The Works of The Flesh

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

The Works of the Flesh versus the Fruit of the Spirit

If you'd like more information, visit our website, morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. So turn, if you would, to Galatians chapter 5, and the title of this morning's message is The Works of the Flesh versus the Fruit of the Spirit.

That's what we see here in Galatians 5. Paul talks about the works of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit. I think we all know this, that the flesh wants one thing. The spirit, certainly the spirit of God, wants something very, very different.

And because of that, the life of a believer should be very different than the life of an unbeliever. So let's start by reading verses 19 through 23, just so we can see this contrast. Paul writes,. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like, of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such, there is no law. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word and how it gives us everything that we need and everything that we need to know to live the Christian life.

Lord, I pray that your spirit would work among the people this morning, cause our minds to be attentive and open to what you have for us. I ask all this in Jesus' name, amen. Alright, so in Galatians chapter 5, we're starting to get into the more practical part of Paul's letter.

Up until this point, Galatians has been very doctrinal. Of course, Paul starts out chapter 1 with a bang, so to speak, when he doesn't waste any time warning the churches about the false teachers, the Judaizers, who are preaching a different gospel.

And then in chapter 2 of Galatians, Paul defends the gospel of grace, and he tells a story of even the apostle Peter. How even Peter was starting, at one point, to get misled by the Judaizers, which tells you how influential this movement was.

So, what's happening, or what happened in Christ's death, Christ's death broke down the barrier between Jew and Gentile. So, they wanted unity in the church, Christ and Paul. The apostles wanted unity in the church, Jew and Gentile together, but the Judaizers kind of wanted to build up that barrier again.

So, Paul is speaking against that. In chapter 3, he speaks about justification by faith alone, which of course was the rallying cry of the Protestant Reformation some 1 ,500 years later. And that kind of tells you that this is a perennial issue that the church always has to face, an issue the church is always fighting.

We're always fighting over the gospel, because there are always people who want to corrupt and pervert the gospel of grace. So, what were the Judaizers doing? They were adding works to the gospel, that you're saved by faith.

Yes, you need to believe in Jesus, but you also need to be circumcised, and you need to obey the law of Moses. Now, this is kind of the big issue, that even people that are saved and know the Bible, that sometimes it's easy to get mixed up over this question, where do works fit in?

Right, where do works, we're saved by faith, but where do works fit in? And we know that we're not saved by works, amen? Are we saved by works? Are we saved by faith plus works?

No.

But where do works fit in? Well, in Galatians chapter 3, Paul discusses the difference between law and gospel. The purpose of the law is to show you that you have not kept it. Works are there, they're in the conversation.

Works are what? They're the result of your salvation. They are not the basis of it, because no man has ever perfectly kept the law of Moses. Chapter 4, we looked at the illustration Paul uses between the two covenants, the covenant of the law and the covenant of grace.

Paul mentioned Sarah, she was the picture, the free woman was the picture of the new and better covenant. Hagar represented the old covenant of the law that kept people in bondage. And then beginning in chapter 5, Paul brought it all together by saying that those who wanted to go back under the law, those who are going to trust in their works, Paul says that is falling from grace.

Falling from grace. So this is all very important teaching, and it's relevant because these same types of things are happening today. They're happening in churches right now. Maybe the details are a little different, but it's the same root issue over the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So if it's not a return to law that some churches are facing, what are they facing? That people have the idea that, well, I'm a pretty good person. You know, I do a lot of good things and I'm nice. So of course God's going to accept me.

That's the majority viewpoint in America today. That, well, if there is such a place as heaven, of course I'm going because I'm a good person. Now, how did they come to that conclusion? Does the Bible say that they're a good person?

No, the Bible says all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God. How did they come to the conclusion that they're so good? Well, you tell me, how did they come to that conclusion?

Somebody else is worse.

Yeah, they compare themselves to somebody worse and I'm not as bad as that guy. Well, that's true maybe, but you're not as good as Jesus either. So that's kind of the issue churches are facing today. Works do fit into the conversation.

They are the result of salvation, not the basis. They are the evidence. Okay, based on all of that, we know the gospel. We know the doctrine.

Now what?

How should we then live? Look at verse 13. Paul is getting into what the Christian life should look like and what it should not look like. Verse 13, he says, for you, brethren, have been called to liberty.

Only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love, serve one another. What should the Christian life look like? You should be serving other people. Serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word.

Even this, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, beware, lest you be consumed by one another. And I say then, walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

For the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things which you wish or that you wish. But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law.

You know, the law says thou shalt not do this. But if you have the Holy Spirit in you, you don't want to do that. That's the difference. Verse 19, now the works of the flesh are evident. And then he goes through that list that we've already read.

And that's compared up and against to the fruit of the spirit. So let me kind of compare the two this way. The works of the flesh, the fruit of the spirit. Let me compare it. The unbeliever may practice idolatry.

Not everybody does, obviously, but some people do. The unbeliever may practice idolatry, but the believer should exhibit a life of faithfulness towards God. The unbeliever often may have outbursts of wrath, but the believer walking in the spirit is going to be more gentle.

The unbeliever is driven by ambition and they're willing to step over anybody to get what they want.

Right?

That's the way the world is, right? It's like a dog eats dog, right?

That's the way.

Is that the way the life of the believer should be? No, we should be kind to one another. And more than that, we should be willing to put other people even ahead of ourselves. The believer, or the unbeliever, excuse me, the unbeliever is prone to a life of excess.

If it feels good, do it.

Why not?

The believer is to practice self-control. Then he mentions fornication and adultery. Obviously, I think we know the difference. Fornication is two unmarried people having relations. Adultery is when one of them or both of them are married to somebody else.

Right?

These behaviors can be very destructive. You know, you say, well, it's a matter of God says thou shalt not do it. Right? And that's reason enough. But when people do it, it causes chaos. And we could go through all the consequences.

So, here's the point. When man disobeys his creator, bad things happen. If you want to be blessed by God, obey God. Now, you're saved by faith, but if you want to be blessed by God, you need to obey God.

Walk in the spirit. So, this is what Paul is saying. So, people can choose the works of the flesh and take what comes out of that. Or we can choose to live in obedience and walk according to the spirit.

Look at verse 21 again. Paul describes the things that the flesh produces. When there's no godly restraint, what does it result in? Envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries. Here's one of the reasons why we need to go to church.

Because you don't hear this anywhere else. Did you ever hear preaching against sin, or hey, here's what's wrong, and here's why you shouldn't do it. Do you hear that anywhere? No, what I hear is, hey, this is right, do whatever you want.

That's the message the world is giving. Do as thou wilt, which is a satanic message. You understand we live in a satanic culture. I know that sounds radical, but doesn't the Bible say that Satan is the god of this world?

Am I making that up, or is that what the Bible says? Peter said, the whole world is under the sway of the wicked one. So, it's now our choice. Either we're on God's side, or we're in with the world. So, this is what a life where there's no godly restraint.

This is where it can lead. It doesn't always lead here, but he mentions envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like. Of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Now, that statement right there, they will not inherit the kingdom of God, is often what sticks in people's minds. This is a very important statement. It really does get your attention, doesn't it? Paul makes a similar statement in 1 Corinthians 6.

Let's turn to 1 Corinthians 6 to see what Paul says there. Well, is this just Paul's opinion? That's what a lot of people these days say. Well, this is just what Paul said. Well, if you're a Christian, you believe the Bible is what?

The word of God.

Paul is writing under inspiration of the Holy Ghost. So, if you don't think Paul is writing under inspiration of the word of God, or under the Holy Spirit, and that this is the word of God, then I don't...

Well, that's unbelief. That's what that is. So, he says the works of the flesh are evident. And really, what he's doing is giving a list that characterizes the life of an unbeliever. In first century Jewish culture, many of these practices would have been taboo, right?

They would have been seen as, this is clearly wrong. But in Greek and Roman culture, it was fine. Sometimes they were celebrated. The same thing today. In a Bible-believing evangelical church, it's understood these things are not to be done.

But in the world, it's fine. These things are celebrated. So, if you can't see the contrast between the kingdom of God and the world at this point, you know... Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Moores-Kornick Church.

If you'd like to listen to the complete message, or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, mooreskornickchurch .com. And we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett.

Until next time, may the grace of God be with you.