Last Sunday, in a message titled, THE COST OF FOLLOWING EVIL (Gal. 5:19-21), we looked at what God says His children can forfeit if we choose to not “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16-17, 21b). Galatians 5:18 says, “if you are led in the Spirit…” which is conditional (i.e. “if”). Also, the Greek word for “led” here is “agō ” meaning to “guide,” and not “pherō” which means to “drive” or force. Clearly, free will is involved here, and both experience and the Bible shows us that a Christian may or may not walk in the Spirit after coming to faith in Jesus.
When a child of God does not walk in the Spirit, the result is “the works of the flesh” which are “obvious” (Gal. 5:19a NET; Rom. 2:14-16, etc.). Tragically, when followed, the flesh costs more than we know, and takes us further than we think (e.g. James 1:12, 16-17; Rom. 6:6, 12, 16; 7:14, 18, 23; James 4:1; Gal. 5:17; Eph. 2:10; 2 Tim. 3:16-17, etc.). Two common ways the flesh tricks us is through legalism which cloaks itself as being good but actually fuels and provokes sin (i.e. “jealousies… selfish ambitions… envy,” etc.- Gal. 5:20-21a; Luke 11:39; Col. 2:23b; Rom. 7:7-8) and license which brazenly changes “the [gospel] of… God into lewdness” (Gal. 5:19b, 21a; 1 Pet. 2:11, etc.).
God warns us repeatedly here to not be deceived (Gal. 5:21b; 6:7, Rom. 6:21, etc.) A child of God who lives this way “will not inherit the kingdom of God” suffering “loss” when Jesus comes- bringing “to light the hidden things” (1 Cor. 4:5), BUT “he [still] will be saved” (1 Cor. 3:15) because of God’s grace (Gal. 5:21b; Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:9-11; 1 John 2:28; Eph. 2:8-9, etc.). To this grace we will now turn…
Pastor Dave
My passion is to protect and promote the truth, and teach others to do the same through the faithful teaching of the Bible.
Gospel means “good news.” While we can have good news throughout our lives in many forms, the good news God shares with us is the forgiveness of sin through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
My cell is 208-597-1508, or you can also reach me at pastor@springhillchurchspokane.org