Keeping in Step with the Spirit--Remix

I always learn more by teaching, talking or writing than I do by mere reading or thinking. Putting it down on paper is the best of all--because I can look at the thoughts, mull them over, change them, reword them or delete them. Talking works pretty good too--except for the sad reality that I quickly forget what I said! During a recent Sunday School class we were working on Galatians 5:16-26. This section has the famous verses about the fruit of the Spirit. And it also reminds us of the challenge every Christian faces internally-a spiritual civil war between the the fallen sinful nature and the renewed Spiritual nature. Two points clicked for me this morning. First, There is a strong parallel construction between verses 16 and 18. Both verses contrast the fallen nature and the renewed Spiritual nature. In verse 16 the text says, "live by the Spirit." This is very similar to verse 18, "you are led by the Spirit." The contrasting action in verse 16 says, "and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." The contrast in verse 18 says, "you are not under law." There is something similar or parallel between gratifying the sinful nature and being under the law. It seems that in the rest of Galations, being under law means trying to earn God's favor (or salvation) by doing things He likes or approves of. In other words it means trying to get God to react to what we do. Or more precisely, trying to control God by what we do. In the most religious terms of the context it would be something like--I am following the Mosaic laws so that God is under obligation to bless and accept me. It is a religious way of being your own savior and lord. So how could that be similar to gratifying the desires of the sinful nature? Certainly not in the sense of trying to gain God's approval, because truly pagan people don't seem to care anything for God. The similarity lies in the fact that this gratification is self oriented. When I gratify those desires I am doing what I want, or what I think will best serve me or make me happy. The way it is similar is that at the center of my heart, I am acting as my own god (or savior or lord). I wonder if this is part of what Bill Bright was thinking about when he gave us that famous illustration of the throne in one's heart. Who is on it? Me or Jesus? Whether it is the desires of the sinful nature or living under the law, the focus is the same--I want what I want and I want it now! I want to be in charge. I will run my own life, thank you. I'll be my own lord! Second, This realization then helped me to understand what it is to keep in step with the Spirit. If I understand the work of the Spirit as being to glorify Jesus (John 14-16), then keeping in step with the Spirit means seeing the person and work of Jesus more and more. In essence it is keeping the gospel before you all the time. When Jack Miller (who taught preachers at Westminster Seminary) talked about doing this he said we have to learn to "preach the gospel to ourselves all the time." And isn't this the way the Spirit transforms us? Look at 2 Corinthians 3:18. "And we, who with unveiled faces reflect (or contemplate) the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness..." What is it that changes us--the glory of Jesus. The entire package of his glory--his divine nature, his human nature, his death for the benefit of his people, his astonishing and amazing love and grace. With these two insights in mind, I realized why one of my friends told me his life was radically changed when he began to begin his day by reviewing Scriptures that expressed the work of Jesus to give new life. It can change your life!