July 13, 2003

Galatians 5:16-26

“Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence” -

III John 9

Our attitude - “He must increase, but I must decrease”

John 3:30

Case studies in the Bible of what happened to

Miriam & Aaron, Korah, Nadab & Abihu.

v. 13 - “by love serve one another” - In love be in

bondage to one another!

I Cor. 3:3 - Example of the flesh thwarting & defeating

the desires of the Spirit.

v. 16 - God has graciously sent forth His Spirit to help

us deal with “this present evil world” - ch. 1:4

v. 17 - Although the flesh is still at work within prompting

desires away from holiness, yet the Spirit is with

us originating desires after that which is good,

and will help against inclinations to evil if only

one would surrender to His guidance.

Experience the truth of I Cor. 10:13

A conflict between the promptings of the flesh

and the prompts of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is a Mighty Ally - “I can do all things

through Christ who strengtheneth me” - Phil. 4:13

v. 19 - “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are

these” -

(1)Sensuality - v. 19

(2) Malignity - v. 20 - malignant - malicious -

One should have learned in Card Class about evils

in one’s life as the result of seeing, walking, handling,

etc.

(the most prominent & noticeable forms of degradation

from what God had intended)

One cannot be involved in carnal entertainment like

MTV, R & X rated movies at home or the movie house

and fall on your knees & have sweet fellowship with

God at the same time.

v. 19 - Everyone has libidos - Heb. 13:4 - “Marriage is

honorable in all and the bed undefiled but whore-

mongers & adulterers, God will judge”

God is not out of date, God sees what is going on when it comes

to pornea, sodomy or homosexuality.

Let the prompting of the Holy Spirit be your guide

& strength in the course of life - vs. 16,18 & 25

Walking by the Spirit is absolutely incompatible with

an indulgence in the inclinations of the flesh!

It takes work on our part - diligent trying -

* filial love toward God

* virtuous conduct towards fellow man

Rom. 5:5-9 - fatal consequences of the flesh

vs. 22-23 - The Spirit’s influence which brings

immunity from the censure of the Law

Paul concedes that the desires of the flesh may be felt

by one walking in the Spirit but that it will be

impossible for such a one to carry it out to full accomplishment.

v. 19 - Personal, private life of a sinner - incompatiblity

of a spiritual walk with the fulfillment of the desires

of the flesh.

(An ugly brood of sensual sins, religious sins, personal sins)

“manifest” - outcome of an evil nature - works of darkness.

Pornea - first group - offenses against chastity.

“lasciviousness” - reckless shamelessness in unclean

indulgences.

(Uncleanness used of the men of Sodom - II Pet. 2:17)

v. 20 - Sins of irreligion

The use of drugs/black arts, magic, sorcery.

Malignity - “hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife,

seditions, heresies” - the antithesis of love which is the

essence of goodness!

Party factions - jealousy, envy, rivalry, strife, divisions/boiling

resentment.

“heresies” - (choice) - choice of views - way of thinking.

Vines Expository Dictionary - “that which is chosen, an

opinion, especially a self-willed opinion, which is substituted

for submission to truth revealed” - leads to division, sects

in II Pet. 2:1.

Pro Choice is a MORAL HERESY!

Malediction of God - ch. 1:6-9 - Back to square one!

Any philosophy or doctrine that tampers with the gospel

as revealed from God is a heresy - view of man’s own

devising & choosing - NOW IN THE CHURCH.

Their spiritual genesis was apart from the True Church

and is incapable of being amalgamated with it.

(Dr. Haile, my dentist - amalgam please)

I Tim. 4:1

Col. 2:19a - “and not holding the Head” - a breaking

away from “the Head”

v. 21 - Sins of excess - “drunkenness, revellings and such

like” - not a complete list.

A VERY SERIOUS PENALTY - “that they which do such

things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God”

Bondage to the flesh in this life is constantly declared

throughout the New Testament to form an insuperable

bar to an entrance into Heaven.

Works of the flesh contrasted with Fruit of the Spirit.

John 15 - “fruit.....more fruit......much fruit”

Wholesome - state of mind - habits of feeling.

v. 22 - “love, joy, peace” - a conscious state of reconciliation

with God.

“longsuffering, gentleness, goodness” - sweetness of

disposition, a compliant willlingness to be of service to

others.

“faith” - “receive with meekness the engrafted word”

James 1:21

Consider Philippians 4:8

v. 23 - “meekness” - the humble submissiveness to the teaching

of Divine revelation which stands in contrast with that self-

reliant, headstrong, impulsiveness which in the temperament of the Celt was apt to hurry him into the adoption of novel ideas which he had not taken time to see through!!!!!!

“temperance” -self-control stands in opposition to

fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, drunkenness & revelling mentioned.

v. 24 - “have crucified the flesh with the affections & lusts” -

the soul chasing objects which it is wrong to pursue.

(these affections & desires which are so hard to control

& which at the same time are so fatal to one’s welfare)

Contrast vs. 15 and 26

A contentious spirit rife with seeking vain-glory &

self-vaunting - another weakness of the Celtic race.

The challenging of those who feel themselves strong

and the envying on the part of those who felt themselves

weak - both faults being traceable to one and the same

root - the excessive wish to be “THOUGHT MUCH OF”