A Worthy Walk Part 1
There are three steps in the salvation process. The first is Justification. Justification is God's act of removing the guilt and penalty of sin while at the same time declaring a sinner righteous through Christ's atoning sacrifice.This is what salvation by faith alone by grace alone through Christ alone means.
For over five chapters of Galatians Paul has been hammering home this point. Salvation is a total work of God. Salvation is Jesus plus nothing else equals grace.
But starting in Galatians 5:16 Paul will get into the next section of salvation, which is Sanctification. This is the daily inward war that all Christians will do battle with until the end of their lives when the third and final part of our salvation takes place and that is Glorification as found in I John 3: 2 “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
I. The Works of the Flesh
A. Sexual Sins
1. Adultery
Means,“sexual union with anybody other than your marriage partner.”
2. Fornication
Fornication means, “any sexual activity before marriage.”
3. Uncleanness
Uncleanness has the idea of wrong thoughts; it deals with thoughts that are impure. A person who entertains himself with licentious literature, music or movies.
4. Lasciviousness
Means an inordinate desire for comfort or laziness, just letting your senses—your five senses—dictate what you do.
B. Spiritual Sins
1. Idolatry
An idol is anything more important to you than God. Anything you love more, or fear more, or serve more than God is an idol. It could be your business, your family. It could be your recreation, your hobbies. And if you’re living a life of idolatry—if there’s anything you love, fear, or serve more than God
2. Witchcraft
Greek word pharmikia which we get the word pharmaceutical and it actually has to do with the use of drugs. Not medicine but recreational drugs which Dr. Adrian Rogers calls “ instant heaven that leads to everlasting hell; synthetic salvation.”
3. Hatred
It’s the idea of nursing a grudge, carrying around hatred in your heart? If you have a bitterness and a grudge in your heart towards any human being on the face of this earth,
4. Variance
It’s an idea of divisions; it has the idea of a party spirit, of strife. They’re like a porcupine—they may have a lot of good points, but you can’t get near them.
5. Emulations
Literally means, “jealousy.” And that jealousy is rooted in selfishness.
6. Wrath
A desire for revenge, a burning desire to get even.
7. Strife
“Fractious; a spirit that divides.”
8. Seditions
Literally means, “to stand apart.” These are people who separate themselves into little cliques and enclaves and think that they’re better than other people.
9. Heresies
False doctrines
C. Social Sins
1. Envying
This a person who is dissatisfied with what he has. He has a spirit of covetousness. He does not have the spirit of thanksgiving. And it’s not primarily just wanting more; it is wanting what somebody else has.
2. Murders
Two fold meaning
- Taking of an innocent life.
- Matthew 5: 21-23 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother[a] will be liable to judgment; whoever insults[b] his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell[c] of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Gossip or slanders is also murder.
3. Drunkenness
Means there is an impairment of your judgment by the use of alcohol, or drugs, or anything else.
4. Reveling
Carousing. People who are trying to somehow kill and stultify their conscience and escape from reality by constant indulgence in
entertainment.
D. Such Like Sins
Because this isn’t an exhaustive list Paul adds the phrase “and such like”. An activity or thought or action that leads to an uncontrolled life.
Sin always destroys. Never builds up. Never helps, always hinders a person.
Sin always takes you further than you want to go, makes you stay longer that you want to stay and makes you pay more than you are wanting to pay.
An out of control sinful life always leads to
- Wasted Time and Life
- Weakened Bodies
- Warped Thinking
- Wrecked Lives.
II. The Fruit of the Spirit
- The Standard for the Spirit-Controlled Life: The Law of God
That is to say, how do I know what is right and what is wrong. What is good and what is bad.
1. License: Some People See the Law as Their Enemy
The flesh says, “Don’t fence me in. I want to do my thing. I’m going to do my thing.”
2. Legalism: Some People See the Law as Their Master
This is a person who takes God’s law to the extreme. Their spiritual lives are built on a bunch of don’t as oppose to the one do God calls us and that is “to walk in the Spirit.”
3. Liberty: Some People See the Law as Their Friend
The Christian life is not a legal relationship; it is a love relationship with Christ. Liberty is not doing your thing. No one is truly free, no one is liberated, until he knows control.
B. The Strength for the Spirit-Controlled Life: Be Led by the Spirit verses 16-18
1. The Commencement of the Walk: An Act of Your Will
2. The Circumference of the Walk: The Holy Spirit
3. The Continuance of the Walk: Repentance and Faith
“ Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,” Colossians 2:6. How did you come to Christ? By repentance of your sin and by faith in what Christ did for you on the cross. Because we sin every day, we did to ask forgiveness every day and continue to just by faith that Jesus has declared us righteous not because of what we have done but because of Christ’ s death, burial and resurrection.
Repentance is God’s way of revealing myself to me. And faith is God’s way of revealing Jesus to me. You see, repentance is where I see the bankruptcy of me. Faith is where I see the glory of Him
- The Satisfaction of the Spirit-Controlled Life: The Fruit of the Spirit
So if you are walking in the Spirit, fruit will naturally spring forth out of your life. Some at first, others are you mature in your faith but the fruit of the Spirit is something every believer will demonstrate in their lives because of the one who is controlling their lives…. The Holy Spirit.
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Longsuffering
- Gentleness
- Goodness
- Faith
- Meekness
- Temperance