SLIDE: Back to Basics: Jesus, the Holy Spirit & Me

Galatians = very conservative – strict law abiding Jews

Jews and Gentiles – fully part of God’s family

Righteousness =  LAW WORKS  or FAITH –  Circumcision

SLIDE: Galatians 5:13-25 Life by the Spirit

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh (a); rather, serve one another humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ The acts (works) of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions²¹ 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.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE!

SLIDE: Galatians 5:13-14  You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh (a); rather, serve one another humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

SLIDE: Galatians 5:13 (a)  In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit

Doctrine:  TOTAL depravity

SLIDE: Romans 7:19-20   For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.  Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Romans 7:24  What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?

talaípōros – an adjective, derived from talaō, “to bear, undergo” and pōros, “a callous,”  –

wretched = from continued strain, leaving a person literally full of callouses

=describing a person with severe side-effects from great, ongoing strain

“Love your neighbor… as yourself.”

You are NOT…

totally depraved

Unloved and Unlovable by God

You are wonderfully and beautifully made!

You are created in the image of God!

Unfaithful voice: NOT GOD!

Prayer for healing

SLIDE: The acts (works) of the flesh vs. the fruit of the Spirit

Works – lead to flesh – death

Faith – leads to Spirit – life

Works – empowers the flesh – harsh and even violent

NO LAW against this!

SLIDE: Luke 11:11-14 God gives the Holy Spirit

¹¹ “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for^[ a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

SLIDE: Galatians 5:25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Follow in someone’s footsteps

SLIDE: Feet to Your Faith

1. Faith is what justifies us – not works
2. Ask for the Holy Spirit – Luke 11:13
3. In Christ you can – Love yourself
4. Love your neighbor – Activate