Don’t the women’s magazines love Mary Donaldson. She has replaced Princess Diana. Smart, pretty, and now Royal, Princess Mary of Denmark, and moreover, Aussie. The fairy tale does come true. If Mary can get a Prince, maybe a Nepean girl can, too. Have you noticed how she doesn’t have an Aussie accent when she talks. I guess these changes are what you expect when you become European royalty. Some things just are not appropriate. ‘G’day Fred, Howzit goin’, just wouldn’t be appropriate. If you are a European Princess, you’ve got to act like one. And if you are a Child of the King, adopted into the family of God, bride of the Lord Jesus Christ, and co-heir with Christ to the universe, you have to act appropriate to the high calling.
I reckon we have a love hate relationship with transformations. We love them. The before and after shots motivate us, whether it’s the gym, or looking 10 years younger in 10 days, or the Biggest Loser. Better Homes and Gardens are always doing before and after shots. This is what your backyard can look like too.
But that’s also what we hate about them too. It reminds us what we could be, but aren’t, because we aren’t prepared to make the effort.
The Christian has undergone a mighty change. He or she has moved from death to life. And the agency of this mighty change in the Christian is… The Spirit and love
Remember that the church in Galatia was being tempted away from justification in Christ. They were being taught that faith in Christ was not enough. They also had to add works of the law of Moses. And so they were listening to teachers from head office in Jerusalem who were saying, ‘You must be circumcised and obey the law of Moses to be saved’ (Cf Acts 15:1ff) The letter to the Galatians is an angry rebuttal of this teaching. No, says Paul. And in Chapter 5 verses 2-5, he brings to conclusion his arguments.
2Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
If you want to be justified by the law, you have to keep all of it. Not just a little nip here or tuck there. Every commandment you must keep all the time without fail. And if you try to be justified by law, you want to do it all yourself. So you have fallen away from the grace that is in Christ.
But the Christian way is different. It is by faith. We hope for a righteousness that is by faith. It is the righteousness of Christ himself. Christ is our righteousness. We are promised him and his righteousness now. But we don’t see him and his righteousness now. But on the last day Christ our righteousness will surely save us and rescue us from the wrath to come. And so it is a hope of righteousness.
In today’s passage, Paul will speak of two themes and relate them to salvation by faith. He speaks of the Spirit. And he speaks of love. Verse 5 again:
5But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. And the last part of verse 6. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Or more literally, faith working through love. And in Galatians chapters 5 and 6, Paul outlines the role of the Spirit in living out the saved life, and that faith is the outworking of law.
Christians are free. But freedom has it’s challenges. Those who are set free have new opportunities because of their freedom, but also new temptations and difficulties. So Paul says in verses 13 and 14: You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature [lit, the flesh]; rather, serve one another [the original is stronger – be enslaved to one another] in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
You are free now. Jesus Christ has emancipated you. Christ by his death ransomed and redeemed and bought you back. You are now justified by faith.
But don’t then become enslaved to the flesh. Don’t live to serve yourself, and your lusts, and your evil desires. Rather, be a slave, be sold into indentured servitude, for the sake of loving other. Be a slave to loving your neighbour as yourself.
The Lord Jesus Christ, by his death and resurrection, has made us the freest of all people. Through Christ, we each of us have direct communion with the Father. You need no priest or intermediary to be accepted by God, for Jesus is your priest. You need no special place to approach the Holy God, because you now worship in Spirit and truth. You are not bound to feast days and fast days and the calendar. For all our time and activity is sacred in Christ, when it is done by faith. So use your freedom to become slaves. It’s a paradox. It’s counter-intuitive. But Paul embodies it. He calls himself a ‘slave of Christ’ at the beginning of the letter (Gal 1:1). And now he calls on his Christians to be enslaved to one another. Just as Paul said elsewhere of himself. Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible (1 Corinthians 9:19 NIV).
There are stories of the Moravian missionaries who shared this zeal. In 1732, Johann Dober and David Nitschmann left Germany for the Virgin Islands. The Anglicans had got their first. But the Anglicans maintained strict racial segregation and hierarchical structure. Their message wasn’t that well received. But the Moravians saw the fruit. They allowed the blacks to sing with the whites. They trained black preachers and evangelists. One even married a native woman, much to the consternation of other whites. And perhaps they saw the fruit because of Johann Dober’s attitude. There was no evidence that he actually sold himself into slavery. But he was prepared to sell himself into slavery, if that’s what was required to win the slaves[1].
So we come to our passage. And Paul calls this, love your neighbour as yourself attitude, this ‘being enslaved to one another in love’, this attitude Paul calls, walking by the Spirit. Verse 16:
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (NIV)
Walk by the Spirit, is what he literally says. The metaphor of walking describes the Christian life. We walk with God. We walk along Christ’s way, or Christ’s road, with Christ. Indeed, Christianity was early on called the ‘way’. And walking by the Spirit has a result. We will certainly not end up fulfilling [the] lust of the flesh[2].
In other words, there is a danger for the Christian. There is a threat to our right way of living. There is the lust of the flesh, which the NIV calls ‘the desires of the sinful nature’. These things are our earthly, this worldly, and sometimes bodily desires. And this is a real problem for the Christian, even after they have received the Holy Spirit.
We see why in verse 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. (NIV)
What a strange verse! It is saying that there is a conflict within the Christian. The Christian has his flesh, or his sinful nature. And he has the Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God. And these two things are fighting each other. There are now two different impulses in the freed Christian. The Spirit of God from above. And the flesh from below.
In fact, this conflict has an effect on the Christians actions. You see that at the end of the verse. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. This could either be, you want to do good, but you can’t do all the good you want, because evil is there with you. Or you want to do bad, but you can’t do all the bad you want because the good Holy Spirit is there with you. Either way, we see the Christian is a battlefield where the Spirit and flesh are at war. So the Christian is a walking civil war.
Friends, here in Scripture is Paul’s realism about the Christian life. It is not constant victory without struggle. But neither is it unending defeat without hope. We are engaged in a battle that God has promised us final victory, after we have fought here on earth.
The RSL motto is ‘The cost of liberty is eternal vigilence’. And friends, there is a traitor in our own hearts. And if we really want to be liberated and free, we must be the watchers over out own hearts. Because our hearts are deceitful and desparately wicked.
The Christian live is lived in the midst of a battle. But though we are continually fighting for our freedom, the fight is worth it.
Look at verse 18. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. Here is the second mention of the Spirit’s ministry. First we were said to walk by the Spirit. Second we are said to be led by the Spirit. If you are a Christian, the Spirit is leading you. It is not a matter of some spiritual Christians are led by the Spirit and others aren’t. No, the division is between led by the Spirit people, which is every Christian. And under the law people, which are those outside of the grace of Christ and obliged to obey the whole law. It is between the Spirit leading a person to life. And the law condemning a person to death. Every Christian is led by the Spirit. That is the definition of a Christian, some one led by the Spirit. So Paul says in Romans 8:14 that ‘all who are led by the Spirit of God are Sons of God’. If you trust in Jesus Christ, you are being led by the Spirit. But the question is, ‘where?’
Now, some people use this phrase, ‘led by the Spirit’, to describe their every day decision making. Should I buy this or sell this, or make this business decision, or undertake this venture, or marry this person, or go to this school or do this course. But that is not what Paul means. For he tells us exactly where the Spirit leads us. Away from the stuff in verses 19 to 21. Verse 19…
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry, and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 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.
Is God leading me to this girlfriend or boyfriend? Not if you are sleeping together and having sex outside marriage. What about to this newsagent or website? Not if it’s filled with porn. Is God guiding me to this group of friends? Not if they are always plying you with drink. Is the Holy Spirit leading me to a particular course of action at home or church? Not if it leads to hatred, discord, jealousy, or fits of rage or selfish ambition or dissensions or factions and envy. But it feels so right, it’s so good, surely God must be behind it. No, maybe it’s the flesh wanting to do what the flesh wants. And the Holy Spirit is leading you in the exact opposite direction. Because the Holy Spirit never leads us to sin. Only away from sin.
But there is a place where the Holy Spirit always takes us, and which the law need have nothing to do. Do you want to be free of law? Do you want to go to the place where the law no longer says, ‘Stop it!’ ‘Don’t do that’. ‘You know that’s not good’. Then head to verses 22 and 23:
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.
No law of God will tell you, ‘stop loving your neighbour as yourself’. No divine precept says, ‘stop rejoicing in God your salvation’. No command says, ‘Don’t take the peace of Christ’. No Apostle says, ‘Lose your temper now’. No Prophet says, ‘Make sure you are stingy and miserly with others’. Our Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t say, ‘Let your Yes be NO, and your No Yes’. No passage of scripture commends, ‘eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die’.
Rather, we are told in verse 24, that if we belong to Christ Jesus, we have already crucified the flesh, with it’s passions and lusts. That happened on the cross of Christ. Jesus put to death our allegiance to the sinful nature. We owe the flesh nothing. It died when Christ died.
There is nothing more beautiful than a flock of birds high in the sky flying in their V-formation. It is impressive to watch pursuit cyclists, wheel to wheel, whizzing round the track. It is amazing to see the RAAF roulettes doing their tricks wing tip to wing tip. It almost makes you want to give up your Japanese built car when you see the Holden Precision Driving team doing their figure eights, driving on two wheels bumper to bumper. It’s actually a little bit scary when you see thousands of Chinese troops with their tightly choreographed march past.
And it is pleasing to God to see believers in Christ, who have been given their new life by the Spirit, also marching in formation by the Spirit. For the Christian life is choreographed by the Holy Spirit. We walk by him. We are led by him. And so we also ‘keep in step with the Spirit’. Together, the church is called to love one another, to be enslaved to one another in love.
Imagine our church band. A church band is a blessing, and I hope to do what I can to develop it and make our one better and better. Imagine the band members come along and say this. The piano player says, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t like those black keys, only the white ones. We have to play in C. But I as electric guitarists say. Hang on, you have to do yucky bar cords in C. We want to play in D, and by the way, we have an amp so if you don’t do what we want we will turn it up. But then Jeff says, Hey, I only can play in F, and we all know that the saxophone is the coolest instrument, so I want a couple of extra solos. And Adrian says, no, B flat is the right key for the trombone, and if you’re not careful I might just do one too many low notes and knock you out. And Maria or Kath pipes up, Hey, E flat is the best key for vocals, so I don’t care what you guys are doing, I’m singing in E flat. You don’t have a band. You have a mess, a cacophony. You have discord, hatred, jealousy, fits of rage, self-ambition, dissensions, factions, envy.
But if each instrument serves the whole, if each says, lets play in the same key here, and first goes the piano, that will give us the platform, then the guitars will add rhythm, then the sax and trombone, they will add harmony, and then our vocalist will give the melody, and we will all play in time and wait for each other. Well, there you have a tight band. And the result is beautiful music.
And that is what the church is called to. Serving one another in love. So friends, today, remember the slavery that has been won for you. You have been bought for a price so that you can serve one another in love. And then the world will know that we are his disciples, because we love one another.
Let’s pray.
16But I say, walk by [the] Spirit, and you will certainly not end up fulfilling [the] lust of the flesh[4].
17For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. For these [things] are opposed to one another, so that what you wish, these things you might not do.
18But if you (pl) are led by [the] Spirit, you are not under law.
19Now the works of the flesh are clear, which are sexual immorality (pornea), uncleanness, sensuality,
20, idol worship, sorcery, enmities, division (eris), jealousy, wrath, factions, disputes, dissensions, party spirit,
21 envyings, drunkenness, orgies and things like these, which I forewarn you (pl), just as I have forewarned you, that those practicing such things as these will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
23goodness, faith/fulness, gentleness, self-mastery. Against such things there is not a law.
24But the ones of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh, with the passions and the lusts.
25If we live by [the] Spirit, let us also march in formation by the Spirit.
26 Let us not become empty boasters, challenging one another, envying one another.
6:1Brothers, if even a man is caught in some trespass, you (pl) the spiritual ones restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to yourself, lest also you (s) might be tempted. 2Bear one another’s load, and thus you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3For if someone seems to be something, being nothing, he deceives himself. 4But let each test his own work, and then with regard to himself only he will have a boast, and not to the other. 5For each [is] to carry his own burden. 6Let the one being catechized in the word fellowship with the one catechizing in all good.
7Do not be led astray, God is not treated with contempt. For that which a man sows, this thing he also will reap. 8Because the one sowing to his own flesh, out of the flesh will reap corruption, but the one sowing to the spirit, from the spirit will reap life eternal. 9But let us not grow slack in doing good, for at its own time we will reap, if we do not give up. 10Therefore then, as we have time, let us work the good to all, and especially to the household of faith.
[1] http://lexloiz.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/the-holy-spirit-and-a-life-given-freely-for-the-mission/
[2] ou me + Aor Subj = Emphatic Fut Neg of telew.
[3] Contrast Romans 5:2, ‘the believer stands in grace.’
[4] ou me + Aor Subj = Emphatic Fut Neg of telew.