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Post by Josh on Sept 23, 2008 16:18:09 GMT -8
Post your comments/ questions/ discussion starters on Galatians chapter 5 as replies to this post.
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Post by Josh on Sept 23, 2008 16:19:07 GMT -8
I’m pleased to announce we’re starting a new study, based on feedback and topic suggestions from our recent survey. We’ll be doing a topical study of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. Week to week, we’ll be focusing on different fruits of the Spirit. The first up is Patience, taught/led by Chris this Sunday. I’d recommend reading all of Galatians 5 (or all of Galatians if you have the time) to get an idea of the context of Paul’s list of “fruits of the spirit”. I had hoped to do this last Sunday, but we’re going to jump right in this week. If anyone is interesting in leading one of the lessons (alone or with someone else), please let me know as that would be awesome!
Post here for discussion of Galatians chapter 5.
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Post by Josh on Sept 23, 2008 16:40:37 GMT -8
Some people think that Paul's stress on "salvation by grace" (in Romans, Ephesians, Galatians, etc.) is at odds with the book of James' exhortation that "faith without works is dead".
However, if you take the time to read Paul holistically, you'll quickly note, as in Galatians chapter 5, that Paul is very concerned that we purposefully live holy lives.
What Paul is warning his disciples against in Galatians isn't working hard to live like Christ, but trusting in adherence to the Jewish law, to outward ceremony and actions, as meriting our salvation in any way.
God's gift of salvation to us is offered freely. It isn't won through jumping through hoops. God loved us while we were still sinners. We cannot earn His love. We cannot justify ourselves before Him by adhering to outward expressions of piety- circumcision, etc.. Christ came that we, the members of His kingdom, would be free to live by the highest law- the law of love.
The result of being saved by God's grace is, naturally, to strive to live lives that authentically imitate Jesus own example. Christianity isn't just about "getting saved", it's about allowing the Holy Spirit to "conform us to Christ's likeness".
So, Paul would agree that "faith without works is dead". Authentic faith means we allow Jesus to be the Lord of our lives- we let Him dictate to us how we should conduct ourselves.
So, in Galatians 5, which is the culmination of a whole book on this subject, Paul tells us what to do with our "freedom in Christ". He tells us to "live by the Spirit" and no longer by attempts to justify ourselves to God by outward actions or by giving in to our old sinful nature.
Paul, in very unflinching terms describes the different between those who belong to the sinful nature and those who belong to the Kingdom of God:
19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and 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.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
This is a tough passage. Have you ever, as a Christian, given way to jealousy or discord or impurity?
Paul isn't saying that Christians never fall into sin or that the struggle against sin is black and white. He is telling us about what kind of person God intends to make us into.
Do you think, as a follower of Christ, that you are going to be allowed forever to remain with one foot in the kingdom of your sinful nature and another foot in the kingdom of God? That's a temptation perhaps we all give into subtly at times. But Paul is saying unequivocally:
The Kingdom of heaven ultimately has no room for sin. God's entire goal is to perfect us through Christ so that we may be fully citizens of heaven. The process will not be easy, it will not be perfected until we join Christ at the resurrection, but we must not lose sight of the goal. If we think long enough about it, why would we want to hold on to the very things that Christ died to free us from anyway? God making us holy, though a difficult journey, is the very best thing for us.
Part of the process is taking a serious look at what living like Christ looks and feels like. And that's why Paul gives us this list of the "fruits of the Spirit". This list is basically a description of what Christ is like, and therefore, it serves as a roadmap to our own sanctification process (the process of becoming holy).
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Post by christopher on Sept 27, 2008 10:34:38 GMT -8
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