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Most human
beings have an intuitive sense of the basics of
right and wrong. That knowledge is written on
their hearts, and impressed on their conscience.
As a result, they have some desire to live the
right way, but they struggle to live the right
way. The problem is that although we know many
of the right things to do, it is hard to consistently
live in the right way. Even though we know what
is right, we are tempted by things that we know
are wrong, and all too often we give into those
wrong things that tempt us. In fact, for the non-believer,
it is impossible to live in a way that is sufficiently
good and sufficiently right to please God. In
Galatians 5, Rabbi Paul tells us that it is both
possible and necessary to live in the right way,
in a way that is genuinely pleasing to God. He
starts in verse 16 by telling us to walk by the
Spirit. "Walk" means live - you are
to live in a way that is by the Spirit - in keeping
with the Spirit of God. Live so that you are indwelt
by the Spirit of God, empowered by the Spirit
of God, and guided by the Spirit of God. If you
do, you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
The "flesh" here means the old sinful
nature. After Adam and Eve rebelled in the Garden
of Eden, human nature degenerated. It became corrupted
- body, soul, mind and will. All human beings
are born with this old, sinful nature, this corrupted
human nature which is at our core, which is "controlled
by sin and which is directed toward selfish pursuits
rather than the service of God" (Ryrie).
In most human beings there is a struggle between
the flesh and the Spirit - the things that our
old sinful nature wants to do, and the things
that the Spirit of God lead us to do. I say "most"
human beings, because there may be some who have
so given into evil that they have given up the
struggle. Rabbi Paul continues: 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. We may want to do the right things
- the knowledge of what is right is there, the
desire to do right may be there, but we have this
opposing force that is part of us, that resides
deep within us, at the core of our being, that
prevents us from consistently doing the things
that we know are right, the things we want to
do. Let’s continue in verse 19: How can
we tell if we, or someone else, is living by the
Spirit? Rabbi Paul gives us two lists. One list
characterizes the activities of the old sinful
nature, and the other list characterizes the qualities
that result from the presence of the indwelling
Spirit of God. We need to consider these two lists,
and take a personal inventory, and look at ourselves
as honestly as we possibly can, and determine
which one is more characteristic of our lives.
Here is the first list. Now the deeds of the flesh
- our old, sinful nature - are evident, which
are:
- Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality
(which is sometimes translated as debauchery
or lasciviousness)
At
the top of this list is sexual activity outside
of marriage, adultery, homosexuality, pornography
and sexual perversions. I suspect that the
reason why sexual sins are at the top of the
list are sexual sins is because the old sinful
nature wants to give into sexual temptation,
and engage in inappropriate sexual behavior.
The sexual drive is a very strong drive, and
it wants to be satisfied, but not always in
the right way. I understand that the average
man thinks about sex many times during an
average day. But, human beings are not animals.
We don’t mate because we are controlled
by instinct. We don’t have to give into
wrong sexual desires. There are proper sexual
boundaries that must be maintained. With God’s
help we can channel our sexual desires properly,
and engage in appropriate sexual activity
- which is to take place exclusively within
marriage involving one man and one woman.
Sexual
activity may come first, at the top of the
list, and be the most recognizable form of
the deeds of the flesh, and most closely associated
with the sinful nature of humanity, but the
deeds of the flesh include other kinds of
sins - sins of the mind, and sins having to
do with false religion. The old sinful nature
does not want to be careful when it come to
truth, and particularly the truth about God.
The old nature yields very easily to false
religion.
- Idolatry
Idolatry
is not limited to worshiping idols and false
gods. It also includes of all false concepts
about God that limit Him or are unworthy of
Him. It includes all false gods, false religions
and false philosophies. Idolatry includes
putting anyone and anything above the true
God - Father Son and Holy Spirit. God must
come first in our priorities and affections.
We love God more than family, friends, the
state, money, wealth and pleasures. We must
love Him first with the totality of our being.
- Sorcery
Sorcery
includes all occult, dark, hidden, unauthorized
ways of entering into the supernatural, or
peering into the future. They are dangerous
and forbidden to us. It includes tarot cards,
psychics, mediums, communing with the dead,
or praying to the dead (which includes praying
to Mary and the Saints), channeling, automatic
writing, false prophets, witchcraft, sorcery,
spells, interpreting pagan omens, the use
of drugs or meditation to enter into an altered
mental state. We have a desire to peer into
the future, and connect with the supernatural,
but the old nature doesn’t want to do
it God’s way.
- Enmities, strife, disputes, dissensions,
factions
This
includes meanness and hatred toward others,
racism, and the inability to get along with
other people and have a reasonable relationship
with them. It includes constantly arguing
with people, and fighting with people, and
breaking away into smaller and smaller groups
that you can get along with.
- Jealousy and envy
Not
being satisfied with what the Lord has given
to you, but desiring to have the things that
belong to others; not being happy that they
have them and have a right to them. Not being
content with what you have, but always wanting
more, especially the "more" of others.
- Outbursts of anger
Fits
of rage are a characteristic of the sinful
nature; loss of temper so that one is out
of control, dangerous and destructive.
- Drunkenness
Alcoholism,
the inability to properly limit one’s
drinking so that destructive an inappropriate
behavior becomes the norm.
- Carousing
Wild
parties, especially involving drugs, alcohol
and sex.
This list
is not exhaustive. There are other things like
these that could be included as well. Those who
live this way are in very serious trouble! Rabbi
Paul makes the seriousness of the situation and
the consequences of those who live this way unmistakably
clear. He writes: I warn you, as I did before,
that those who do these things, who practice such
things, who live like this, will not inherit the
Kingdom of God. God will not allow them to enter
the New Heavens and the New Earth. They will not
enter through the gates of the New Jerusalem.
They will be judged on the Day of Judgment, and
sent to Gehenna, Hell, the Lake of Fire, which
is the Second Death. How tragic. How very sad,
to have exchanged the perverse pleasures of this
short life, for the true pleasures and eternal
life. Next we come to the second list, the list
that characterizes those who truly belong to God.
If the Spirit of God is truly indwelling a human
being, there will be positive, tangible visible
results in their life. The good results of a life
indwelt by the Spirit are known as the "Fruit
of the Spirit." A Spirit-indwelt life will
produce the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control:
- Love
A
life that is characterized not by selfishness,
but by love for others, especially for the
unlovely. We love others by doing what is
good for them, and doing what is best for
them, helping them to be and do what God has
called them to be and do. Love must be based
on truth. To love others, we must know the
truth, and do what is best for them. If it
means sacrificing our own interests in order
to help the ones we love, that is the price
that love is willing to pay.
- Joy
A
life that is characterized by happiness, an
inner kind of happiness, a happiness not dependant
on life’s circumstances, or how rich
one is, or how successful one is according
to the world, but a happiness that comes from
knowing that one has been restored to a right
relationship with the Creator, that one’s
sins are forgiven, that one is and will be
accepted by the Almighty, and live with Him
and the saints and the angels forever and
ever, and that a great reward and amazing
inheritance is in store for us, and that all
things work together for the good of those
who love God, and nothing with separate them
from the love of God!
- Peace
A
life which is being restored to wholeness,
a life that is coming back into a state of
integrity. The universe has been fractured
by man’s rebellion against God. We are
alienated from our Creator, from each other,
from ourselves, from nature. When the Holy
Spirit indwells us, a proper relationship
to God is restored, based on His Kingship
and His Fatherhood. We have peace with God.
We start healing from within, and so we have
more mental and emotional wholeness and integrity
in our own lives. We are given a sound mind.
We strive to have good relationships with
other human beings, as much as is possible
and is up to us. We have a proper relationship
with the created world around us, seeing ourselves
as the managers that God has placed over His
beautiful creation, and we don’t abuse
creation. We start functioning the way God
intended us - serving Him, doing the right
things, helping one another.
- Patience
A
life that is characterized not by being short-tempered,
but by patience under trial. A life which
experiences hardships, trials, difficulties,
persecution but doesn’t get angry with
God, doesn’t give up serving God, and
endures to the very end, even if it is a bitter
end. It’s a life that doesn’t
lash out in anger toward others because of
the trials that one is experiencing.
- Kindness
A
life that is characterized not by meanness,
cruelty or indifference toward others, but
by kindness and compassion, especially to
those who don’t deserve it.
- Goodness
A
life that is characterized by doing good for
others. You look around you, and you try to
do something good for those around you, especially
to those in need.
- Faithfulness
A
life that is characterized by faithfulness
to God; faithfulness to Messiah Yeshua; faithfulness
to the truths found in the Scriptures, so
that one is careful about the Scriptures;
faithfulness to the Faith, to that body of
truth that was fully delivered to the saints
2,000 years ago; faithfulness to commitments,
vows, and promises, faithfulness to your word,
so that your yes means yes and your no means
no. If you are faithful, it makes a huge difference
if you believe in one God, or more than one
God, or no God at all; it is a big deal if
you worship the Lord alone, or worship God
and Baal too; it makes a huge difference you
believe in or deny the Trinity, or confess
that Yeshua is both fully God and fully Man,
or if you believe in the Inspiration and Infallibility
and Inerrancy of the Scriptures. These are
matters of faithfulness to God and to His
Word, and are extremely important to one living
by the Spirit.
- Gentleness
A
life that is characterized not by being quarrelsome,
or by fighting, or constant arguments or anger
or hatred, but by gentleness. Oh, there are
times for tough love, and for discipline.
There is a time for war, and a time to kill,
but in general, in our relations, we strive
to be kind, tender, considerate of others,
and concerned for others.
- Self-control
A
life that is characterized not by loss of
control, but by the ability to control one’s
actions, so that life is lived in the right
way. Bad behavior can be controlled by living
according to the Spirit. Sexual desires can
be controlled. A bad temper can be controlled.
Eating habits and weight problems can be controlled.
The desire to drink too much can be controlled.
The desire to use drugs can be controlled.
The desire to shop and spend too much can
be controlled. A nasty tongue, a crude mouth,
blasphemous lips, can be controlled. Walk
by the Spirit and you will not carry out the
perverse desires of the old nature.
If these
fruits of the Spirit, these results that inevitably
will follow the indwelling presence of the Spirit
of God in a human soul, are present, then that
person is indwelt by the Spirit of God. But if
these characteristics are not present in a person’s
life, then that person is most likely not indwelt
by the Spirit of God. Now those who belong to
Messiah Yeshua have crucified the flesh - the
old sinful anti-God, anti-righteousness nature,
with its perverse passions and desires. At any
given moment, a follower of Messiah is either
serving the desires of the old sinful nature,
or he is killing those desires. Be honest with
yourself - which one are you doing? How do we
crucify the flesh with its passions and desires?
Paul tells us in verse 25: If we live by the Spirit,
let us also walk by the Spirit. If we came to
life by the Spirit of God coming into us in a
new way, giving us new life from God, so that
we are born again, and spiritually reborn - let
us constantly keep in step with the Spirit, constantly
keep close to the Spirit of God, constantly be
guided and led and empowered by the Spirit. If
we live by the Spirit, we will not carry out the
desire of the flesh. If we live by the Spirit,
we will be able to put to death the passions and
desires of the flesh. That’s the way to
have victory over the old nature, and crucify
it. That is the secret for victorious living!
So, how do we live by the Spirit? First, we must
receive the Spirit. While it is true that all
human beings have a measure of the Spirit of Life,
not all have Him in the same life-giving and sin-overcoming
and victory assuring and empowering way. To receive
the special indwelling of the Spirit, so that
we can live in keeping with the Spirit, and empowered
by the Spirit, we must draw near to God by drawing
near to the Messiah that He sent to help us. We
must grow in our knowledge about Yeshua, until
we are confident that He really is the Son of
God, who came to Planet Earth, and taught the
things He is attributed as teaching in the New
Testament, and did the miracles the New Testament
says He did, and that He died on the cross, and
came back to life, so that He is alive now in
His glorified, resurrected body, seated at the
right hand of His God and Father. When we gain
this knowledge, and then are confident that it
is true, and we place our faith and trust in God
and Messiah, then God and Messiah send the Spirit
to be with us in a greater way, and give us new
life, and then He lives in us, and empowers us,
and guides us and leads us and teaches us, and
helps us live the right way, and helps us have
victory. After the Holy Spirit takes up residence
in us, we must do our part. We must crucify that
old nature on a continual basis. We might fight
the good fight every day, we must wrestle the
good wrestling match day by day, we must run the
good race moment by moment. We must prioritize
our time, energy, thoughts, prayers, efforts,
concerns into constantly keeping in step with
the Spirit, constantly being filled with the Spirit,
constantly keeping close to the Spirit of God!
If we live in this way, we will not carry out
the desires of the flesh. We will be able to crucify
the old nature, because the old nature and the
new nature are opposed to each other, and so you
are living for one or the other. Here are the
things that will help us live according to the
Spirit of Messiah. We must take in the Word of
God. We must read God's Word on our own. We should
make a habit of reading the Word of God each day.
We should not read the Word of God, but study
it. Look up cross references, those little notes
in many Bibles that tell you to go to a related
passage. Find a key word and look it up in a concordance
and study that topic. Do word studies, character
studies, topical studies, book studies. For thousands
of years the sons and daughters of God have found
it very profitable to memorize parts of the Scriptures.
"I have treasured Your word in my heart that
I may not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11)
the Psalmist wrote 3,000 years ago. If we meditate
on God's Word, we can become like the writer of
Psalm 119:97 who exclaimed: "O how I love
your Teaching! It is my meditation all the day."
All throughout the day, contemplate it, ponder
it, think about it, turn it over and examine it
from a different angle, and then implement it
in our life. Hear the Word of God taught by your
rabbis, which means that you must develop the
practice of regularly attending the synagogue
where the Word of God is faithfully taught. Make
it a priority. Go to the congregation regularly,
whether you feel like it or not. Don’t forsake
assembling together, as is the bad habit of some.
Develop the discipline of serving. Do something
for your congregation - cleaning up, setting up,
running errands, providing transportation, visiting
the sick. In most congregations today, 20 percent
of the people do 80 percent of the work. Develop
the discipline of giving. Giving is a duty. Giving
should be disciplined, planned and systematic.
Discipline yourself to give at least ten percent
to ministries that are solid, reliable and doing
the work of the Kingdom of Messiah, especially
and foremost to your home congregation. We don’t
ask for all ten percent, just a good chunk of
it! Devote yourselves to prayer. Give it your
time and attention. Pray without ceasing. Discipline
yourself to turn your mind and your thoughts throughout
the day to God, to talk to Him about things are
interesting to you. Anything that comes to your
mind thank God for, and pray about everything
that strikes you powerfully. Thank Him, praise
Him for who He is, and the great things He has
done. Intercede for yourself and others, our congregation,
the leaders in the synagogue, the Jewish community,
the Messianic movement, the Church throughout
the world, especially suffering Believers, the
world, that many would be saved, our government,
our soldiers and their families. From time to
time we fast. Fasting sharpens the edge of our
intercession and gives extra fervor to our prayers.
If you feel a special burden for a person, group,
place or situation you might want to fast and
pray for it. The Lord calls us to be with family,
and our nation, and to be an active part of Messiah’s
Holy Community, and yet there are times when our
souls would do well with a period of silence and
solitude. It is good to get alone with God. "Be
still and know that I am God" Some of the
greatest men of God, like Moses and Rabbi Paul,
were both transformed by years of virtual isolation
in a remote wilderness. Messiah Yeshua often was
found by Himself, going off to a solitary place,
praying and communing with God. Yeshua told His
disciples, "Come with Me by yourselves to
a quiet place and get some rest." Locate
special places for having periods of silence and
solitude. Find a place without distractions, and
bring your Bible and a good book and pray and
seek and wait on Him. Take a walk and pray. Engaging
in a hobby that does not require too much use
of the mind, like gardening, can provide this
kind of solitude and silence. Taking a swim, a
tub or a shower and provide silence and solitude.
Going to a place with a special view, like mountains
or forests, deserts or oceans, has a way of helping
us make contact with the Creator in a special
way. Evangelism is something that we must be doing
all the time. It must be something that each one
of us is all about. I don’t care who you
are, or how shy you are, or how uncomfortable
it makes you, you must witness to others. This
is a duty of every true child of God. I heard
a statistic that 95 percent of American Christians
never share their faith with anybody. Are they
really Christians? Develop the attitude that you
will share your faith in all kinds of situations
and circumstances, whether you feel like it or
not. Be ready in season and out of season, when
it’s convenient or not, easy or not, to
share your faith. Don't wait for witnessing opportunities
to occur, for someone else to open up the conversation
in a spiritual direction. When we are filled with
the Spirit, and thinking about God, and the desperate
need for salvation for a lost and dying world
around us, and that so many are heading to Hell,
we will take the initiative and make witnessing
opportunities happen! Salvation is the most desperate
need of those around us. How can we be with them,
and talk to them, and not think about their need
for salvation, and not speak to them about Messiah?
How can you not warn them about Hell, and the
Day of Judgment, and tell them the Good News about
Heaven and eternal life made possible by God and
Messiah? How can you remain silent? My friends,
what we sow, that we will reap. The more we sow
- the more we invest our time and energies in
cultivating these things that are in keeping with
the Spirit, the more benefit we will reap; the
closer we will be to God and Messiah; the more
we will think like God and Messiah. The more power
we will have to resist sin; the more hatred we
will have of sin; the more love we will have for
righteousness; the more ability we will have to
not carry out the desires of the flesh; the more
victory we will have to crucify the old sinful
nature with it corrupt passions and evil desires.
Walk in the Spirit, and you will live the right
way, and you will not carry out the desires of
the flesh! Yes, we will make mistakes from time
to time. We will fall short, we will sin. I don’t
know of anyone who lived a perfectly righteous
life. When that happens, we have God’s assurance
that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and
righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness. So, we are honest
with ourselves, and with God, and we confess our
sins, and tell the Lord that we are sorry, and
ask Him to forgive us - which He will, and we
pick ourselves up, and we start over. And, maybe
we will get it right the next time, or the next
time after that! |
