August 18, 2016 THE FRUIT IS THE EVIDENCE
Galatians 5:19: “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident…….”
Galatians 5:22: “But the fruit of the Spirit is………”
Galatians 5:17: “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things you please.”
Just as a tree is known by the fruit it produces, so is it with the Spirit and flesh-the Spirit produces certain fruit and the flesh produces certain fruit. As you read Galatians, you will see the sharp contrast between the fruit of the Spirit and the deeds of the flesh. The writer of Galatians was addressing the believers who were living according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit. The truth is that at any given moment we are living according to the flesh, or according to the Spirit, and there is no mixture of the two. We know that we are living according to the Spirit when love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control describe our life (Galatians 5:22), and the amazing part is that the fruit of the Spirit is a package deal. When we are walking according to the Spirit, all of the fruit of the Spirit will be evident in our life. In contrast, the fruit of living according to the flesh, or “deeds of the flesh” include immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealously, outburst of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and etc. (Galatians 5:19-21). One may conclude that believers are in a real predicament given the fact that there is this ongoing battle between the flesh and the Spirit. However, God has made provision for, and given believers victory over the flesh; our part is to reckon our old self crucified, as we see in Romans 6:6: “knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body f sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.” Also, in Galatians 5:16 we read: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.” In the seventh chapter of Romans, Paul is describing the conflict of the flesh and the Spirit and what life is like for the believer that does not understand that the old self has been crucified; however, Paul makes it clear that he was delivered from this battle of flesh verses Spirit. In Romans 8:1-2 we find the answer to this epic battle of flesh and Spirit: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” God has saved us and has delivered us from who we use to be, has made us new, and has put His Spirit within us, so that we might live a life that pleases Him and a life that reflects His nature.
1 Corinthians 15:57: “but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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