However You Walk, That Is How You Are

BIBLE STUDY #774- CHURCH IN THE HOUSES FROM: JUNE 25 @ JULY 1, 2013

Topic: “However You Walk, That Is How You Are” Galatians 5:16-26 The way you walk allows you to see what you are. When there are fruits of justice in your life it is because you have sanctified yourself from evilness and you are guided by the Holy Spirit. That is how it’s known that you are close to God and that Christ is your Savior. But, if on the contrary, if your acts show that you are guided by the deeds of the flesh, well that means that you are far from the Holy Spirit and far from Jesus. Then, regrettably the Savior of your life is not the Lord. This is not a matter of discussion; here there is one measure or another: if the deed of the flesh dominates it becomes manifested and cannot be hidden. And when it is the fruit of the Spirit, it also becomes manifested in the person who has it. There is nothing to defend, nothing to say, what is within each person… it shows! The desires of the flesh cannot be satisfied when Christ is in us. When Christ is in us we walk by Spirit. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to have a passage to move in us. Two passages cannot be taken at the same time. Either the flesh dominates and guides or the Holy Spirit. To live in the Spirit is to be occupied in Christ, because the ministry of the Spirit is to occupy the believer with the Lord Jesus. When we walk in this way, in the Spirit, then this means that the flesh, or the “I” life, is like dead. One cannot be occupied with Christ and at the same time occupied with sin. The “old tree” needs to be kept sterile and fructify the “new one.” The flesh is always there, concealed for all, but it depends on us to want to go forward with the new tree with the purpose of giving new fruits. And the old tree needs to be stopped and dried. The Spirit and the flesh are in constant conflict. We always depend on Christ, well our “old tree.” God has given us His own Holy Spirit to dwell in us and help us in our weakness. So He is the great one, He does not take away our flesh but rather He trusts that we have believed and fills us with His Spirit. The Spirit and the flesh are in perpetual war and the more we die to the flesh, the more space there is for the Spirit. For that reason we need to surrender to the Spirit and be guided by it. We are not under the Jewish law with all those precepts and rules, that is why we do not depend on our own strength like the Jewish did with that law. It is now the Spirit that resists the evil intentions within man himself. To be guided by the Spirit means to be elevated above the flesh and be occupied with the Lord. This, our time, is the time of the new pact; it is the time of living the life in the Spirit. The work of the flesh is due to the nature fall of mankind for the sin of Adam. There is no difficulty in identifying the deeds of the flesh. They are very evident. They are: adulteries, infidelity to the matrimonial relation, fornication which is the illegitimate sexual relation. It is also considered as a work of the flesh lewdness which is all evil morale linked to sensuality. Lasciviousness is also considered of the flesh and it is a shameless behavior involving the lack of restraint for sexual impurity. Idolatry is also a work of the flesh and it is the cult to demons, to idols. We continue with sorcery which is witchcraft, where drugs are very present in those who practice it. Enmities are malignity directed against others. This work of the flesh brings disputes, discards, disagreements and quarrels. Jealousy is suspiciousness, the lack of confidence that also reigns in the flesh. The explosion of anger is the expression of rage or uncontrolled passion. Selfish ambition, which is another of the many deeds of the flesh, refers to egocentric efforts to be number one even at the cost of others. Also, with the flesh there are divisions or separations caused by disagreements. Envy is also manifested which is discontent before the success or prosperity of others. Another deed of the flesh is sectarianism, the difference of opinions. Homicides which is to give death to others. Also, drunkenness that occurs due to the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Orgies are included in the list and they are the uncontrolled gatherings seeking impure divisions, almost always accompanied by drunkenness. Let us know that before all this gloomy picture of acts contrary to God’s justice, the brother that practices such things: REMAINS APART FROM GOD AND FROM HIS KINGDOM! Paul has to preach and teach this because not everyone who proclaims to be saved is. The apostle clearly distinguishes what the fruits of the flesh and the Spirit are. The works of the flesh are the product of the human energy. The fruit of the Spirit grows as we remain in God. The Holy Spirit produces the kind of fruits that gives honor to justice, creating the image of Christ in the believer. The fruit of the Spirit covers the following: Love that is what God is and what we should also be. Joy is contentment and satisfaction with God and all His treatments. Patience is the extent of courage in the afflictions, contradictions and persecutions. Benignity is kindness. Kindness is the benignity shown towards others. Fidelity is the trust in our brother. Meekness is to be able to assume a subordinated position without protesting, to be under the orders of others without rebelling. Self-control is to restraint oneself, especially referring to sex. All this is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. If you are of Christ, well you have already crucified your flesh who is enemy of the Spirit, living a new life pleasant to God and full of fruits of justice. Amen.