Living in the Spirit

-
Portrait of Martin LutherImage via Wikipedia
Galatians 5:19–21 is not an exhaustive listing of the works of the flesh, and verses 22–23 are likewise selective. Passages like 2 Peter 1:5–7 give spiritual fruits not found in Galatians; thus, we need to study all of Scripture in order to get a full record of the traits that define those who live by the Spirit.
Those who have crucified the flesh (the remnant of opposition to God within) walk in the Spirit and bear His fruit. In fact, all who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh, Paul reminds us (Gal. 5:24), but the Greek verb here tells us this crucifixion is both a past event and a lifelong effort. James Montgomery Boice’s comments on Galatians in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary illustrate how this can be the case (vol. 10, pp. 499–500). True, Jesus defeated evil at Calvary, ending sin and death’s dominion. Yet just as a man nailed to a tree can live for days, gasping for breath despite being as good as dead, so too can our lingering sin rear its ugly head at times. On these occasions we must nail the flesh back to the cross, as it were, refusing to yield to temptation. Martin Luther writes, “The faithful … so long as they live here crucify the flesh; that is to say, they feel the lusts thereof, but they obey them not.”
Luther adds that walking according to the Spirit is being armed with God’s Word, faith, prayer, and the sacraments that we might not yield to the flesh. Moreover, cultivating a humble attitude is also essential to walking by the Spirit, as today’s passage indicates (vv. 25–26). Meekness and humility—not viewing oneself more highly than one ought and the refusal to boast in one own’s abilities or be jealous of others—has always marked those in whom the Spirit dwells (Num. 12:3, 7). Furthermore, these characteristics remain among those the world finds least desirable. Politicians are too proud to admit their mistakes, philanthropists boast in their generosity, but Christians must exemplify humility, not envying others and repenting toward the Almighty and one another when they sin. Indeed, a life of repentance and faith evidences the leading of the Holy Spirit, for those who are humble before the Lord are those to whom He gives the grace of salvation (1 Peter 5:5) and, consequently, the gift of His Spirit (Gal. 3:2). Martin Luther offers the following application: God is no respecter of persons, and since all believers serve Him by the same faith with the same Spirit, the layman who faithfully uses the gift the Lord has given him pleases God no less than the minister. “Wherefore we ought to regard the lowliest Christians no less than they regard us.” None of us should boast in our calling or think that we are either better or worse off than others because of our particular gifts.


Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

Popular posts from this blog

Speaking in tongues for today - Charles Stanley

-
Image
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. … But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. … And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. … Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way - 1 Corinthians 12:4, 7, 28, 30—31 The Lord Jesus Christ had come and gone. The church—newly birthed—was in a transition time. The new covenant was seen as a threat to the Jewish leaders; therefore, there was persecution for those who had chosen to follow Christ. The new religion, in its infant stages, had no Bible, few leaders, and absolutely no support from the government. Astounding that it survived, isn’t it?  How in the world did it survive with so little going for it? Power. Not just a force, but mighty, visible power. Th...
Read more

What is the glory (kabod) of God?

-
Image
2 CORINTHIANS 4:17 "This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." Scripture places a high value on God 's glory, and it is not hard to figure out why. Since the inherent glory of the Lord is something that He will not share with others (Isa. 42:8), we know that His glory is something that He prizes highly; indeed, He prizes it more highly than anything else. We should, therefore, set the glory of God as the goal and overarching emphasis of our lives. Whatever we lose for the sake of making the Lord's glory known will be worth it when we see the dazzling light and beauty of; the divine glory (28:5; Rev. 21:23). Glory has to do with light and beauty, but those aspects do not sum up what the Bible means when it speaks of the glory of God. Interestingly, the Hebrew word kabod , which is translated into English as "glory," has the root meaning of "weight" or "heaviness....
Read more

The Holy Spirit causes us to cry out: Abba, Father

-
Image
Pentecostés. Óleo sobre lienzo, 275 × 127 cm. Madrid, Museo del Prado. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) To bring out the same truth in another way, Paul says God sent Jesus (as a Man) to live under the Law in order “to redeem those under law, that we [Jews and Gentiles ] might receive the full rights [adoption] of sons” ( Galatians 4:5).  By “full rights” or “adoption” he means entering into the privileges and responsibilities of sonship. He uses it also of the sonship of Israel (Romans 9:4). Galatians 4:1, 2 indicate that the son and heir of a wealthy family in Paul’s day would be treated as a slave until he became of age.  Then he would receive the adoption, that is, all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that belonged to an adult member of that family. Adoption was also used in the modern sense, so that Gentiles who were not sons of Abraham became true heirs, true sons of God , by faith.  Jesus died, not just to save us from the fires of hell, bu...
Read more