Walk by the Spirit, Not in the Flesh

Transcript

GR 1166
12/12/1999
Walk by the Spirit, Not in the Flesh
Galatians 5:16-18
Gil Rugh

We are going to be in the book of Galatians in your Bibles. Galatians and the fifth chapter. Galatians is very much about the person and work of Jesus Christ and the sufficiency of what Jesus Christ has accomplished in His death and resurrection. Through His death and resurrection He has provided righteousness for all who will believe in Him. It is not only that righteousness which is given to us when we believe in Him as our Savior, but it is that provision for our ongoing growth and development in righteousness which we call sanctification in preparation for the ultimate realization of the fullness of the righteousness that God has provided for us when we enter into His presence with glorified bodies.

Paul has been stressing through the book of Galatians that you cannot be justified, declared righteous, by keeping the Mosaic Law. That is a very crucial point. So many people today think they are going to be saved because they are trying to keep the Ten Commandments, but the Ten Commandments are part of the Mosaic Law. Look back in chapter 2 of Galatians verse 16. Paul is dealing with the issue of the Jews. In verse 15 he says, "We are Jews by nature," addressing Peter in this context, "and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by faith in Christ Jesus, even we [we Jews] have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified." In effect Paul says we Jews, the ones to whom the Law was given, could not be justified by keeping the Law. We, too, had to turn to Christ by faith to be justified. How futile and hopeless it is to try to tell Gentiles to keep the Law to be justified. The very people to whom the Law was given--the Jews couldn't be justified that way. And the reality of the matter is, as we'll see later, the Law is useless the Scripture says when it comes to righteousness before God.

Once you establish that you've established that no one can be saved by works because the greatest works ever given in that since would be the Mosaic Law. God Himself gave the Law at Mount Sinai to Moses and through Moses to the nation Israel but you could not be saved by keeping the works of the Law. That shows how futile it is that you could be saved by any works.

So if you turn just past Galatians to the book of Ephesians in chapter 2 verse 8. Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not as a result of works so that no one may boast." You cannot be saved by trying to obey the Mosaic Law. Well, we must be clear. You cannot be saved by any works that you may do. You can only be saved by faith.

Furthermore, Paul has made clear in Galatians chapter 5 verse 1 that it is not God's intention that a person who has been saved by faith in Christ should now try to live their lives by keeping the Law. The idea you're justified by faith and sanctified by Law is not scriptural. You are not sanctified by works anymore than you were justified by works. Now that seems to leave it open-ended. In verse 1 he said it was for freedom that Christ set us free and we are not under obligation to the Law. We don't please God with our life by obedience to the Law. Does that mean I am free to do whatever I please? Paul addressed that in verse 13, "You were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh." Freedom is not license. God's grace does not mean we can do whatever we please and enjoy. Rather we use our freedom in the grace of God to serve others through love. He addresses that at the end of verse 13.

Paul is now going to turn attention to what is the provision of God for us as His children to live our lives pleasing to Him. It's clear we are not justified by works but how are we sanctified. How are we to live as God's people in this world? And he's going to turn our attention to the work of the Holy Spirit. It is through the provision of the Holy Spirit and His enabling power that God's people are to live their lives today. Now this whole area of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is absolutely crucial. I dare say that much of the evangelical church today is in total confusion when it comes to understanding the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the failure to appreciate God's provision for godly living today has opened the door for all kinds of charlatans, hucksters, who have invaded the church with foolish ideas on how to deal with sin and live pleasing to God.

Turn back to the Gospel of John if you would. John's Gospel chapter 14. John chapters 13 through 17 deal with Jesus' time with His disciples on that last night together before He was betrayed and Jesus gave some important information regarding the Holy Spirit and His ministry at this time. And it's very important that we understand the changes that were brought about in the ministry of the Holy Spirit as a result of the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ to heaven. In John chapter 14 Jesus said to the disciples in verse 16. And incidentally, let me just note verse 15, if your eye catches that, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." Some people read that and say Oh, see, we are. If you love Christ, you keep the Mosaic Law. You keep the Ten Commandments. That's not what he is talking about there. We are going to get into this when we get into Galatians 6. So just mention it now. When he talks about keeping my commandments, he is not talking about the commandments of the Mosaic Law or the Ten Commandments.

Then note verse 16, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever." Another Helper. The word "another" means another of the same kind. The word "helper," paraclete, means someone called along side of to give aid or help. And the other Helper is the Holy Spirit. He is another Helper just like Jesus Christ. Verse 17 says, "The is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him," now note this, "because He abides with you, and will be in you." Jesus is going to talk several times about giving you another Helper, about sending the Holy Spirit. Down in verse 26, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name." Sometimes questions are raised, well, you mean the Holy Spirit wasn't present before. Well, the Holy Spirit is also God so He is omnipresent. He has always been present and present everywhere. In fact, in Genesis chapter 1 in the account of creation we are told that the Spirit of God hovered over the creation and Jesus tells the disciples at the end of verse 17 that the Holy Spirit abides with you. So He was present with them. But note the change, "He will be in you." So when Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will be sent He does not mean He has not been present before but He's going to be sent in the context He will come with a new and different ministry then He has had before. So verse 26, "The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." Just note here. This particularly has reference to the disciples that are listening. The Holy Spirit will bring to remembrance all that I said to you. Some who do not believe the Scriptures say well you can't trust the Gospel writes because you know they wrote this account many years after those events occurred. I mean how well could you sit down and write in detail a full account of what happened over a three-year period and you are doing this 30, 40, 50 years after those events took place. You'd say Oh boy, you'd get things confused. You forget things. You add things. You get one event mixed up with another event. Well, humanly speaking that's true. But that's not how the Gospels were written. There's the supernatural element. These men would write--Matthew, Mark, Luke, John--but the Holy Spirit would bring to their remembrance all that Jesus said to them. That's why we have an accurate correct account of these events.

Look over in chapter 15 of John verse 26, "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me." Chapter 16 verse 7, "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away the Helper will not come to you; but if I go I will send Him to you." That's a remarkable verse. We sometimes think wouldn't it have been wonderful to have lived on earth and to have walked and talked with Jesus Christ? And it would have been, but you know what Jesus tells the disciples? It will be better for them when the Holy Spirit comes than it was when Christ was present with them. It's to your advantage that I leave because if I leave I'll send the Holy Spirit. When Jesus Christ walked the earth, Jesus Christ walked with them, talked with Him. When the Holy Spirit is sent by Christ He will come and live within them. There is a personal intimacy and relationship on a depth that they will not have experienced before even when Christ was present with them on the earth. And you and I as God's people are privileged to enjoy that relationship today. So would I want to go back and live as the disciples lived when Christ walked the earth? No. That would be a step backward because they did not have the Holy Spirit within them.

Turn over to Acts chapter 1. We are going to get to Galatians. Acts chapter 1. I just want you to note in Acts chapter 1 the coming of the Holy Spirit is still a future event. Verse 5 Jesus is speaking. He's on the verge of ascending to heaven. He's been crucified. He's been raised from the dead. He's carried on a ministry among His disciples for 40 days after His resurrection. Now He is going to ascend to heaven. What the ascension in Acts chapter 1 is the close of Christ's earthly ministry. The next time He comes to earth it will be in clouds of great glory to establish His kingdom. Verse 5 Jesus tells the disciples, "For John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." There's another unique ministry of the Holy Spirit that would take place after the ascension of Christ--the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is that work of the Holy Spirit that places you into the Body of Christ, the Church. First Corinthians chapter 12 verse 13 says for by one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, the Body of Christ, the Church. So we note the Church has not existed up until this time.

Verse 8, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witnesses." The fulfillment of this is in Acts chapter 2. The Holy Spirit comes upon them. Peter will refer back to this in Acts chapter 11 and says that's when they receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Turn over to Romans chapter 8. The book of Romans and the 8th chapter. Acts, Romans. Just after Acts the book of Romans. Chapter 8 verse 9. This is a verse that relates directly with what we are going to be studying in Galatians today. "However you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you." Remember Jesus promised He is with you but He will be in you. Now everyone who has become a child of God by faith in Christ has the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. "But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." If the Holy Spirit does not dwell in your life, you do not belong to Christ. You are not a child of God. You have never been saved. If the Holy Spirit does dwell in you, the first part of verse 9 says then you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. We will talk more about this in Galatians but keep these two realms fixed in your mind. There are two realms of existence -- the realm of the flesh and the realm of the Spirit. You cannot live in both realms. You live in one realm or the other. You are not in the flesh if the Spirit of God dwells in you and if the Spirit of God does not dwell in you, you don't belong to Christ. So in other words, those who live in the realm of the flesh do not belong to Christ. They are not children of God. They have never been saved.

All right come over to the book of Galatians again and take note in chapter 3 if you would. Verse 19, "Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator." Note this, "until the seed should come." The Mosaic Law functioned until Christ came. Part of that purpose of the Law is related to the change in what God is doing and the change in the ministry of the Holy Spirit who now dwells in God's people. Down in verse 24, still in chapter 3, "Therefore the Law has become our tutor unto Christ." And the words "to lead us" in italics have been added by the English translators. They think to give the sense but you ought to cross those out. He is has become our tutor unto Christ. In other words, He served as an overlord, as a pedagogue, the word, a schoolmaster as the King James has it until Christ came. It's not that we preach the Law so people can come to Christ by faith but the Law served a purpose until the seed came, until Christ came. Now we have the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Now we're back in chapter 5. And with verse 16 we pick up with an intensive section on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Seven times in verses 16 to 25 the Holy Spirit will be mentioned by name. It's now we bear down on explaining something on how God has provided for His people to live lives that are pleasing to Him. Note verse 16, "But I say walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh." Walk by the Spirit is a command. It is a present imperative, a command given in the present tense. So it could be translated "keep walking by the Spirit." The implication is they are walking by the Spirit because Paul is convinced you remember that they have come to believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Now is explaining why they cannot go back under the Law for their sanctification. He touched on this on previous occasions. For example chapter 3 verse 3, "Are you so foolish having begun by the Spirit are you now being perfected by the flesh?" You were saved by the Spirit. Do you think it's God's work now to bring you to completion by the flesh? Remember the Law and the flesh will go together. For the Law has to do what the flesh tried to accomplish and cannot.

So back in chapter 5 verse 16, "Walk by the Spirit." Walk means live your lives by the power of the Holy Spirit under the control of the Holy Spirit. This is the same thing that Paul commanded the Ephesians in Ephesians chapter 5. Turn over. It's only a page or two over. Just after Galatians. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18, "Do not get drunk with wine for that is dissipation." Now the command, "But be filled with the Spirit." When you are filled with the Spirit in contrast to alcohol, you are being influenced by the Spirit, controlled by the Spirit, directed by the Holy Spirit of God. The fact that this is given as a command indicates that we are not just passive recipients in what the Holy Spirit is doing in our lives. You know that statement, "Let go and let God." Well, it's not correct. We don't just become passive, floating along in the stream of the Holy Spirit so to speak. No, we are commanded to do something. Walk by the Spirit. It's God's intention that we exercise our will as His children to live our lives in obedience and submission to the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

Over in Philippians. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians. Philippians chapter 2 verse 12. I want to pick up just the last statement in verse 12, "work out your salvation with fear and trembling." It's the command. How do we work out our salvation with fear and trembling? We do by walking by the Spirit, by being filled with the Spirit. "For it is God who is at work in you." "In you." The Holy Spirit dwells in us. God is at work in us both to will and to work for His good pleasure. So you note we are responsible to work out our salvation because it's God working in us and we do that by submitting to His Spirit and living under His authority, obedient to Him. And He produces God's character in our lives which brings us to perfection.

Come back to Galatians 5. Walk by the Spirit, that's the command. Now the promise. And the promise is . . . You obey the command, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. You will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Remember the flesh is what we are apart from God's work of grace in our lives. It's man apart from God's redemptive work. It's the same things as talked about in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 where we have the contrast between the soulish man and the spiritual man. The soulish man is the man who is devoid of the Spirit of God. He cannot know the things of God. He cannot discern the things of God. It takes the Holy Spirit within to give you understanding within to give you understanding of spiritual truth and spiritual things.

So the flesh is a reference to what we are apart from God's work in our lives. It includes all our sinful behavior and activities and what the flesh does will be described in verses 19 to 21. Verse 19, "The deeds [or works] of the flesh are evident: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry . . . jealousy, outbursts of anger . . . factions . . . drunkenness." All those things. And we'll get into the evidences of the flesh and what the flesh does in our lives. When he says you will not carry out the desire of the flesh, you get some of its flavor. You're walking by the Spirit you are doing that which is pleasing to God because the Holy Spirit of God is controlling, directing and empowering your life. When you are living under that realm under His direction and control you will never . . . And the "no" here is very strong. What the Greek does is puts two different words for "no" together. Like us saying no, not. Can I go to the store? No, not to the store. The concept in Greek is never. Walk by the Spirit and you'll never fulfill the desires of the flesh. Can the Holy Spirit of God sin? Of course not. That would be blasphemy. That would be saying God can sin. And then when you are living your life under the control and direction of God, will you sin? No. So God's plan for a holy living is not that now that we're God's children, we go back and live under the Mosaic Law. God's plan is that now that we are His children, we have His Holy Spirit living within us live under the control of His Spirit and you will always be pleasing to God. God's purposes will always be accomplished and fulfilled in your life and you will never carry out, fulfill, accomplish what the flesh would desire to do because the flesh and the Spirit are always opposed to each other.

This truth as simple as it is, as clear as it is, is totally avoided and ignored I fear by much of the evangelical world today. If we really believed Galatians chapter 5 verse 16, if that's all we had, that would be adequate to wipe out all the counseling, psychological programs and so on. Christian counselors would have to get in to another profession. Some people say well, you know, we live in a complicated world. It's not so easy. Sure it's easy to spout Scripture. Walk by the Spirit and you won't fulfill the lust of the flesh. Good-bye. That's an oversimplification of complicated problems in this life. I didn't say it. God said it. Isn't that a serious problem when people who profess to be the children of God are telling God He doesn't know His business? He doesn't know how complicated life is that God doesn't know about the serious problems of life, that God doesn't understand the world in which we live and the pressures which we have? You know I didn't write this. You didn't write it. Paul isn't the author of it. It's already established in verse 1 that it's the Holy Spirit of God who has given him his message. He received it by divine revelation. Here is what Almighty God said. Walk by the Spirit and you will never fulfill the lusts of the flesh. That's God's plan for dealing with sin. Walk by the Spirit.

Oh, let me tell you my story. Keep it short. I only have five minutes. You say well, you are an uncaring person. No, I care for you too much for you pull up all this garbage. It's not good for you. It's not good for me. But let me just tell you about my parents. I'd like to meet your parents sometime but I don't want to hear all the details about them. I don't even particularly care how they raised you. I don't particularly care what kind of problems you have or didn't have as a child. You are uncaring person. Everything I've heard about you is true. Well, I really want to help you.

When I go to a medical doctor and he says Gil, you've got a spot on your lung. Tell me about your grandmother, doctor. Tell me how you were raised, where you were born. You know, let's talk about the problem. You know if he's standing there and he says well, you know, this appointment will cost you a $100 an hour. I'll spend the first hour telling you about my great grandmother. The next hour I'll tell you about my . . . You say, I didn’t come for that. Deal with the problem.

That's what God does. Walk by the Spirit you'll not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Now that is a command and a promise. We ought to fix it in our mind. Anytime I indulge in sin of any kind I can be reminded, Gil, you are not walking by the Spirit. When you walk by the Spirit, you never do the desires of the flesh. Oh, it's not easy. God commanded me to do it. It may not be easy but you may have to say it is possible, right? God has made the provision in the Person of the Holy Spirit who indwells me. What God is basically telling me is what He tells the Ephesians, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, the One by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

Go on to verse 17. What he's going to show is if you walk by the Spirit, you'll never fulfill the desires of the flesh because the Spirit and the flesh are two different realms in constant opposition to one another. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh for these are in opposition to one another. And that in opposition is in a present tense. They are in constant opposition to one another. What we have to see is what we alluded to when we are in Romans chapter 8. There are two realms: the flesh and the Spirit. There is an insurmountable wall, if you will, between the two. The flesh is always in opposition to the Spirit. The Spirit is always in opposition to the flesh. The two never come to a meeting of the minds so to speak. So if I am walking by the Spirit, I will never do the desires of the flesh. The two are in constant opposition to one another.

Now this truth, it seems like, all right, we understand that but we have to live it. We quickly forget there are two realms. You live in one realm or the other. The two are not mixed. The characteristics of the flesh are described in verses 19-21. The fruit of the Spirit is described in verses 22 and 23. If you are walking by the Spirit, you'll not carry out the desires of the flesh.

Verse 17 the last part of the statement, "So that you may not do the things that you please" or desire or wish. Now I think it's important here to keep this whole section in context. Otherwise we'll run off and create a different scenario than Paul has in mind. He's talking about the flesh and the Spirit, law and grace because verse 18 will go on, "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law." So we haven't lost our basic thought that's pervaded the letter. The Spirit and grace are opposed to the Law and the flesh. That was chapter 3 verse 3, "Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh." For those who were saying that believers had to go back under the Law were saying you are going to live by the flesh. So the flesh is not just committing a sinful deed like immortality, lying or whatever. It is living life apart from the power of the indwelling Spirit. That's 1 Corinthians chapter 2. The soulish man in contrast to the man who has the Spirit. So when he says at the end of verse 17, "So that you may not do the things that you please" or desire, he is speaking about the futility of trying to please God in your own strength in contrast to the Spirit's way. The flesh and the Spirit are constantly in opposition.

So you are not able to do what you desire to do in the flesh. Let's face it some people have good desires. I mean how many times do you talk to someone trying to give up a sin? I want to really give up drinking. I know I should. I know it's ruining my family. I really want to. That would be an example. You may not do the things that you desire. You are not able to do them. You can't do them. That was the condition of living under the Law. You know in chapter 10 of Romans Paul said, "I'll bear testimony on behalf of Israel. They have a zeal toward God but not according to knowledge." What was the problem? They had a desire. They had a zeal. They couldn't accomplish it. So the Jews who thought they could be made righteous by Law could not.

Come back to Romans chapter 7. I changed my view on the last part of Romans 7 since we went through this in a study a number of years ago. And just for your information Douglas Moo has written a commentary on the book of Romans and his section on Romans 7 is very outstanding. He's written a number of very helpful things on the Law, on the Mosaic Law, and its relationship to the believer that have appeared in theological journals and so on. But I found his information and exposition of Romans chapter 7 particularly verses 14 to 25 very helpful. And we are not going to go in to the details but just to make the connection to Galatians. I think it's best to understand this section of Romans as describing Paul's life and the life of a Jew trying to keep the Law of Moses even though they are unregenerate beings.

Let me just highlight some things and you'll see the connection to Galatians. Remember Galatians our statement was you may not do the things you please or desire or wish. Verse 14 of Romans 7, "For you know that the Law is spiritual but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin." So that last part of verse 14, "I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin." Well you'll note verse 9 of chapter 8 of Romans said, "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you." So the person he's describing in verse 14 is not a regenerate person. That's a person who is in the flesh and is in bondage to sin. Verse 15, "For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do." And that's the same word that's translated here "what I would like to do" as translated "please." You may not do the things you please, the Greek word for "wish" or "desire." I am not practicing what I desire. I'm doing the very thing I hate. Verse 18. I know that nothing good dwells in me that is in my flesh for the willing is present but the doing of the good is not. You see here he is as a person devoid of the Spirit. I can't even long to do the right thing. Remember Paul had been a Pharisee, a Hebrew of Hebrews. He could say in Philippians 3, "As regarding the Law blameless." That doesn't mean he was perfect by keeping the Law but he had done as good a job as you could in keeping the Law but he realized that the perfection demanded was not attained.

Down in verse 23, "I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind." Note this, "Making me a prison of the law of sin." So he has said in verse 14 I'm sold into bondage to sin. Verse 23, I'm a prisoner of the Law of sin. Where's the deliverance. "Wretched man that I am!" Look down in chapter 8 verse 2, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death." So you were in bondage to sin. You were a prisoner of the Law of sin, but Christ Jesus, the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the Law of sin and death. So I think what Paul is doing both in Romans and in Galatians--and in Galatians we have an abbreviated statement of what is expanded in Romans 7:14-25--speaking of the futility of trying to please God in the flesh. You cannot please God in the flesh. You cannot please God by your reference. There's no hope in that. The only way you can please is by living your life now through the power of the indwelling Spirit. Walk by the Spirit. Now remember you have the two categories--the flesh and that includes the realm of the Law because the Law was what? Trying to please God by my works. Then you have the realm of the Spirit which is the realm of faith and grace which is pleasing God through the power that He provides in the person of the Spirit.

Back to Galatians chapter 5 verse 18, "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law." Now if you are going to take a piece of paper and you put at the top of the one, the flesh, and at the top of the other, the Spirit. You could list what's included in these categories. We are going to see the works of the flesh in verses 19 to 21. You are going to see the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22 and 23. But in the realm of the flesh you would also put the Law. In the realm of the Spirit you would put grace and faith. Faith and Law have been contrasted repeatedly through Revelation. The Spirit and the Law are contrasted. The Spirit and the flesh are contrasted and you understand these are in constant antagonism, constant opposition. So if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law cause the Law is of the flesh. And the purpose of the Law was to reveal sinfulness. The Law is useless when it comes to attaining righteousness. And you note here "if you are led by the Spirit," and that is a description of a believer.

Go back to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. Look at verse 13, "If you are living according to the flesh, you must die; if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God these are the sons of God." So now in our two columns, you could put under the Spirit column, led by the Spirit. So you could ask someone are you being led by the Spirit. No. You are not a Christian. You are not a son of God. Cause all who are being led by the Spirit of God these are sons of God. If you are a son of God by faith in Christ, you are led by the Spirit. If you are led by the Spirit, you are a son of God. Both are true. You cannot be a child of God and not be led by the Spirit. Now this brings a lot of concerns and questions. Because what we have done is try to blur the distinction between the flesh and the Spirit. And bring the whole issue of carnal Christians in so that you can say yes, I've been born again of the Spirit and I live in the realm of the flesh. When the Scripture says that cannot happen. Because when you are not being led by the Spirit, you are not a son of God. And we are sons of God by faith in Christ. So if you are not a son of God, you've never truly savingly believed in Christ. I'm not saying you don't think maybe you did. But if you are not being led by the Spirit. That's why when we get down to the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit, there will be some of the evidences.

Now you are saying then that a Christian can never sin. No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying a Christian cannot live in the realm of sin. You know what happens when a Christian sins? He doesn't cease to be indwelt by the Spirit. This is Paul's argument in writing to the Corinthians why immortality is so repulsive for believers. Shall I take parts of the Body of Christ and make them one with a whore? Paul asks the Corinthians. Why? I cannot cease being part of the Body of Christ. Don't you know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit doesn't quit indwelling me. So when you are involved in an immoral relationship, the Holy Spirit is in that body. That person is part of the Body of Christ and you've joined it in an immoral relationship. That's why sin is more repulsive and vile when a Christian commits it than when a non-Christian commits it. Well, could a Christian sin if you are always indwelt by the Spirit, if you always led by the Spirit? Well, there are times you make provision for the flesh. And you know that wall? We want to open a door. Indulge in some pleasure. There is pleasure in sin for a season. But you know I cannot live there and that sin is like a glowing blot because here's one who is being led by the Spirit, who's walking by the Spirit, who's indwelt by the Spirit, who is a son of God, who dwells in the light. And you've got this black spot. You've indulged in sin. It just doesn't fit at all because you see you cannot leave your realm. You cannot be in the Spirit and then leave being in the Spirit to go over here and be in the flesh. You never stop being in the Spirit and the Spirit never stops being in you. So if you are being led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. And those who are being led by the Spirit are the sons of God.

So let's clarify this discussion. Those who want to go back and live under the authority of the Mosaic Law and keeping the Ten Commandments and so on are not sons of God because the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God. And those who are led by the Spirit of God are not under the Law. You can't have it both ways. And the tragedy in the Church today is we have tried to create a theology that enables you to have it both ways. You can be justified by faith in the realm of the Spirit and live your life in the realm of the flesh and have the confident assurance you are not going to hell. And that is a lie from the pit of hell. That is a doctrine of demons, as Paul would describe that kind of teaching. It's just not so, folks.

Now I realize what this does. It means and removes many people who profess to be believers out of the realm of believers at all. I'm not trying to raise doubts in anyone who has ever had sin in their lives. But we ought to realize how clear and fixed and fast the lines are. We do a terrible disservice to the Gospel of Jesus Christ when we accept people who say oh, I know I'm saved. I trusted the Lord. But clearly their life is lived in the flesh. You know what John said about this in 1 John chapter 3, "By this the children of God and the children of the Devil can hardly be distinguished." Some of you are familiar with 1 John 3. It's not what it says. "By this the children of God and the children of the Devil are obvious." It's not that they are hard to distinguish. I'm not saying there's not wheat and tares. I'm saying we made a lot more of that than the Scripture does. When the Spirit of God dwells within a person, the Spirit of God manifests His presence. He leads that person. He guides his life. He fills them and controls them. Now sad to say we sometimes grieve Him by indulging in the flesh. But I do that while I'm in the Spirit. I do that while I'm in the light. I do that while the Spirit is in me. I do that while I'm part of the body of Christ. That is an awful thing. Sin should be far uglier to us as believers than it is to the unbelieving world, we who have been brought in to this relationship.

Turn over to Hebrews. Two verses and we're done. Hebrews chapter 7. Two passages. Toward the back of your New Testament. Hebrews chapter 7. I alluded to this verse so I want to be sure you see it. Hebrews chapter 7 verse 18. What's the book of Hebrews about? You can't go back to the Law. You can't go back to the Law. You can't go back to the Law. You note that drift is constant. People want to go back to Law. They want to go to works. They want to go to the flesh. Look at verse 18 of Hebrews 7, "For on the one he and, there is a setting aside of a former commandment." The former commandment is the commandment related to the Mosaic Law. The Law has been set aside. The priesthood associated with the Mosaic system has been set aside which is the immediate context. Why was it set aside? Note this, "Because of its weakness and uselessness." That's God's evaluation of the Law. Weakness. Uselessness. Now not sinfulness. The Law is not sinful. The Law is perfect and good and holy Romans 7 says, but it's useless. Why? Verse 19, "For the Law made nothing perfect." You know it's like someone explains to me all that's involved in aerodynamics to enable a bird to fly or an airplane to fly. Now they fly me up two miles and they say jump. What do you mean jump? I can't fly. Oh, yes, we've clarified it to you. You could explain the whole thing about aerodynamics and everything. Jump. Wait there's just one thing missing. You've explained it to me but you haven't enabled me. There's a world of difference. The Law was perfect. The Law demanded perfection but the Law made nothing perfect. The flaw of the Law is me. It's you. We're sinful. We're of the flesh. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, His perfection. I need something else that works. I need something else in the Law. I need something else in my own abilities cause even with my best desires I don't do it. God's provision, His Spirit, to come and take up residence in the life of those who believe in Him.

Just jot down Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not be master over you for you are not under Law but under grace." You know this truth ought to thrill our hearts. We think oh boy, I'm concerned about the negative side of who gets excluded of being a real believer from this truth that we are holding up as a mirror. But you know it ought to thrill our hearts. Sin will not be my master. You know what that says? I do not have to be enslaved to any sin. I do not have to do the works of the flesh. Oh, you don't know the sin in my life. You don't know the one that's got such a hold on me. No I don't but I know the power of the Spirit. I know that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. I know that the Spirit of God and the grace of God can do in your life what you could never do. Sin will not be master over you cause you're stronger. No. Because you're not under Law but under grace. And the provision of grace is the indwelling Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit indwells to control and led so that we will not do the desires of the flesh.

I am greatly encouraged even though I'm often disappointed in myself. But you know I never have to sin. Now be careful. I didn't say I never sin. I never have to sin. The discouraging thing about sin, when I sin I have to say you know, I did that because I wanted to. I did it because it would give me some pleasure. I did it because I thought I would enjoy it. There are no excuses. Praise God I don't have to. I am His child and I have His Spirit. And that's God's solution to sin. You don't need 30 hours of counseling. You don't need special attention. You need the Holy Spirit and He will do what no one can do but Him Himself. He'll set you free and He'll enable you to live free in Christ. Let's pray together.

Thank you, God, for the greatness of Your salvation that we are Your work in Christ that You are the One who has begun a good work in us and You will bring it to completion the day of Christ Jesus. Father, we acknowledge that we so often fail because we fail to consider the presence and power of the indwelling Spirit. We revert to our own energy, our own strength. We are going to do it by the Law and it cannot be done. Thank you for the Spirit who never leaves us, who leads us and guides us and controls us. May we take heart and be encouraged to know that sin will not be master over us. We will not do the desires of the flesh as we walk by the Spirit who has been provided through the wonder of Your grace. Thank you this is all ours through faith in Jesus Christ the One who loved us and died for us. We pray in His name, amen.