Transformed By the Spirit Gal 5:13-18

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1 Transformed By the Spirit Gal 5:13-18 Mark Foreman NC3 v The Context: Live Free and Love (13-15) Ø We are called to be free (1). Ø But not use your freedom (selfishly) to advance your sinful nature (1) (cf. Joh 8:34; Tit 3:3). Gal 5:1 do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Here Paul warns against the other abuse of freedom. Not merit-religion but sin. Both are actually sin before God. Both are fueled by king self. But to us they appear different, one religious the other sinful. To advance (lit. an occasion): (Rom 7:5). Originally a military term for a base of operations from which to occupy or launch an attack. Platform is a good translation. The flesh (8x in Gal 5:13-6:10; translated sinful nature) is the mutiny, selfish, anti-god part of us due to the fall. There is no treaty one can make with it. It will gradually rule. It must be considered dead and your new, real self, alive in Christ by faith in the cross. Sinful nature not body. The Hebrew faith is steeped in affirming the earth, the body, all that is physical and emotional. Western Christianity has tended to veer in a Greek direction, which ignores or despises the body. Rom. 12:1-3 offer your bodies. Ø but to serve (others) in love. Love is known by serving not mere words or kisses or intentions or thoughts. Love must go from potential love to kenetic or working love. Christian freedom is hindered the moment I use it as a platform to serve myself. To give yourself to others is divine, godlike, the image of God. Ultimate living. Ø Entire law is summed up in, Love your neighbor as yourself. (cf. Lev 19:18; Mat 19:19; John 13:34; Rom 13:8-9). It s hard to balance without moving. This is faith working (6).

2 Ø watch out There is no neutral. Anti-love forces are everywhere. To not love is going in reverse, either hurting or just not doing what could be done, and instead not loving has lasting negative implications. Don t be like the false teachers who hurt the body. Ø Just say no to slander and witch hunts (biting and devouring, Gal 5:19-21) Ø If we are to protect unity, we must become wise in love and truth. Separating majors from minors, doctrine from culture. Speaking the truth with love. Separating perception to reality. When to confront and when to stay quiet. How to pursue truth, love and freedom (not taking freedom away). How to be ourselves without expanding our kingdoms. We must separate pop-christianity and biblical Christianity. Remember the difference between the Torah and the Mishnah. Ø Jesus said, You shall know them (not by their assumed rigid, pure orthodoxy) but by their fruit. Good doctrine is always tied to fruit or transformed, loving behavior. v Live By the Spirit (16-18) Ø By the Spirit live Spirit is emphatic (precedes live). We are Spirit beings, made in God s image, not merely animals. Not to be controlled by the pursuit of beauty, brains and bucks. Not by position, possession, and people. Not by animalistic urges. Not by philosophy, or religious rules. But by God in us! The only way the Christian life works is if we live in (with or by) the Spirit. Otherwise, Christianity is reduced to a natural religion of self-effort or a religion of mere cognitive assent. Ø Spirit (pneuma) is in the dative case (pneumati) without a preposition. So the preposition must be supplied, and it can be translated with, in or by. Occurs 25x in gospels and 55x in the epistles Often en (in) is connected to it: 18x. Also see v. 18. In-location or sphere By-means, With-relationship NAS-by, by; KJV-with,of; Geneva-in,by 2

3 A healthy sample: Rom 8:9, 13; Eph 5:18; 6:18; Col 1:8; Gal 5:25 It is an empowering, life giving, transforming, interpersonal realm (2 Pet 1:3). Ø Live = Peripateo-lit. walk around. Figuratively conduct your life. The Christian faith is a walk. It has motion, not static with memorized rules. Living is made up of big and small decisions, long term and short term decisions. Personal and interpersonal. Decisions have huge consequences. What is needed is a sustained and new default decision that controls all the other decisions. Not a dangerous individualism that uses God to hide behind, to actually follow yourself. But a truly human life is one led by the Spirit. That could create a dangerous individualism. Felt led. Also does not mean spontaneity vs. planning. Or relationship vs. task. Mustn t use these verse to support our personality preferences. Ø It is a command, which engages our will. Our will is the one realm of earth that God does, by His own will, not control and through it we give control to God or the evil one. We must continually engage the will toward the Spirit God s Kingdom. The great heresy of our day is passive-automatism. Ø And the strong desires of the flesh (sinful nature) not will be accomplish, fulfilled (teleo finished). The is the default of our being without walking in the Spirit. Your will connects you to (attachments) and empowers (addictions) objects, that otherwise would have no power. Or it connects you to God s power. They are not powers but gain power from you, but God is the only power where we gain. Your will as the image bearer is powerful. It is not neutral Good desires Ø The life in the Spirit overrides the default of the sinful nature. But without the choice to live by the Spirit, the fallen default will sooner or later take over. v The Great Conflict (17) Ø The Spirit is vital to the new life, otherwise we are simply forgiven, selfish Christians spreading a bad image. Ø For- means an explanation is coming. The explanation is that it is serious stuff. We are at war. We cannot be passive or apathetic or we will be Christians in name only but not in transformed life. 3

4 Ø Contrary (against) - We are mistaken to think that our new life in Christ will be without conflict or tension. There are two wills active inside of us. One (redeemed nature) that sides with the Spirit and one (the flesh or sinful nature) that sides with the world and the devil. Ø do not do what you want (will) (cf. Rom 7:15-25). You is the real, redeemed you. The authentic, redeemed you is robbed of its will when the sinful, bully nature s will is given priority. Rom 7: Ø Offer-yourself to the Spirit (Rom 6:13; cf. Rom 6:16, 19; 12:1). Ø Here is our mental connection with truth (logizesthe) [logic] (Rom 6:6, 11). Ø Must put to death or consider dead the flesh and sinful desires Put to death (Rom 8:13; Eph 4:22; Col 3:5, 8). Old self (Rom 6:6; Eph 4:22; Col 3:9). v Life Led by the Spirit Overrides the Law (18) Ø Rom. 8:14 those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Ø Six things stand out from this passage: 1) God wants you free, even free from your false self. 2) True freedom is a life of love not of self-indulgence. 3) Most interpersonal strife comes from the false-self pride. 4) The cross forgave us from our sins but to change we must choose to follow Jesus. We can t do Jesus without Jesus. 5) We must decide to follow (offer ourselves to) the Spirit not the false-self. 6) The Christian life (transformation) works as we walk with Spirit. 7) When we are walking in the Spirit there are measurable results love. Ø The Spirit-filled life is an overall dependency on God, not only on Jesus for our justification but on the Spirit for our transformation living under His influence. v Taking It Home Ø What does live by the Spirit mean and how does a person do this? Ø Some take Grace to mean passivity. Why is that not true. Use this passage to explain the inner-workings of Grace, the law, the flesh and the work of the Spirit. 4

5 Ø Why do so many Christians think that we are automatically being made into Christ s image without any participation? Explain why it is important for us to decide to live in the Spirit. What happens when we don t? Ø In your own words explain the great conflict of verse 17 and how you experience it in your life. Ø Meditate on the seven things mentioned on the Christian life. 5