The War Within – Part 3 Lesson 21 Galatians 5:16 - 25

“(Love) begets a likeness between the mind loving and the object beloved….. A mind filled with a love of Christ crucified … will be changed into his image and likeness.” John Owen

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: … (and they’re all self-centered and idolatrous)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control. Against such things there is no law. Gal 5:19-23

I. Introduction

The Westminster Shorter Catechism

Q. 35. What is sanctification? A. Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.

A. The danger of evangelical doctrines

B. The dual bondage of equating “struggle” with “defeat”

C. The liberty of grace

1. The definition of grace 2. The purpose of grace 2 Cor 12:7-10

I asked the Lord that I might grow And by His love’s constraining pow’r, In faith, and love, and every grace; Subdue my sins, and give me rest. Might more of His salvation know, And seek, more earnestly, His face. Instead of this, He made me feel The hidden evils of my heart; ’Twas He who taught me thus to pray, And let the angry pow’rs of hell And He, I trust, has answered prayer! Assault my soul in every part. But it has been in such a way, As almost drove me to despair. Yea more, with His own hand He seemed Intent to aggravate my woe; I hoped that in some favored hour, Crossed all the fair designs I schemed, At once He’d answer my request; Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

1 Lord, why is this, I trembling cried, These inward trials I employ, Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death? From self, and pride, to set thee free; “’Tis in this way, the Lord replied, And break thy schemes of earthly joy, I answer prayer for grace and faith. That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”

John Newton, 1779

II. A Review of the War Within

Gal 5:16-18 16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law

There is a war raging within the heart of every believer. You can look at (focus your attention on) the sin , or …. You can look at (focus your attention on) Jesus , ….. but you cannot do both at the same time

Heb 12:1-2 1…. let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,

III. The Fruit of a Corrupt Tree Matt 3:10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Gal 5:19-21 19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Sexual Immorality - Any sexual activity outside the bond of monogamous marriage between a male and female porneia is used (a) of "illicit sexual intercourse," in John 8:41; Acts 15:20,29; 21:25; 1 Cor 5:1; 6:13,18; 2 Cor 12:21; Gal 5:19; Eph 5:3; Col 3:5; 1 Thess 4:3; Rev 2:21; 9:21; in Matt 5:32 and 19:9 it stands for, or includes, adultery;

Impurity - moral evil, sensuality - what we see, read, listen to, or enjoy as entertainment akathartos , "unclean, impure", is used (a) of "unclean" spirits, frequently in the Synoptists, not in John's gospel; in Acts 5:16; 8:7; Rev 16:13; 18:2 a ; (b) ceremonially, Acts 10:14,28; 11:8; 1 Cor 7:14; (c) morally, 2 Cor 6:17, including (d), RV; "no unclean thing"; Eph 5:5; Rev 17:4, RV, "the unclean things" ("the filthiness").

Debauchery (lasciviousness) - shameless conduct - what we wear, how we walk, dance, or present ourselves aselgeia denotes "excess, licentiousness, absence of restraint, indecency, wantonness"; "lasciviousness" in Mark 7:22, one of the evils that proceed from the heart; in 2 Cor 12:21, one of the evils of which some in the church at Corinth had been guilty; in Gal 5:19, classed among the works of the flesh; in Eph 4:19, among the sins of the unregenerate who are "past feeling"; so in 1 Peter 4:3; in Jude 4, of that into which the grace of God had been turned by ungodly men; it is translated "wantonness" in Rom 13:13, The prominent idea is shameless conduct.

2 Idolatry - anything placed above God, and the immoral behavior, often demon influenced, that goes with it eidololatria (or- eia) Heathen sacrifices were sacrificed to demons, 1 Cor 10:19; there was a dire reality in the cup and table of demons and in the involved communion with demons. In Rom 1:22-25, "idolatry," the sin of the mind against God Eph 2:3, and immorality, sins of the flesh, are associated, and are traced to lack of the acknowledgment of God and of gratitude to Him. An "idolater" is a slave to the depraved ideas his idols represent, Gal 4:8,9; and thereby, to divers lusts, Titus 3:3 Witchcraft - anything used to give away thinking including elicit drugs, superstitions, horoscopes, or the occult pharmakia (or —eia) primarily signified "the use of medicine, drugs, spells"; then, "poisoning"; then, "sorcery," Gal 5:20, RV, "sorcery" (KJV, "witchcraft"), mentioned as one of "the works of the flesh." See also Rev 9:21; 18:23. In the Sept., Ex 7:11,22; 8:7,18; Isa 47:9,12. In "sorcery," the use of drugs, whether simple or potent, was generally accompanied by incantations and appeals to occult powers, with the provision of various charms, amulets, etc., professedly designed to keep the applicant or patient from the attention and power of demons, but actually to impress the applicant with the mysterious resources and powers of the sorcerer

Hatred - strong feelings of malice directed toward people echthra , from the adjective echthros (see ENEMY) is rendered "enmity" in Luke 23:12; Rom 8:7; Eph 2:15-16; James 4:4; "enmities," Gal 5:20, RV, for KJV, "hatred." It is the opposite of agape, "love."

Discord - constant arguing eris , "strife, contention," is the expression of "enmity," Rom 1:29, RV, "strife" (KJV, "debate"); "contentions" (RV and KJV); 3:3; 12:20, RV, "strife" (KJV, "debates"); Gal 5:20, RV, "strife" (KJV, "variance"); Phil 1:15; 1 Tim 6:4; Titus 3:9,

Jealousy - resentment against a rival - inordinate suspicion zelos , "zeal, jealousy," is rendered "jealousy" in the RV (KJV, "envying") in Rom 13:13; 1 Cor 3:3; James 3:14,16; in 2 Cor 12:20 (KJV, "envyings"); in Gal 5:20, RV "jealousies" (KJV, "emulations"); in Acts 5:17 (KJV, "indignation"); in 13:45 (KJV, "envy");

Fits of Rage , uncontrolled outbursts of anger thumos , "hot anger, passion," for which see ANGER, Notes (1) and (2), is translated "wrath" in Luke 4:28; Acts 19:28; Rom 2:8, RV; Gal 5:20; Eph 4:31; Col 3:8; Heb 11:27; Rev 12:12; 14:8,10,19; 15:1,7; 16:1; 18:3; "wraths" in 2 Cor 12:20; "fierceness" in Rev 16:19; 19:15

Selfish Ambition , self-centered striving to be “number on” even at other’s expense erithia (or —eia) denotes "ambition, self-seeking, rivalry," self-will being an underlying idea in the word; hence it denotes "party- making." It is derived, not from eris, "strife," but from erithos, "a hireling"; hence the meaning of "seeking to win followers," "factions," so rendered in the RV of 2 Cor 12:20, KJV, "strifes"; not improbably the meaning here is rivalries, or base ambitions (all the other words in the list express abstract ideas rather than factions); Gal 5:20 (ditto); Phil 1:17 (RV; KJV, v. 16, "contention"); 2:3 (KJV, "strife"); James 3:14,16 (ditto); in Rom 2:8 it is translated as an adjective, "factious" (KJV, "contentious"). The order "strife, jealousy, wrath, faction," is the same in 2 Cor 12:20 and Gal 5:20. "Faction" is the fruit of jealousy. Cf. the synonymous adjective hairetikos, Titus 3:10, causing division (marg., "factious"),

Dissensions , separations caused by disagreements dichostasia , lit., "a standing apart" (dicha, "asunder, apart," stasis, "a standing"), hence "a dissension, division," is translated "seditions" in Gal 5:20, "to excite, unsettle," or "to stir up to sedition,"

Factions - sects or cliques formed by people with self-willed opinions

3 hairesis , denotes (a) "a choosing, choice" (from haireomai, "to choose"); then, "that which is chosen," and hence, "an opinion," especially a self-willed opinion, which is substituted for submission to the power of truth, and leads to division and the formation of sects, Gal 5:20 (marg., "parties"); such erroneous opinions are frequently the outcome of personal preference or the prospect of advantage; see 2 Peter 2:1, where "destructive" (RV) signifies leading to ruin;

Envy - resentment of the success or prosperity of others phthonos , "envy," is the feeling of displeasure produced by witnessing or hearing of the advantage or prosperity of others; this evil sense always attaches to this word, Matt 27:18; Mark 15:10; Rom 1:29; Gal 5:21; Phil 1:15; 1 Tim 6:4; Titus 3:3; 1 Peter 2:1; so in James 4:5, where the question is rhetorical and strongly remonstrative, signifying that the Spirit (or spirit) which God made to dwell in us was certainly not so bestowed that we should be guilty of "envy."

Drunkenness - intoxication which alters thinking and precludes the “filling of the Spirit” methe NT:3178, "strong drink" (akin to methu, "wine," see under A. 1, above), denotes "drunkenness, habitual intoxication," Luke 21:34; Rom 13:13; Gal 5:21.

Orgies - a drunk group gone immorally nuts komos , "a revel, carousal," the concomitant and consequence of drunkenness, is used in the plural, Rom 13:13, translated by the singular, RV, "reveling" (KJV, "rioting"); Gal 5:21 and 1 Peter 4:3,

IV. A representative Sample

Gal 5:21 and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. NIV

Gal 5:21 and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. NASB

1 Cor 6:9-11 9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God ? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

V. A Defining Lifestyle

Gal 5:21 those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. NIV Gal 5:21 those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. NASB prasso (pras'-so); a primary verb; to "practise", i.e. perform repeatedly or habitually (New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003)

4 I John 3:4-10

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, pp 164-165 VI. The Fruit of a Regenerated Tree

Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

A. There are many acts (works) {plural}; only one fruit {singular) with many characteristics

1. How it is developed?

a. the life of our abiding - John 15:1-8

b. the object of our attention

Hos 9:10 But when they came to Baal Peor, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved.

2 Cor 3:14-18 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ….. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

“(Love) begets a likeness between the mind loving and the object beloved….. A mind filled with a love of Christ crucified … will be changed into his image and likeness.” John Owen, The Holy Spirit, p476

2. What motivates the effort?

Matt 22:37-40 37 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

B. The Tie That Binds - Love

Col 3:12-14 12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love , which binds them all together in perfect unity.

1. As a gift

Rom 5:5 God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

5 2. As a command

John 13:34 34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

VII. Principles to Ponder in Perfecting Our Produce

1. There is only one acceptable motive for actions that please God – ______

2. The only source of power available to us in generating the right motive is the Holy Spirit

3. The only source of power in renouncing sin and following Christ is the Holy Spirit

4. The responsibility for turning from my sin to His power to is mine

5. The responsibility for renouncing my sin nature and asking for His character is mine

6. The Christian is to pursue Godly character by every means available

7. The conflict is ongoing and success is progressive

8. The Christian’s battles are waged from the perspective of victory

9. It is a great source of joy in the Christian life to contemplate, not how far we have to go, but by God’s grace, from whence we have come

6 TNBS Questions Lesson 20 Preparation for week 21 Read Galatians 5:22-26

1. From 1 Corinthians 13, list 10 qualities (there are more) that are characteristic of Biblical love. ______

2. From John 17:13, what was the source of Jesus’ joy and how do Christians experience it? ______

3. From John 14:27, Philippians 4:6-7, how is Christian peace demonstrated and how do we lose it? ______

4. Read Psalm 40:1-2; What do we need to know about God’s justice and faithfulness in order to endure suffering or mistreatment patiently? ______

5. Read Romans 12:9-13; Ephesians 4:1-2; Colossians 3:12-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:14 Why is patience such a necessary characteristic in the Christian life? ______

Describe what it looks like in personal relationships ______

Describe what it looks like in trials and afflictions ______

6. Read Revelation 13:5-12 How is a Christian to respond to institutionalized persecution? ______

7. Read Ephesians 2:4-7; Titus 3:3-5 The Bible goes out of its way to portray God’s kindness in contrast to man’s undeservedness. What lessons can we draw from this? ______

8. Read Daniel 6:3-4 If we are “faithful”, what character traits would be assumed to be present? ______

9. Read Isaiah 40:6-11 Based on these verses, define gentleness. Does this describe you? ______

10. Read Proverbs 25:28; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 2 Peter 1:5-8 Why is self-control evidence of true Christianity? ______

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