Tuesday, March 9, 2010

...

Again, it's been like a month since i've posted. I THOUGHT I told myself to follow it up...and i haven't really been busy, but apparently my head doesn't get the memo. :) Anyhows, here 'tis:

Flesh Vs. Spirit

Gal. 5:22-24: "But the Fruit Of The Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control: against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."

It is apparent that Paul teaches True Godliness shows and reflects and happens at the very core of our lives: How we Live and Think. True Spirituality is the result of the work of the Spirit. This isn't saying that even evil spirituality is work of the flesh; NO, True (RIGHTEOUS) Spirituality is of the Holy Spirit, but Evil Spirituality is work of the flesh.

I. Kind Of Fruit Produced By The Spirit.

Sorry, this...is a list, but I'll try to do my best at differentiating it. (And hopefully i don't fail miserably.)

A. Love - 1 John 3:14 "
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death." THAT IS, the GENUINE LOVE. NOT the word Love that the WORLD has defined. This love isn't really...true. True Love for someone is all for another's good,
and it's selfless, even to the point of death. Now I'm pretty sure that the way the world has defined love is not like this. Second guess me if I'm wrong, but I don't think so. :)

B. Joy: Now, the true world does not know what this is. Yes, you can be joyful when good things are happening to you that is amazing. But TRUE JOY is ALWAYS in a Christian. Even when things are going bad. Huh? You might be thinking. Isn't that wrong to be joyful when everything seems to be going against you? Well let me answer that for you :) . Well, I don't think i put the question right. But the answer is no. We can be joyful even in hardships, because we know that we really do deserve to have it going against us. We will always sin, and fail; but Jesus Christ died for us...therefore, it doesn't matter if it's not all working out. We can be joyful in trials because we know that we're still going to be in Heaven, and God is doing this for the best. He always knows what he's doing. In pain, suffering, and affliction, this is all just to make us cry out for the Lord, knowing that he knows what he's doing, and this is all for our best. It truly is. Now, I'm not saying that it is bad to not be joyful in hard circumstances, it's easy to be depressed. But try to be joyful in that loving and gracious fact that is unbelievable.

C. Peace: Rom. 5:1: "
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Not divided or split up; but whole, secure and not worrying or anxious.

D. Patience: A calm willingness to endure irritating troubles. 1 Tim. 1:16: "
But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life." and Col. 3:12: "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience." (Because of His Patience w/ us, we can be [and should be] patient w/ others. Not just do these, but in light of that Jesus Christ did all these things for us and to us, now we can do all of these for and to others. :)

E. Kindness: Because he was kind and caring to us to die for our sins, we can manifest this kindness to others, even though we didn't deserve his kindness, and they don't deserve our kindness.

F. Goodness: Same thing as above, but a sorta different category.

G. Faithfulness

H. Gentleness

I. Self Control

II. The Spirit Does What The Law Cannot Do.

Gal. 5:23.
The Law can't perform these acts. You can only become this way by asking and crying out to God for help. This is what the Holy Spirit is producing. :) The Law as given to only restrain evil, but these things and qualities do not need to be restrained. We will bear the fruit of the Spirit by availing ourselves of the means of Grace that God gives to us.

III. The Believer Must Turn From Works Of The Flesh To Fruit Of Spirit.

Gal. 5:24.

A. "Have Crucified.

B. Every Christian will make progress in their growth in the grace and in conformity to the image of Christ.

Sorry, the last part was excerpts on the note sheet. I did that because at that point in the sermon, my pen ran out of ink. haha. :)


B.L.S. out. :)