Angelic Conflict part 338: Future work of Christ [Bema seat] – Gal 5:13-6:5; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 4:30; 1Th 5:19.

Title: Angelic Conflict part 338: Future work of Christ [Bema seat] - GAL 5:13-6:5; EPH 4:17-24; EPH 4:30; 1TH 5:19.

 

 

 

a. The Bema seat of the church, 2CO 5:10. Identifying good and bad things.  

 

We find the law of Christ in GAL 6:2. Last night we studied GAL 6:1-5 as well as a few verses in chapter 5. Tonight we continue in chapter 5 and put it all together.

 

GAL 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

 

GAL 5:17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

 

Believers have one of two options to either operate in their own power and ability or in reliance on the power of the indwelling Spirit. It cannot be both since these two are in opposition to one another.

 

GAL 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

 

We are not under the Mosaic Law; not any part of it. The Law, a set of rules, revealed the power, or should we rather say, weakness of the flesh.

 

Of this verse L.S. Chafer comments in his Systematic Theology, vol. 6, p. 171-172.

 

What better interpretation can be made of the text ... (GAL 5:18) than that the life is not only personally directed by the Holy Spirit to its last detail, but is contact with a living Person rather than mere conformity to a set of rules? [L.S. Chafer, Systematic Theology]

 

He continues...

No attainment in Christian experience is more effective or far-reaching in its instructive value than that of coming to know God—not merely to know about Him, but to experience the rest to the soul which such intimate acquaintance with God engenders. In this connection, the importance of not separating MAT 11:27 fROM 11:28 may be seen.

 

MAT 11:27-30

"All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son, except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

 

He continues...

Spirituality cannot be defined properly as conformity to a set of rules; it is communion, cooperation, and compliance with a sovereign Person. The principle of law may easily become a major hindrance to the spiritual life. God does indicate in His Word that particular manner of life which becomes the spiritual believer and God recognizes the believer’s limitations in understanding. [end quote]

 

In verse 19 Paul enumerates deeds of the flesh in order to enforce the exhortation of verse 13:

 

GAL 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

 

GAL 5:19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are [short list of the bad of suppression, not all but enough]: immorality [fornication], impurity [uncleanness], sensuality [lasciviousness],

 

GAL 5:20 idolatry, sorcery [witchcraft or magic arts], enmities [hostility], strife [quarrelling or fighting], jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes [self-seeking], dissensions [divisions], factions [own opinions contrary to the word of God],

 

GAL 5:21 envying, drunkenness, carousing [komos - which refers to "a nocturnal and riotous procession of half-drunken and frolicsome fellows who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honor of Bacchus or some other deity, and sing and play before the houses of their male and female friends; hence used generally of feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry" (Thayer)], and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

The Word of God bases its estimation of a person's character, not upon his infrequent, out-of-the-ordinary actions, but upon his habitual ones, which form a true indication of character.

 

Now, if your habits may seem to line up with any of these things it is of no use to quit them only to replace them with some other practice in sin or human good. Addictions are only broken when the system of thinking of the addict changes and so we must rely on the power of the word of God and the Holy Spirit to replace the addiction with something divine and beautiful and full of joy. This does not rule out medical help for some chemical dependencies, yet even with that this principle of the replacement of fleshly thinking with divine still applies.

 

Just to be clear that not inheriting the kingdom of God is loss of reward and not a loss of salvation or a way of identifying believers from unbelievers.

 

1CO 6:15

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? May it never be!

 

A lifestyle or practice of these things makes for a miserable life and a life void of the joy and peace of Christ, but it does not make any believer any less a member of the body of Christ.

 

Not listed here are sins of omission. Sins of omission are the good things that are commanded as expressions in our lives which we fail to do.

 

Spirituality, however, is not suppression alone; it is also expression. It is not only restraining self; it is the outliving of Christ who indwells.

 

The unregenerate man would not be saved if he ceased sinning; he would still be without the new birth. The Christian would not become spiritual should he abstain from worldliness while lacking the positive manifestations of the Spirit.

 

Spirituality is primarily an output, a vital living, and a fruitful service for God.

 

However, both the negative and the positive aspects of the spiritual life are essential and each must be given due consideration here. In this Scripture there is first an unfolding of the Spirit’s work toward the evil flesh and in spite of all the opposition that the flesh engenders.

 

Next comes the offensive action or expression, which is positive spiritual output manufactured by the Spirit.

 

GAL 5:22 But the fruit [singular - the unity of all under the capstone of love] of the Spirit is [a list of the good] love, joy, peace [tranquility of mind based on the consciousness of a right relationship to God], patience [makrothumia - literally long temper or long suffering under ill treatment], kindness, goodness [aiming at that which is good], faithfulness,

 

GAL 5:23 gentleness [meekness towards others], self-control [mastery of one's desires and impulses]; against such things there is no law.

 

There is no law [set of rules or steps] unto these things since they are realized in the believer's life when he abides in the Vine. Again I quote Chafer, "Spirituality cannot be defined properly as conformity to a set of rules; it is communion, cooperation, and compliance with a sovereign Person."

 

GAL 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

 

Christians crucified the evil nature with its affections and lusts, in the sense that when they put their faith in the Lord Jesus as Savior, they received the actual benefits of their identification with Christ in His death on the Cross, which benefits were only potential at the time He was crucified.

 

The Christian's identification with Christ in His death, resulted in the breaking of the power of the sinful nature over the life.

 

The victory over sin which the Lord Jesus procured for us at the Cross, is made actual and operative in our lives as we yield to the Holy Spirit and trust Him for that victory.

 

It is the Holy Spirit's ministry that applies the salvation from the power of the sinful nature which God the Son procured at the Cross for us. Thus the Holy Spirit has a twofold ministry in the saint, that of making actually operative in the life of the Christian, the victory over sin which the Lord Jesus procured for us at the Cross, and that of producing in the Christian's experience, His fruit.

 

G/HS is only able to suppress the evil and to express fruit in a full and rich measure as the saint puts himself definitely under subjection to the Spirit.

 

The context of Eph 4 is suppression of that which we are commanded not to do. If no suppression - EPH 4:30

 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

 

The context of 1Th 5 is expression of that which we are to do.

If no expression - 1TH 5:19

Do not quench the Spirit

 

The initial act of faith in the Lord Jesus which resulted in the crucifixion (putting to death) of the affections and lusts of the totally depraved nature, is followed during the life of that Christian, by the free action of his liberated will in counting himself as having died to (having been separated from the power of) the evil nature with the result that he says NO to sin and stops yielding himself and his members to sin.

 

GAL 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

 

The word passions is passive and means a disposition, an impulse, a propensity, an affection; speaking of the innate forces resident in the evil nature.

 

The word lusts is active and means a desire, a craving, a longing; speaking of the innate forces finding expression in the gratification of those passions.

 

Two methods of determining conduct and following out that determination with the appropriate action, are presented. One is in dependence upon the Holy Spirit and growth in doctrine for the supply of both the desire and the power to do the will of God. This method results in a life in which the fruit of the Spirit is evident. The other method is that of putting one's self under law, and by self effort attempting to obey that law. This results in a defeated life full of sin, for: