It has nothing to do with circumstances. You experience peace
when nothing ruffles you, because you know God has
everything under control and everything between you and God is right.
And let the peace of Christ rule in
your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful (Colossians
3:15).
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts – When you
spend your time fretting over a problem, does it go away or does it seem to
grow bigger, while bringing on acid indigestion, a headache, and sleeplessness
due to stress? Worry is a lot like sitting in a rocking
chair. It gives you something to do, but
it won’t take you anywhere.
Instead of worrying, focus on God and allow the peace
of Christ to rule
in your hearts. This
perfect peace that “surpasses all human understanding” only
comes when you fix your mind on God’s grace and His promises. Why, because peace doesn’t come from pleasant
circumstances, nice events, or good things that occur in your life or those
nice things others do for you. Instead,
you must learn to discipline yourself on the things of God such as His
Word. This is something you can hold in
your hand. Believe me; Satan intends to
steal your peace, unless you do something about it.
Remember, the Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of your eternal
hope, dwells within you right now. One of His functions is to help you understand
the Bible, which should be your most precious material possession. I’m not saying erect a shrine around it,
folks. I am saying those who love God
love His Word and feast on it daily.
Furthermore, they believe what it says and obey; not only does it guide
you it is the anchor in your life.
Those who love Your law have great peace,
And nothing causes them to stumble (Psalm
119:165; 119:105).
Patience is
translated from the Koine Greek word Makrothumeo,
as it’s used in the N.T. is a word that almost on every occasion conveys
the idea of having an infinite capacity to be injured without “getting even” or
seeking revenge. It is used with regard
to people and not circumstances. It
basically means having a “long fuse.”
The patient individual
is able to be inconvenienced or taken advantage of by a person and yet not be
upset or angry. You may say, “It is a word which is used of the man or
woman who is wronged in some way and
who is capable of avenging themselves but chooses not to do it.”
In the Greek culture it was considered a virtue to refuse
to tolerate insult or injury and to strike back in retaliation for the slightest
offense. In Paul’s day, the Greeks
considered “vengeance a virtue” and our culture today closely resembles theirs. Truth be told, aren’t our heroes the type of
people Clint Eastwood, Jason, Stratham, and John Wayne portray on the movie
screen? Aren’t these the kind of people
who strike back at the slightest
provocation and come out on top? In our
culture, just as in the Greek culture of Paul’s day, patience is a sign
of weakness, vengeance is a virtue, but God said the Believer who
walks by the Spirit has patience.
And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy
and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; (Colossians
3:12).
Kindness is the
next word on the list and it comes from the Greek word Chrestotes,
which means: "to show oneself useful, to act benevolently: - be kind." The New Testament has much to say about the
kindness of God, and, as His children, our Apostle Paul said
we are to imitate Him: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved
children; (Ephesians 5:1).
"But
love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your
reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind
to ungrateful and evil men (Luke 6:35).
Here
the Greek word Chrestos, is translated: "kind," and in
Romans 2:4 the same word is translated as "good" in the NKJV.
Or
do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not
knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans
2:4 - NKJV)
Kindness and goodness are so closely related they are
often used interchangeably. We are to be
kind to one another, we are to be
good to each other, and we are to be gracious to each other (Ephesians
4:32). We see kindness put into action in the story of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan was kind and good because
he responded to the need of a stranger in distress.
Kindness manifests compassion
in many different ways. It may take the
form of a kind word, an invitation to lunch, an offer to help someone move on
the weekend, or in witnessing to a friend about our Savior. In our cruel and unkind society, there are
literally unlimited opportunities to show the world God’s love through
kindness.
Goodness
is from the Koine Greek word Agathosune,
which some people translate to mean generosity. Generosity may imply the giving of gifts,
but it also suggests the giving of one’s time, talents, and energy to others in
practical ways to demonstrate our compassion for them. Kindness
and goodness describe the life
and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and His yoke
(Matthew 11:30). Together these two
terms describe a positive, open and accepting attitude toward others,
especially Believers. For the Bible
commands Believers to be good:
So then, while we have
opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those
who are of the household of the faith (Galatians 6:10).
Faithfulness comes from the Koine
Greek word Pistis and is used in its
Old Testament sense of loyalty and trustworthiness. The person with this quality is dependable; they keep their word, their
promises, and their vows. It was
usually used of God: What then?
If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness
of God, will it? (Romans 3:3).
The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness
(Lamentations 3:22-23).
The Believer is to be faithful as a neighbor, friend,
husband, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister, and they are faithful to their
contracts and promises. They are to be a
person you can trust.
Gentleness is from
the Koine Greek word Praiotes. It’s interesting to note the KJV Bible
translates this word as “meekness,”
but the NASB translates it: “genteelness.”
The word is used 9 times in the N.T., and admittedly it’s difficult to
understand it’s meaning from its usage.
The word is characterized by a submissive spirit. It was a metaphor taken from domesticated
animals. Gentleness was not
included in the Greek or Stoic lists of virtues, because the Greeks saw it as a
weakness, remember? This human trait is
uniquely Christian (1 Corinthians
4:21; 2 Corinthians 10:1; Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2
Timothy 2:25; Titus 3:2). It was a term
used to describe both Moses (Numbers 12:3) and the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew
11:29, 21:5).
Gentleness is closely
associated to humility. It is not
weakness or spinelessness, but rather the
willingness to suffer injury or rebuke instead of inflicting it. The gentile
person is fully aware they are a sinner and as such is
willing to suffer the burdens, trials and tribulations, others’ sins may impose
upon him or her. The gentile
Believer has: a submissive and teachable spirit toward God
that manifests in genuine humility and consideration toward others.” By the way, we are commanded to be gentle
too:
And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy
and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness
and patience; (Colossians 3:12)
But flee from these things, you man of God; and
pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness (1
Timothy 6:11).
Once again, to be a gentile
Believer you must learn to walk
by the Spirit.
Self Control is from
the Koine Greek word Egkrateia. In case you haven’t noticed, permit me to
point out the obvious the world is
out-of-control, however, God calls the true Believers to stand against the tide
by exercising self-control. This
quality implies a “restraining of the passions and appetites, particularly in a
moral sense. It is a word that expresses
the idea of exercising personal discipline over one’s life and lifestyle. In other words, it suggests you understand
your inclination and leanings toward sin, and by the Spirit, opt to restrain
them, or redirect that energy so that the life of Christ might be the
pre-eminent goal in your life instead.
Our Apostle Paul wrote candidly about this in his letter to the
Corinthian church:
Do you not know that those who run in a race all
run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games
exercises self-control in all things.
They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an
imperishable. Therefore I run in such a
way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I
buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to
others, I myself should be disqualified (1 Corinthians
9:24-27).
In a nutshell, Paul is speaking of his personal
disciplining of his life, bringing his body into subjection to Christ Jesus, so
that in no way would he be disqualified as a
Believer.
Self-control is the
direct opposite of self-indulgence. Therefore, it should come as no surprise to
find God’s Word commanding Believers to exercise self-control:
Now for this very reason also, applying all
diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence,
knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your
self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; (2 Peter
1:5-6).
Paul concludes his list by saying, “Against
such things there is no law.”
Remember, Paul is directing his comments to those folks who
want to go back under the Law, but he has stated:
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not
under the Law (Galatians 5:18).
The Spirit produces all the qualities that fulfill the
requirements of the Law:
For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the
statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” (Galatians
5:14)
There are 613 laws that make up the Mosaic Law, but not one
of these laws can be cited against such character qualities. The Spirit-led life is not a life against the
Law; it is a life that fulfills the Law.
The way to the fulfillment of the Law is not to live under the Law like
slaves, but to live by the Spirit, unto freedom in Christ Jesus, as God’s
children.
The Law speaks against the
deeds of the flesh. But there
is no law against love, joy,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
There is a new “inner” law in the life a Believer which
shows its presence by living in godliness (Romans 6:19). This is exactly the goal of the New Covenant
(Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:22-32).
Christlikeness is the goal of God for every Believer (Romans 8:28-29;
Galatians 4:19; Ephesians 1:4).
Galatians 5
24: Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus do so on
the basis of just one thing they realize they cannot save themselves. They realize no amount of religious
performance, no amount of trying to be good, amounts to righteousness before
God. Therefore they have died to that
way of thinking and now realize: “I
have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives
in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the
Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Galatians
2:20).
Paul’s saying, despite the internal and external conflict,
despite the fact that we have to deal with our flesh wanting to “drag us down,”
the Spirit provides us with the power necessary to follow Christ Jesus. In other words, if in my heart I came to the
conclusion it was only the Spirit of God that could save me, then its only
logical to come to same conclusion that it’s the Spirit of God which can make
me righteous before God.
In Galatians 2:19 and 6:14 Paul said: “Those
who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh…” What most people fail to see in verse 24 is
the Believers’ have acted to
put to death their flesh, i.e.
Believers are responsible to crucify the
flesh.
Galatians 5
25: If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk
by the Spirit.
Another way of saying this is, “God has given us new life, and therefore we should do something. We should walk by the Spirit.” The word walk
is used differently here than in verse Galatians
5:16. In verse
5:16 walk comes from the word Peripateo, and it’s the normal word for
walking, used there to picture the “walk of life.” But in verse 5:24 the word walk is Stoicheo and it means “to
walk in line with” or “to be in line
with.” Paul
is saying we should keep in step with the Spirit.
So,
the struggle continues. We are called to
take the internal and external conflict seriously: to learn to follow the Spirit, to serve one
another through love, to lay down
our lives for love’s sake for each
other, to walk by the Spirit day-in
and day-out in the little things as well as in the monumental things. What does this mean in practice? Paul gives a general, practical application
to the Galatian churches in the next verse.
Galatians 5
26: Let no one
become boastful, challenging one another (to a contest), envying one another.
Verse
26 and 15 clearly indicate the community life of the Galatian churches had been
disrupted by pride. This caused them to challenge one another, which brought about envying. In their attempt to
“keep the Law,” the Galatian Believers had become quite competitive in their
spiritual life, trying to outdo each other.
That‘s what Paul meant by challenging
one another. Some of these folks
were so sure of the spiritual superiority they went out of their way to prove
it in a contest. On the flip-side of
that, there were others in the church who were spiritually insecure and they
resented those who made them feel inferior.
Both attitudes were caused by pride
that could not tolerate rivals. This
demonstrates the Galatians were not
walking by the Spirit.
(To be continued)
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GJ Heitzman’s Ministry
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