So our beauitful/wonderful outreach leader Jean suggested we talk about our spiritual lives, and share amongst ourselves! Just a little something...(Note from Stevo that finished writing, it's really long actually my bad-- outreach team i hope u read it tho).
Today I was walking back from class listening to a Francis Chan sermon and I wasn't really listening until he mentioned the FRUITS of the Spirit. And I was like "Oh shoot! We were talking about fruits like 2 nights ago!" Outreach group, remember the other night? I was like hey, what exactly is our fruits gonna look like when we bear fruits. Do we show our fruits through outreach? Is it going to show through giving? What is it gonna look like? And the Bible makes it exactly clear in Galations 5:22-23.
So I was like, wait a second... I wonder if the FRUIT from Galations 5 was even the same as the fruit from the Gospels. For example Matthew 7:16 (By their fruit you will recognize them) and John 15:8-16 (You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last). So I whipped out my Greek dictionary that I won in a white elephant gift exchange (which I never figured out how to use before) and I looked it up. Even though there's 3 different nouns for "fruit" in the Bible, the FRUIT in Galatians 5 is exactly the same as in Matthew and John-- KARPOS. It means the fruit of trees, fields, the earth, that which is produced by the inherent energy of a living organism. LIVING ORGANISM?? Shalom was talking the other night about "the VINE", which is JESUS!! So okay, we get fruits from living in Jesus. We grow spiritually in Him. But what ARE the fruits of the Spirit?? What do they look like, or what are they? Hold your horses.
I had to get the whole context of the passage, so I read Galatians 5:16-26, and it turned out to be awesome, as usual (the Word tends to be awesome).
Galatians 5:16-26 (NIV)
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and 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.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
So here we go..
Verse 16 "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature."
LIVE BY THE SPIRIT- In Greek, translated is "keep on walking". MacArthur says its a "continuous actions, a habitual lifestyle". Not a one time act. The verb is a command, but also its not passive. It is something we have to pursue instead of doing nothing and saying "Holy Spirit! I have a porn/drug/alcohol problem. Fix it! And then just do nothing. Francis Chan says, "it's like buying a treadmill at Christmas, and saying why am i not losing weight?" Ha! 'Cause you need to get on it first and start walking!
Verse 17 "For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want."
SINFUL NATURE DESIRES- Or better known as, the FLESH. We CANNOT walk in the Spirit and walk in the Flesh at the same time. They're mutually exclusive. You can't be a UCLA fan and a USC fan at the same time. Sorry, bad example. You can't be sleeping and be awake at the same time. Or it can't be night and day. It's one or the other. As a Christian, the Spirit lives in me, but we're still in our humanness, so our flesh is still here. Stupid example, but I guess it's like a 900 lb. annoying fat guy you hate and can't push out of the house so you try to ignore him and just wait until you move out to your permanent mansion (when you die). Basically, you can't walk in the Spirit, and walk in the Flesh at the same time.
Verse 18 "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law."
NOT UNDER LAW- Yes! Because we cannot live under the Law. Romans 7:5-6 says "For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter." Okay I don't even want to get into that actually. That's a whole note in itself, but basically, yea... the Law can only curse us because we can never live up to its perfect standard through our own works/merits. Law is not evil though, it shows us sin. Our flesh gets aroused by restrictions, because fleshly Stevo loves to go against God and do stuff thats forbidden. But through the grace of our Christ Jesus we are released and there is no condemnation.
Verses 19-21 "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and 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."
IMMORALITY- The greek word is porneia, where we get the word pornography. Refers to all illicit sexual activity, and remember? Jesus says even if you look at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. I'll be the first to admit, I am the chief of sinners in lust. I need Jesus.
...AND THE LIKE- Yea, I've blown every single one of them. It doesn't mean you do ALL these things.It's not an exhaustive list. It's just means in general, if you walk in this path, you are not going to heaven. Simple as that. Thank God He found me and I no longer am bound by the Law. Because I'd be dead meat right now!! But we live to Christ!
and finally we come to the FRUITS!
Verses 22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
LOVE- First on the list! It's like that for a reason. The word is "agape", which in Greek is the strongest word for love, a full on devotion leading to self-sacrifice.
JOY- I realized I should be more joyful. I mean why not!! I've got eternal life awaiting me and it will be the greatest time ever worshipping and being with God. I'm saved from eternal wrath and judgement and punishment!! That's the greatest joy ever!
PEACE...SELF-CONTROL- Here's our answer. These are the fruits, the results of living in the Spirit. Jesus says, "by their fruit you will recognize them." Simple, if Stevo is bearing fruits, he's walking in the Spirit. If not, better watch out and walk the other direction, for I am walking in the dangerous road of the Flesh. I can't grow fruits on my own either. What if I was just a branch on the ground, can I grow fruits? Heck no! Probably only mold and bugs and stuff. But I must be ATTACHED/CONNECTED to the vine (JESUS) which will give me nourishment and allow me to bear fruits. And how will I keep myself in check? By my lil fruitys!
Verses 24-26 "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
CRUCIFIED- R.C. Sproul writes "For the people of Christ, the Cross broke the grip of the law and also the grip of the flesh. By faith they recognize the reality of their union with Christ in His death. So, too, they have been raised to new life in the Spirit of Christ and therefore WALK in the Spirit.
KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT- Stevo, you can't expect everything when doing nothing. Say I have a bicycle. I can't balance on it when I don't pedal. I can't ride it if I don't make the first push. But when I do, I will stay balanced and ride and the momentum of Christ will carry me weeee!! But the point is, I need to be pedaling, can't expect the bicycle to go forward when I do nothing.
WE LIVE BY THE SPIRIT, LET US KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT- If we live by the spirit? To clarify John Piper says this means "that the Spirit of God creates something new; he takes out of us the heart of stone that rebels against God, and he puts into us a new heart which trusts God and follows his ways. Or to put it another way, the Holy Spirit establishes himself as the new ruling principle of our life." Sounds familiar. Does it ring true to your heart Christian? If it does, good. But so what? What's the next "step"?! He continues by saying to "Walk by the Spirit" means "do what you do each day by the Spirit; live your life in all its details from waking up in the morning until going to sleep at night by the enabling power of the Spirit. But what does that mean, practically speaking? How do we "walk by the Spirit"?" When I'm "walking by the Spirit", Stevo its never something I do in order to get the Spirit's help, but rather, just as the phrase implies, it is something i do BY the enablement of the Spirit.
No more just KNOWING the Word, right Jean?? Even the devils know the Bible. Gotta live it out! BY the enablement of the Spirit, I walk in the Spirit. Get up Lazarus! Get up all you paralyzed and lame and handicapped! Get up STEVO!! and WALK! Walk by the Spirit!
Dang this was so unorganized! Hope I didn't say anything too blasphemous. Rebuke/correct me if necessary.
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen!
-Stevo
Today I was walking back from class listening to a Francis Chan sermon and I wasn't really listening until he mentioned the FRUITS of the Spirit. And I was like "Oh shoot! We were talking about fruits like 2 nights ago!" Outreach group, remember the other night? I was like hey, what exactly is our fruits gonna look like when we bear fruits. Do we show our fruits through outreach? Is it going to show through giving? What is it gonna look like? And the Bible makes it exactly clear in Galations 5:22-23.
So I was like, wait a second... I wonder if the FRUIT from Galations 5 was even the same as the fruit from the Gospels. For example Matthew 7:16 (By their fruit you will recognize them) and John 15:8-16 (You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last). So I whipped out my Greek dictionary that I won in a white elephant gift exchange (which I never figured out how to use before) and I looked it up. Even though there's 3 different nouns for "fruit" in the Bible, the FRUIT in Galatians 5 is exactly the same as in Matthew and John-- KARPOS. It means the fruit of trees, fields, the earth, that which is produced by the inherent energy of a living organism. LIVING ORGANISM?? Shalom was talking the other night about "the VINE", which is JESUS!! So okay, we get fruits from living in Jesus. We grow spiritually in Him. But what ARE the fruits of the Spirit?? What do they look like, or what are they? Hold your horses.
I had to get the whole context of the passage, so I read Galatians 5:16-26, and it turned out to be awesome, as usual (the Word tends to be awesome).
Galatians 5:16-26 (NIV)
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and 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.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
So here we go..
Verse 16 "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature."
LIVE BY THE SPIRIT- In Greek, translated is "keep on walking". MacArthur says its a "continuous actions, a habitual lifestyle". Not a one time act. The verb is a command, but also its not passive. It is something we have to pursue instead of doing nothing and saying "Holy Spirit! I have a porn/drug/alcohol problem. Fix it! And then just do nothing. Francis Chan says, "it's like buying a treadmill at Christmas, and saying why am i not losing weight?" Ha! 'Cause you need to get on it first and start walking!
Verse 17 "For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want."
SINFUL NATURE DESIRES- Or better known as, the FLESH. We CANNOT walk in the Spirit and walk in the Flesh at the same time. They're mutually exclusive. You can't be a UCLA fan and a USC fan at the same time. Sorry, bad example. You can't be sleeping and be awake at the same time. Or it can't be night and day. It's one or the other. As a Christian, the Spirit lives in me, but we're still in our humanness, so our flesh is still here. Stupid example, but I guess it's like a 900 lb. annoying fat guy you hate and can't push out of the house so you try to ignore him and just wait until you move out to your permanent mansion (when you die). Basically, you can't walk in the Spirit, and walk in the Flesh at the same time.
Verse 18 "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law."
NOT UNDER LAW- Yes! Because we cannot live under the Law. Romans 7:5-6 says "For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter." Okay I don't even want to get into that actually. That's a whole note in itself, but basically, yea... the Law can only curse us because we can never live up to its perfect standard through our own works/merits. Law is not evil though, it shows us sin. Our flesh gets aroused by restrictions, because fleshly Stevo loves to go against God and do stuff thats forbidden. But through the grace of our Christ Jesus we are released and there is no condemnation.
Verses 19-21 "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and 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."
IMMORALITY- The greek word is porneia, where we get the word pornography. Refers to all illicit sexual activity, and remember? Jesus says even if you look at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. I'll be the first to admit, I am the chief of sinners in lust. I need Jesus.
...AND THE LIKE- Yea, I've blown every single one of them. It doesn't mean you do ALL these things.It's not an exhaustive list. It's just means in general, if you walk in this path, you are not going to heaven. Simple as that. Thank God He found me and I no longer am bound by the Law. Because I'd be dead meat right now!! But we live to Christ!
and finally we come to the FRUITS!
Verses 22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
LOVE- First on the list! It's like that for a reason. The word is "agape", which in Greek is the strongest word for love, a full on devotion leading to self-sacrifice.
JOY- I realized I should be more joyful. I mean why not!! I've got eternal life awaiting me and it will be the greatest time ever worshipping and being with God. I'm saved from eternal wrath and judgement and punishment!! That's the greatest joy ever!
PEACE...SELF-CONTROL- Here's our answer. These are the fruits, the results of living in the Spirit. Jesus says, "by their fruit you will recognize them." Simple, if Stevo is bearing fruits, he's walking in the Spirit. If not, better watch out and walk the other direction, for I am walking in the dangerous road of the Flesh. I can't grow fruits on my own either. What if I was just a branch on the ground, can I grow fruits? Heck no! Probably only mold and bugs and stuff. But I must be ATTACHED/CONNECTED to the vine (JESUS) which will give me nourishment and allow me to bear fruits. And how will I keep myself in check? By my lil fruitys!
Verses 24-26 "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
CRUCIFIED- R.C. Sproul writes "For the people of Christ, the Cross broke the grip of the law and also the grip of the flesh. By faith they recognize the reality of their union with Christ in His death. So, too, they have been raised to new life in the Spirit of Christ and therefore WALK in the Spirit.
KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT- Stevo, you can't expect everything when doing nothing. Say I have a bicycle. I can't balance on it when I don't pedal. I can't ride it if I don't make the first push. But when I do, I will stay balanced and ride and the momentum of Christ will carry me weeee!! But the point is, I need to be pedaling, can't expect the bicycle to go forward when I do nothing.
WE LIVE BY THE SPIRIT, LET US KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT- If we live by the spirit? To clarify John Piper says this means "that the Spirit of God creates something new; he takes out of us the heart of stone that rebels against God, and he puts into us a new heart which trusts God and follows his ways. Or to put it another way, the Holy Spirit establishes himself as the new ruling principle of our life." Sounds familiar. Does it ring true to your heart Christian? If it does, good. But so what? What's the next "step"?! He continues by saying to "Walk by the Spirit" means "do what you do each day by the Spirit; live your life in all its details from waking up in the morning until going to sleep at night by the enabling power of the Spirit. But what does that mean, practically speaking? How do we "walk by the Spirit"?" When I'm "walking by the Spirit", Stevo its never something I do in order to get the Spirit's help, but rather, just as the phrase implies, it is something i do BY the enablement of the Spirit.
No more just KNOWING the Word, right Jean?? Even the devils know the Bible. Gotta live it out! BY the enablement of the Spirit, I walk in the Spirit. Get up Lazarus! Get up all you paralyzed and lame and handicapped! Get up STEVO!! and WALK! Walk by the Spirit!
Dang this was so unorganized! Hope I didn't say anything too blasphemous. Rebuke/correct me if necessary.
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen!
-Stevo
