SLIDES

The Letter to the Galatians 5:17-18

(Part 24)

Introduction

During our last study, we discussed the deeds or the characteristics that are produced by the old sin nature called the flesh. Today we will discuss the fruit of the Holy Spirit that believers in Jesus can display through faith that is in stark contrast to the deeds of the flesh. But before we begin discussing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, I want to take a few minutes and discuss rewards. Several people had questions about rewards after class last week. As a matter of fact, I think we are going to do a series on rewards after we finish Galatians.

Rewards

Like other things in Scripture such as the Tabernacle, prophecy, the Messianic Kingdom, etc., there is not much taught about rewards for the believer in Christ from the pulpit or from Bible teachers. I hope to rectify that some after we study Galatians.

As we have discussed many times, most people in the world from all religions of the world, except for Christianity, think that one has to be good, do good works, or give one’s life to Jesus to gain access into heaven. Even many in churches are taught that and believe that. But we know from Scripture that we cannot do anything or give Jesus anything to gain access into heaven. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross provided for forgiveness of sins to anyone who would accept that forgiveness through faith alone. Simply put, forgiveness of sins can be accomplished by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

In Revelation 20 there is a judgement after the Messianic Kingdom called the Great While Throne Judgement. At this judgement there will only be unbelievers. These are people who rejected Yahweh in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament. They will be judged by Jesus and then cast into the Lake of Fire (Hell).

There is another judgement that is going to occur after the Rapture which is a rewards ceremony. Romans 14:10 calls it the Judgement Seat of God while 2 Corinthians 5:10 calls it the Judgement Seat of Christ. This Rewards ceremony is for believers only. Rewards will be given, or not given, in relation to a believer’s faithful or unfaithful works while they were on the earth. Let’s briefly look at 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 today that deals with the Judgement Seat of Christ.

11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Jesus alone is the foundation or the basis of salvation or forgiveness of sins as we just discussed. However, to build on the foundation, works by faith is required. The gold, silver, precious or costly stones refer to the enduring quality of the builder’s work; and the wood, hay, or straw suggest work that is temporary and valueless. After the Rapture, during the Tribulation period and before the second coming of Jesus, there will be a rewards ceremony in heaven for all believers who belong to the church. Paul is painting a word picture of this event called, the Judgement Seat of Christ in other verses, to make several points about rewards or the lack thereof.

The picture is of a furnace in which a believers works are passed through it represented by wood, hay, and straw and gold, silver, precious or costly stones. These things are passed through the fire. The wood, hay, and straw that represent works that are temporary and valueless will be burned up. A believer will not receive any rewards for this. However, the gold, silver, precious or costly stones that represent works of faith will come out the other iend intact and not burned up. The believer will receive rewards for these works of faith.

Let’s read verse 15 again.

If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

There will be believers whose entire works will be burned and they will receive no rewards, but it is clear in Scripture that they are saved. They are saved believers with no rewards whatsoever. It is crystal clear that those who have no rewards are in heaven, participating in the rewards ceremony, because they trusted in Christ as Savior. Works had nothing to do with their being there because they had no good works. Let me repeat, there will be people in heaven who have no rewards, but they are there because and only because they trusted in Christ and Christ alone as their Savior.

The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)

Deeds of the flesh are evidence of the outworking of the sin nature in the life of a believer. Fruit is of the evidence of the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. From the time Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, there has been a contrast between good and evil. Good and evil are certainly seen and contrasted in the two lists by the Apostle Paul - the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Donald Gee in his book The Fruit of the Spirit made some interesting observations about the fruit of the spirit on page 6.

“The inspired choice of the term “fruit” is beautiful. Note the contrast between the “works” of the flesh and the “fruit” of the Spirit in Galatians 5. “Works” speak of the smoggy city, noisy machinery, and feverish activity—something that we do. “Fruit” speaks of the open countryside, the quiet of the garden, and the silent but life-giving forces of nature—something coming from the life that God gives. Fruit is the result of life. There is first the bud, then the blossom, finally the ripeness of harvest. Underlying all is the life in the tree itself that bears the fruit, also the life in the forces of nature, the sun, and the rain, that play upon it. Fruit is impossible where there is death.”

This quote reminded me of the Tree of Life Adam and Eve ate fruit from until they ate the forbidden tree. What emanates from fruit from nature beings nourishment to the body like the fruit from the Tree of Life that brought continued spiritual and physical life as long as they ate it. When the fruit of the Holy Spirit emanates from the believer, it can bring spiritual and physical nourishment to others, as well as to us.

Deeds are what a person does when he or she works, but fruit is something that emerges because of an inner working power of the Holy Spirit. The word fruit is singular suggesting the unified Christ-like character that the Holy Spirit produces. This fruit comes in nine delicious and godly flavors.

Both deeds and fruit are the behavioral manifestations of the driving forces within the Christian: his or her sinful human nature and the Holy Spirit. Fruit is beneficial to us and others. Deeds may or may not be, but the deeds that the flesh produces are certainly not.

I had a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary whose name Thomas Constable. He told this story that illustrates the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

“My wife and I used to live on a beautiful, wooded lot. The largest tree on the property was a stately red oak that was over 100 years old. In the fall most of the other trees would shed their leaves and remain bare through the winter months. But that red oak tree would usually retain most of its leaves through the winter. When the spring came, the sap flowing through that tree would cause buds to develop, and in the process the buds would push the old dead leaves off the branches. Similarly, the life of the Spirit normally expels the old dead habits of the flesh as the new life within grows stronger. Rather than trying to remove all of our former sinful practices ourselves, we should cultivate the spiritual life, and the Holy Spirit will deal with them. This phenomenon has been called ‘the expulsive power of a positive affection.’”

Now we are going to discuss the nine fruit of the Spirit listed by Paul in Galatians 5:22-23.. We are going to do something different this week and next while discussing the fruit of the Spriit. I am going to use a PowerPoint CD that I bought years ago about the fruit of Sprint. I was produced by Rose Publishing who has great biblical material.

Galatians 5:24

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Most people want to be identified with a winner. Just ask the avid supporters of an Olympic team from their country. These fans might perform poorly in any Olympic sport, but when an Olympic team from their country wins an event, they still say, “We won!” Such supporters identify so closely with their team’s victory is their victory.

After listing the fruit of the Spirit, Paul explained those who are part of the Body of Christ need not be responsive to the flesh, the old sinful nature that each believer retains after becoming a believer. Believers in Jesus share spiritually with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection and the results of these events. Scripture teaches that Christ won the victory over sin and the flesh through His death, burial, and resurrection. In Galatians 5:24-25 Paul says that believers are identified with Christ’s crucifixion, we can say, “We won the victory over sin and the flesh.”

In these verses Paul is not referring to self-crucifixion or self-mortification, but the fact that at the moment of salvation each believer is identified with Jesus’ crucifixion but also with His’ resurrection. While this spiritual co-crucifixion occurred at the cross, does not mean that the flesh or sin nature has been eradicated or rendered inactive, but it does mean that believers can have victory over sin’s passions and desires. However, it is not something a believer can to with self-effort. We can experience victory, not by eradication of the fles, h but by walking in dependence on the Spirit to control it as Paul describes in verse 25.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Paul here explains the only way one can have victory over the flesh is by living and walking by the Holy Spirit.  Having victory over the flesh could never be accomplished by trying to keep the Law of Moses. He also makes the point that every believer who continually lives by by the Spirit should demonstrate that fact by a lifestyle that is in keeping with the presence and purpose of the Spirit. The wording used for this admonition is “walk with” or “keep in step with” the Spirit. The verb translated “walk” was commonly used to suggest agreement or to be in line with another. Paul has used it elsewhere to indicate walking in another’s footsteps like Abraham in Romans 4:12 and living according to a standard as seen in Philippians  3:16.

So here Paul instructs the Galatians to live out their faith in appropriate ways, empowered by the Spirit, following his guidance and direction. Of course, living by means of the Spirit and walking by means of the Spirit is only accomplished by faith. Remember the verse we studied in Ephesians 5:18 several weeks about the control of the Spirit. It means that the Holy Spirit has control over us.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit...

Just as alcohol in a drunk person can control them, the Holy Spirit can control the believer to live a righteous life so the fruit of the Spirit to emanate from him or her. Now let’s look at verse 26, which is the last verse in Galatians chapter 5.

Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Being boastful to others, challenging others, and envying others is living and walking by means of the flesh, not the Spirit. He was saying “Stop it.” These non-Christian actions were probably causing divisions in the churches of Galatia in relation to the Judaizing error of believers required to keep parts of the Mosaic Law.