Led by the Spirit

What's the biggest lie or scam you've fallen for and become enslaved or trapped by? The Galatians fell for the huge lie, for the false teaching that they must do all sorts of extra Jewish laws in order to be fully kosher Christians. No, says Paul. You've been freed from all of that through faith in Christ, in his death on the cross. Verse one,

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

But that freedom doesn't mean that Christians are free to do anything they want. Verse 13:

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Being free in Christ comes with responsibilities and a new purpose. It's not a new legalism, a new set of Jewish rules, but the power and love to fulfil the law of Christ (6:2), which has both individual and corporate implications. Verse 14:

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

And so a bit like a dog playing in a field, the best way to live is to walk by our master's side, free yes, but freed to go his way. For we're freed for a new life, freed to love and serve one another whether at this site or the St Joseph's site and in all the changes as we go multi-site; and freed supremely to love, serve and obey Christ and his Word, all in the power of the Spirit - walking by the Spirit, led by the Spirit & keeping in step with the Spirit.

So what does this look like in practice and how are we to go about living it? Well Paul teaches us two things about this new freedom we've been given in Christ in these verses. It involves a new fight and a new resolve. So first,

1) A New Fight v16-17

As a Christian you and I are engaged in a battle. V16-17:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Now Paul says when we become a Christian we are engaged in a battle between two opponents. First there is what Paul calls the "sinful nature" which is our natural fallen nature into which we are born. It's our selfish desires which do not want to go God's way. But there's also the Spirit. That's God's gift of his Spirit he gives to everyone who becomes a Christian. And Paul says there's a conflict between what our natural sinful self wants to do and what our new self, empowered by the Spirit wants to do.

Now it's vitally important to grasp that this battle is the norm in the Christian life. Yes, we've been forgiven. We are new people washed clean by the Spirit. Our sins have been dealt with in that the penalty for our wrongdoing has been paid. And that's a payment which deals with all past sins and all future sins. And nothing can take that away from us. We're God's children. But the fact remains that we still continue to sin because our sinful nature still dwells within us. The penalty of sin has been paid for, but the presence of sin in our lives is still a reality. But the difference is now as forgiven people, God has given us his Spirit to change us and help us battle against sin. And the battle between our old nature and the new heart the Spirit has given us is intense. So if you're struggling with sin at the moment, if you're longing to go God's way but are feeling so frustrated by your weakness and failings then don't be discouraged. The fact that there's a battle going on in your soul is an encouragement. You long to do what is right, but something is pulling you away, your sinful nature. So Paul says, v17 "these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

Now every human being to some extent feels that. God's image, though scarred, is in each one of us. We have a conscience which does to some degree know what's right and wrong, though it is frequently suppressed and ignored. But for the Christian, the battle is much more intense. That's why a new Christian can feel so discouraged. They might say, as I did as a new Christian, "I feel terrible. It's just so hard. I seem to be sinning more than before I was a Christian." What's actually going on is that they're just more aware of the battle within them, as the Spirit sheds light on areas of their life that will need change. So don't be discouraged if you feel like you're in a battle at the moment. If you're wrestling with sin and longing to get rid of it, then that is the longing and experience of every genuine Christian. "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit…. They're in conflict." Of course, if you never feel that battle, then perhaps you need to examine yourself . But the fight is the norm for the Christian. And it's a fight that will continue for the rest of our earthly lives until we're freed not just from the penalty of sin but also the presence of sin.

John Newton, the writer of the hymn Amazing Grace, had committed some terrible crimes before he trusted Christ, so it was no surprise that Newton's life after conversion was a real battle against sin. Yes, there were immediate changes, but some things took time to sort out with God's help. He wrote: 'I'm not what I want to be, I'm not what I should be, I'm not what I one day will be in heaven. But thank God, I'm not what I once was.' He knew the reality of the fight, but also the help of the Spirit. So how do we engage in the battle?

2) A New Resolve v16-26

Well secondly we also have a new resolve. For the Holy Spirit enables us to battle against sin and gain ground towards holiness. And this works both positively and negatively. So,

a) Walk by the Spirit - Paul tells us positively to walk by the Spirit (v16). In v18 that we're led by the Spirit. And in v25 to keep in step with the Spirit. It all amounts to going the Spirit's way. Every Christian has the Spirit by definition. And Paul tells us to go the way of the Spirit, to keep in step with the Spirit. So what does this mean in practice? Well Paul has told the Galatians back in chapter 3:2 how they received the Spirit. He asked them whether they received the Spirit through observing the law or by believing what they heard. And Paul argues that they received the Spirit through hearing the gospel, not by obeying rules and laws. In other words it's through the word of the gospel that the Spirit is applied to their lives. And so it is today. The Spirit continues to do his work through his word. He applies God's word to us. He reveals our sin through his word and shows us the right way to go. So to go the Spirit's way is to be obedient to the Spirit's word, the Bible. It is he who inspired the Word, so keep in step with the Spirit by submitting to and obeying the word of God. And the wonderful thing is that the more we go the Spirit's way, the more we keep in step with the Spirit, the more he changes us and enables us to live his way. So we have this wonderful promise in v16:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

It's not that we become sinless, but rather that we're able to battle with sin and resist temptation. So what does a life look like that's led by the Spirit? V22-23:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

You can't legislate for this sort of thing, says Paul, because it's a fruit. You can't command someone to become more patient. It's only something that the Spirit of God can do in our hearts. And notice - there's one fruit with nine different parts. So we can't say, "I'm not too keen on becoming more self controlled." Because all nine are the one work of the Spirit in our hearts. And wonderfully this fruit of the Spirit perfectly describes our Lord Jesus Christ. So as the Spirit works in us applying his word to our lives, so he's making us more like Christ! Slowly but surely he's changing our desires. So whilst we continue to battle with sexual temptation, yet the Spirit of God enables us to grow in faithfulness and self control in what we watch or read. Whilst we battle with gossip or malice, yet the Spirit of God is at work in us helping us to become more patient and gentle. That's what it means to be led by the Spirit. It's to do with godliness first and foremost!

But maybe you'd say: "Yes, but I don't think I'm growing in patience. I'm still grumpy and find it hard to resist gossip." Well the work of the Spirit takes time. Fruit takes time to develop. Often it takes others to see how we've grown. You might have found it a real struggle to be patient, but someone else can see you're so much more self controlled. Your love for God's word has grown. Is that you? Then the Spirit of God is at work in you. But such a worry about lack of growth can be a warning to us. Maybe we're neglecting the Spirit's means of change - the Bible. Home Group isn't even on your radar. You see, we can't expect the Spirit of God to work in us regardless of how we behave. We must keep in step with the Spirit if we're to see his work in our lives. So if you want to grow as a Christian, walk by the Spirit.

b) Be Ruthless with Sin - Yes, positively go the Spirit's way, but negatively be ruthless with sin. And it's the Holy Spirit who enables us to hate sin. For the Spirit desires what is contrary to the sinful nature. Look at v19:

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

You couldn't get a clearer contrast to the way of the Spirit could you? And a life lived liked this which continually refuses to repent will lead to being barred from God's kingdom. Instead those who walk by the Spirit, v24, those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. To crucify the sinful nature is to say no to self. It's about a ruthless dealing with sin in our lives. Like crucifixion, dealing with sin will be painful. Those pet sins, those lusts, all of them must be ruthlessly nailed to the cross. We don't naturally want to part with those sins. Secretly we want to hang on to those sins no-one else knows about. But they're not compatible with going the Spirit's way. Crucify them with the Spirit's help.

Are you ruthless with your sin? Or do you hold on to it? Well pray that the Spirit will give you such a love for Christ and his ways, such a desire for the fruit of the Spirit that you will learn to hate sin. We wouldn't allow a snake into our child's bed would we, so why allow sin to foster in our heart? And sin is far more dangerous because it can not only destroy the flesh but kill us spiritually!

In a TV interview by Sir David Frost, Billy Graham was asked: "Are you ever tempted by the lusts of the flesh." He replied: "One of my evangelist colleagues was in Paris and one night he phoned me. He said he'd been to a Christian meeting and as he walked back to his hotel, past a red light district, he felt powerful temptations to give in. He said, 'Billy, that was the battle that was going on within me; but this is what I did. I took the key to my hotel room, locked the door from the inside and I threw the key out of the window so I couldn't get myself out of the room for the rest of the night. It was the only way I figured I'd be able to fight it.'" "You see", Dr Graham continued, "if you're tempted, God has promised to provide a way of escape. I tell you the Holy Spirit provides a way for Christians to escape and the world doesn't know this." Yes the Spirit helps us in this battle with sin. For he changes not only what we do, but what we want to do. But he doesn't do it for us, he does it with us. The Holy Spirit didn't miraculously throw the key out of that window, the evangelist had to do that, but it was the Holy Spirit who gave him the desire. Are you up for the fight?

Let me conclude with the story of a woman who lived at the coast. She was wealthy but frugal. People were surprised when she was the first to have electricity in her home. The meter reader called, checked the meter and asked if her electricity was working. She assured him it was. "Well", he said, "its just that your meter shows hardly any usage at all. Are you using your power?" "Yes, each evening at sunset, I turn on the lights just long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off again." She was tapped into the power but hardly used it. Her house was connected but not altered. And its as if Paul is saying, Christians don't make the same mistake. You have within you a unique power, a divine guest who has taken up residence in your life, nurture your relationship with him as he will with you. Keep in step with the Spirit.