Scripture Text (NRSV)
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and
do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do
not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but
through love become slaves to one another.
5:14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You
shall love your neighbor as yourself."
5:15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that
you are not consumed by one another.
5:16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of
the flesh.
5:17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what
the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to
each other, to prevent you from doing what you want.
5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the
law.
5:19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity,
licentiousness,
5:20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger,
quarrels, dissensions, factions,
5:21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am
warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not
inherit the kingdom of God.
5:22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
5:23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such
things.
5:24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh
with its passions and desires.
5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
Comments:
My question is this, "Did Paul want to contrast 'works of the flesh'
to 'fruit of the Spirit'?" In our usual experience, it seems like the
flesh could bear fruit easily and passively while the results of the
Spirit take more works!
A commentator sidestepped the issue and advised, "one must not unpack?
the metaphor of '?fruit?' in such a manner as to stress only the given
quality of the virtues listed, implying an ethical passivity on the
Christian's part. For as the exhortations throughout this entire
section suggest, combined with the givenness of these virtues by God
is the believer's active involvement in expressing them in his or her
own lifestyle—or as Paul puts it pointedly a couple verses later:
'Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit?' (v
?25)." [Longenecker, R. N. 1998. Vol. 41: Word Biblical Commentary:
Galatians.]
But the contrast in terms is so clearly seen in the text. What's your
thoughts on this? Is there any Pentecostal or Charismatic pastor on
this forum at all? Please share your understanding.
Coho, Midway City.
For Paul, the freedom Christ gives is not permission to do whatever we
want. It is the ability to be what we could not be otherwise. The
power and guidance of the Spirit produce a different kind of life, one
marked by the qualities Paul lists in this reading.
Coho I'm not sure I understand what you want. What is the significance
of the request for Pentecostal and/or Charismatic pastors? Is it a
request for expressions of the Spirit among specific pastors?
Being neither, but having experienced such expression, this is not my
take on Galatians. The issue has always been for me, that Paul was
responding to the insistence of some Jewish Christians that if the
Galatians who were Gentiles wished to participate in worship, they
needed to follow the law of Judiaism, and some weren't willing to
stand up against these Judaizers. In fact Paul accuses Peter of being
wishy-washy in the whole thing (2:8-13). His anger grows to a point of
saying if they insist on being circumcised, he hopes the knife slips.
(5:11-12) Thus the verse in saying, don't go back to the slavery of
the law (5:1).
bammamma,
I was specifically looking for a Charismatic/Pentecostal pastor in
order to gain more understanding on the contrast of "works of the
flesh" vs. "fruit of the Spirit" perspective.
From experience, it seems like the flesh could produce its results
easily and passively (more like a fruit), while the results of the
Holy Spirit seems to require much more intentional attention (more
like works).
From the perspective of traditional churches, it seems like the
description of the Christian experience above is well founded (hence
the quote from Longnecker).
However, I think Paul was intentionally contrast 'works of the flesh'
to 'fruit of the Spirit' as indicating the Spirit could bear fruit
easily and passively while the results of the flesh would take more
works!
That's why I seek an alternative faith tradition on this one...
Coho.
Oh, how I wish the desires of the flesh were limited to fornication,
impurity, licentiousness, idolotry, and sorcery! THESE I can avoid. I
can avoid drunkenness and carousing, too, come to think of it.
I don't know if I can avoid enmities, strife, jealousy, anger,
quarrels, dissensions, factions, and envy - and things like those.
But to use Paul's list as a prescription for good behavior is to miss
the point ... RATHER, be filled with the Spirit, and live by the
Spirit and be guided by the Spirit.
Sally in GA
Any parent knows that the old adage remains ever true: "Give ‘em an
inch, and they'll take a mile." Give a child choice, and she is likely
to abuse her freedom. But abusing one's freedom is not just child's
play. We adults like to do it too. We call it ‘free choice' when we do
as we choose without regard for the consequences. Using modern terms,
Paul might have called such license a "free for all." Paul recognized
the human penchant to abuse freedom. That's why he warned the
Galatians: "Do not use your freedom as an opportunity for
self-indulgence" (v. 13). Paul was not naive or Pollyanna; he knew
that his listeners would be tempted to treat the Gospel of Christ as
license to sin. So he directed his words to the Christians in
Galatia—people who already had heard the good news of Jesus Christ.
After all, even we Christians have to admit, it is enticing to "bite
and devour one another" (v. 14), and it is almost always delightful to
"gratify the desires of the flesh" (v. 16). As Luther admits in his
commentary on Galatians: "the surer we are of the liberty purchased
for us by Christ, the more we neglect the Word, prayer, well-doing,
and suffering" (Luther's Commentary on Galatians, translated by
Theodore Graebner, p. 214).
Interestingly, among the obvious works of the flesh—fornication,
jealousy, anger, drunkenness, and the like—Paul couches a more
troublesome work: idolatry (v. 19). Trusting in anything that is not
God (and, more particularly, God revealed in Jesus Christ) is idol
(idle?) worship. Idolatry is "what the flesh desires," and, Paul says,
what the flesh desires "is opposed to the Spirit" (v. 17). Love what
you accomplish by your own flesh (whether it is moral or immoral) and
you are an idolater. Desire anything that is not of Christ and you are
opposed to the Spirit.
And when you oppose the Spirit, when you trust what is not Christ, you
are disinherited. For, as Paul warns in verse 21, "those who do such
things will not inherit the kingdom of God." And to be outside the
kingdom is to be eternally yoked (a slave) to sin and death.
But Christ has broken the yoke of slavery and set us free (v. 1).
Because Christ took the form of a slave (Philippians 2:7), we are not
disinherited. Instead, we receive all the gifts that accompany a
lasting relationship with God: forgiveness, life, and salvation. We
inherit the kingdom, not because we "desire" it ("deciding for Christ"
is merely another work of the flesh), but because God freely chooses
to give it to us. We are truly freed by Christ (v. 1). Give God an
inch, and God takes a mile—blessing sinners not just with forgiveness
but freed consciences and hearts, and the treasure of the kingdom.
Set free by Christ and kingdom-bound, the faithful "stand firm,"
yoking ourselves to Christ only (v. 1). Because we belong to Christ,
we hear the call to freedom (v. 13), and accept that our flesh (with
its passions and desires) needs to be crucified (v. 24). In fact, we
faithful even take a second look at the most laudable of our fleshly
desires, measuring them according to what the Spirit desires, because
"what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh" (v. 17).
Free, we co-inheritors with Christ, use our freedom (ironically) as an
opportunity to be subject to others. We make others the objects of our
attention and subject ourselves in love to them (v. 13). We know that
the law cannot bind our consciences (v. 18), and so we willingly
submit to the law's summary purpose, to "love your neighbor as
yourself" (v. 14). Led by the Spirit, we grow (but never take credit
for the work of growing) in the fruit of the Spirit: We practice love,
peace, patience, joy, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control (v. 22). And we thank Christ that, while we are merely
"practicing" these fruits, he fully ripened in them for our sake, so
that we might be free for all.
Arrgh! I spent the last two weeks study this passage, wrote half the
sermon, and now I began to realize that the question of "HOW are we
supposed to 'walk by the Spirit'?" cannot really be answered
exegetically in this text!
Coho, Midway City.
PS: Atleast I can thank God that I didn't preach what was not there
and claim my words to be His Word.
Has anyone thought of the biological connection here: the fruit is the
part of a plant that produces the seed. If we bear the fruit of God's
spirit, do we also spread its seeds?
Andy B. B'ham England
There is a series of articles being published in my denomination's
quarterly publication for preachers entitled "Preaching the Bible--And
Doing It Biblically" that challenges preachers to preach their sermons
in the same format the text would have been heard by the original
audience. I did that a few weeks ago with Psalm 8, and I think it
ended up being one of my best sermons ever. This passage intimidates
me a little more in this format. Rather than preaching an expository
sermon or relying on one image, I will "write a letter" to my
congregation. The challange is not getting too specific on particular
issues, which could easily be done in farther exploring some of the
vices mentioned in this passage or adding my own. It is a challenge
that is worth the risk, though.
One thing about this passage that has always fascinated me is its
inclusion of "greater sins" and "lesser sins" in the same list of the
works of the flesh. All sin is equal, regardless of where we humans
may prefer to place it on the "hamartial hierarchy". Too many
Christians I know, including some in my congregation, fail to grasp
this fundamental biblical truth, for they would have to admit that
their envy of their neighbour or bitterness in their hearts places
them in the same category in God's eyes as Adolph Hilter or Osama bin
Laden. How would you lovingly and tactfully but boldly state this to
your congregation from the pulpit this Sunday morning?
Joel in Coal Valley, IL
There is a series of articles being published in my denomination's
quarterly publication for preachers entitled "Preaching the Bible--And
Doing It Biblically" that challenges preachers to preach their sermons
in the same format the text would have been heard by the original
audience. I did that a few weeks ago with Psalm 8, and I think it
ended up being one of my best sermons ever. This passage intimidates
me a little more in this format. Rather than preaching an expository
sermon or relying on one image, I will "write a letter" to my
congregation. The challange is not getting too specific on particular
issues, which could easily be done in farther exploring some of the
vices mentioned in this passage or adding my own. It is a challenge
that is worth the risk, though.
One thing about this passage that has always fascinated me is its
inclusion of "greater sins" and "lesser sins" in the same list of the
works of the flesh. All sin is equal, regardless of where we humans
may prefer to place it on the "hamartial hierarchy". Too many
Christians I know, including some in my congregation, fail to grasp
this fundamental biblical truth, for they would have to admit that
their envy of their neighbour or bitterness in their hearts places
them in the same category in God's eyes as Adolph Hilter or Osama bin
Laden. How would you lovingly and tactfully but boldly state this to
your congregation from the pulpit this Sunday morning?
Joel in Coal Valley, IL
Joel - I have said just that, but didn't name people. I've just said
that our sin is the same as an axe murderer's. I "explained" it (and
this might be out of that format you just mentioned) by saying that
God is so large that from that vantage point valleys andmountains
appear equal (recall the view of the earth from space) and so holy
that all sin offends him.
Sally in GA
Coho - I've run into that, too. But it's appropriate, I think, to
address means to walk in the spirit. John WEsley would call them
"Means of Grace," but I'm sure your denomination has its own patriarch
(and let's be real it's probably not a matriarch if it is mainline),
and he (or she = old habits die hard) has suggestions on it. The
danger, of course, would be to focus on your theologian rahter than
the text. but, to assuage your guilt, I think it's quite ok to give
folks a handle on the HOW.
Sally
Sally,
He he he, good advice - but why should I take that one when I can
actually get away with telling the people that there are no real
fomular of the 'HOW'? (My congregation won't kill me over that at
all). Besides, our denomination is too young to have a patriarch (and
I am too green to take them seriously) so it's OK not to fall back on
any of them.
Coho.
Sally-- thanks for the analogy! It's one I may give more serious
thought to, although biblically it could be viewed as somewhat
inconsistent with many Scriptural uses of "mountains" and "valleys".
Addressing the issue from God's perspective using a colorful metaphor,
however, is a good thought.
To the anonymous poster--I rarely agree with every detail of anything.
I'm too stubborn, I suppose. The thought, though, of framing the
sermon in the genre of the text was quite intriguing to me. Is that
the ultimate way to go? No. There is no one superior sermon style. It
did help the text come alive a few weeks ago with that particular
passage for me, so I'll experiment with it in a different genre. By
the way, I'd be curious to know what part of the country you're in,
and if you are a minister in the same denomination.
unsigned: i don't think it's inconsistent at all ... consider the
famous Isaiah text (and Handel score to) "Every valley shall be
exalted, the mountains made low, the rough places plain ..." I take it
to mean we're all equal in God's eyes - though Isaiah was referring to
politics, speaking to the underdogs. In God, we're on a level "playing
field." Thanks to Christ, we no longer need to be concerned with "the
law" or "morally keeping up with the Joneses" (or Pharisees) because
we've all sinned ... so let's get real and quit trying to identify
not-so-bad sins and sort-of-bad sins, and really-bad sins and live in
the Spirit together as one body. Christ levels the field from a place
called Golgotha.
Sally
Coho,
I would take issue with your desire to talk to a "Charismatic Pastor'
since we were all given the Holy Spirit at Baptism, and are all
therefore Charismatic. We have all been given gifts of the Holy
Spirit.(That is all charismatic means). We should all be intentional
about seeking those gifts, refining them, and especially USING them.
And whoever posted the message about freedom not being the ability to
do whatever we want, but to be what we could not be otherwise, RIGHT
ON! Susan in Wa.
Has anyone thought how to connect this to the Gospel?
I really want to preach this text Sunday, but I worry how one of the
congregations will take it. They are already unhappy with my husband
and me (we share a call) about our "unpatriotic" view of God's freedom
vs. American freedom. I would love to hear some thoughts about
broaching this subject in a loving way.
How does being guided by the Spirit relate to Jesus' seemingly harsh
statements in Luke?
PBG in IL
P.S. I would love some input on what people are doing for Sunday the
4th of July. Thanks
hmmm ... PBG in IL - that's a tough one! And potentially inflamatory
to the point of rendering ineffective anything else you say about the
love of Christ.
My advice: while you don't want to run away from the issue, neither do
you wish to "settle the score" or win an argument through the sermon
(I don't knwo this is what you're tempted to do, but I've run into
this trap myself)
That said, you might validate "freedom" (which folks like this read as
the Christian's validation of the USA and anything the USA does) and
use it as a springboard to the fruits of the spirit.
The connection to the Gospel is that our focus is primarily on Christ
and the ultimate desire is for what Christ wants - commitment to him.
Beware of sounding like (commitment to Christ RATHER THAN to the USA).
I think it was Billy Sunday who is attributed with converging
Christianity and American patriotism. Anyhow, the two are soooo
inseparable in many minds that it's going to be difficult prying them
apart.
Full of advice, and struggling myself!!!! :-)
Sally in GA
PBG in IL,
I share your frustration. I don't know that I'm going to address it
this Sunday, but with the 4th being a Sunday, I know it could easily
become an issue in my congregation if I let it. My wife and I are also
co-pastors in IL, and when we arrived here, the Christian flag and the
American flag were right up there next to the cross at the front of
the sanctuary. After a month or two, we removed them without any fuss
or announcement to see what would happen. As best as we can tell, it
has not been a major issue, and I KNOW we would know if it was. Every
Sunday we put a quote from a Christian writer and a Scripture verse in
the bulletin, sometimes related to the theme of the day and/or one
another, and sometimes not. But on Independence Day, I am going to put
Gal. 5:14 in the bulletin. No real attention drawn to it from the
pulpit, but perhaps it will help just one person think about the true
meaning of freedom in Christ. I don't know if this would work for you
or not. But at least know you're not alone in the struggle over that
issue.
Sally and Unsigned, Thank you for your input. I feel a constant
struggle to be with the people yet remain faithful to my call to
preach the gospel of Jesus, not America. You have given me some great
starting places.
This is my first year in the ministry and it's really tough not too
fall into the smarter-than-thou attitude that seminary sometimes
generates. Hopefully, I will be able to preach...scratch
that...hopefully, the Spirit will guide to preach the good news
despite me.
PBG in IL
P.S. Unsigned in IL, what part of Illinois are you in? My husband and
I are Lutheran pastors in Melvin/Roberts--two little towns 45 miles
north of Champaign/Urbana.
I was sent a rather funny story which fits with the Galatians text. It
is a little long for posting,but I can send it to anyone who wishes to
email. The primary character is a So Baptist Sunday School teacher who
refuses a gentleman's offer to drink and smoke (because "what would
her Sunday School students think?) but then easily accepts his
invitation for a wild night in a motel. Email me at ElaineWing@aol.com
Please put "DPS" on the subject line as I don't open unfamiliar mail.
I think this story would be a good illustration about "living bay and
keeping step with the Spirit."
A Native American Grandfather was sharing with his grandson how he
felt about life. He said, "I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in
my heart. One wolf is the vengeful, angry, violent one. The other is
the loving compassionate one." The grandson asked him, "Which wolf
will win the fight in your heart?"
The grandfather answered, "The one I feed."
Gman
I typically don't cave much to the holidays in my preaching,
especially in the "God Bless America" stuff. I am grateful to live
here, but I do believe we are far far away from God being proud of us
as a nation. When I took my church, there was actually a sunday before
my husband and I were able to set the order of worship that the guy
leading music actually had us sing the star spangled banner or some
other patriotic song during the serive. I felt like I should be at a
ball game instead of church! God is moving and people are responding
all over the world!!!! Our allegiance is to Christ, not to a flag or a
country.
To people who are opposed to the lectionary, I often tell them that
you entrust the passage to what the people should hear. Last week I
did 1 Kings, and preached on depression. People were like ants coming
to the picnic talking to us afterwards it was really amazing. Not much
for Father's day, but apparently just what they needed.
My tactic with holidays is to integrate them some way, but not to make
a whole service around it. For Mom's day and Father's day there may be
some very painful memories or situations, especially with infertility,
divorce, abuse etc. So I'd rather not make it a fluffy day totally
focused on it. And if your church does special gifts all men or all
women get one instead of just the specific category. If it's related
to veterans or armed services find some way to acknowledge them but
don't wave the flag=Christ kind of stuff.
Anyway, that doesn't have much to do with the passage. It's just my
thoughts about holidays in church.
KP in IL
Susan in Wa.
I could agree with you on everything you said about the role of the
Holy Spirit in us, but that would not enlarge my understanding of the
Christian Experience. That's why I seek Pentecostal view.
Unfortunately I don't think any of then hang out here.
Coho.
PBG in IL, I originally picked up on the optional Psalm (16), sort of
by mistake, but when linked with the Galatian and Lukan passages, I
saw a thread. I'm going to speak to what holds us. Galatians: It was
for freedom that Christ sets us free. Luke: Prioities: first let me...
Psalm 16: what it means to be held by God hope and fullness of joy Now
that's freedom. tina in ohio
I see the following illustration as a refection of Paul's living by
The Spirit.
"My favorite little story of the last fifty years, to which I return
again and again, is about an old man who had taken his grandson
fishing off a pier in Florida. They had had a wonderful day, and the
old man had been very patient with his grandson's questions about
things, such as "Why does it rain?" and "Where do birds go when they
die?" At last, the sun was setting and it was time to pull in their
lines and go home. "Grandpa," asked the boy, looking up at his
grandfather, "does anybody ever see God?" The old man paused over the
hooks and lines. He looked out at the colors of the gathering
twilight, then down at the lovely face of the boy. A tear slipped onto
his cheek and he felt something clutch at his heart. "Son," he said,
"it's getting so I hardly see anything else." (John Killinger, “What I
Have Learned About Life and Faith", Program #4701, First air date
October 5, 2003 “30 Good Minutes TV Program” 30goodminutes.org.) RLH,
Chicago
To Coho: Sorry to be so late, I doubt this will help in your sermon in
the morning, but I haven't checked into this site for some time. I am
a "charismatic" pastor (UMC), and I do have a little different take on
this passage. The theme of this chapter is that we are under the law
of grace, not under the Mosaic law (or any other religious law, 5:4:
if we seek to be justified by law, we are "severed from Christ", and
"fallen from grace." This is written to those who have already
received Christ by faith (3:2), but were being told by the Judaizers
that they must also keep the law to be made righteous. But sanctifying
grace is the work of the Holy Spirit.
"The Christ" is the anointed one, Jesus. The "Christ" in us is the
anointing, the power of the Holy Spirit's increasing fulness. The
"works" of the flesh are the acts, the deeds, that we (unwittingly)
produce when we are "trying to live a Christian life" instead of
letting the Holy Spirit, the Christ, flow through us naturally. To
"walk by the Spirit" is to live daily in prayer and meditation, to
continually be filled with the Spirit, so that the "fruit" of the
Spirit is produced in us automatically. For instance, you don't see a
peach tree out in the field groaning and grunting, saying, "I MUST
produce a peach! Oh, it's so HARD to produce a peach!"
No, it's the life that is in the tree that produces the fruit. Jesus
is the vine, the Christ, and we are the branches, living in the "Christing,"
the anointing that produces the Spirit's fruit. The only hard part is
to discipline ourselves to spend time in prayer and meditation (not
just "devotions), spending time with Jesus, who fills us with Himself.
When we know without doubt that we are loved unconditionally by God,
then we WANT to give that love to others. It is our consuming desire
:)
Blessings, Judy in New Mexico
Judy in New Mexico
You are not late at all Thanks for offering your perspective on this.
Coho, Midway City.
I will be using this passage coupling it with psalm 30...."Freedom" we
will celebrate the Fourth, sermon will go deeper....
Clerically Blonde in west Ohio
