“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Galatians 5:16-18).

Clearly, the apostle Paul was dealing with a huge problem in the church at Galatia. Men had come in who were teaching them that they had to follow the Law of Moses to be saved. They weren’t denying Christ or the cross but were saying that faith in Christ wasn’t sufficient for the salvation of the Gentiles: they must adhere to the Law to be saved.

In addressing this issue, Paul, in Galatians 5, teaches truths for Christians, both Jew and Gentile, that is timeless for all generations of believers in Christ. Context is important, but the word of God is not limited to time or context. And in Galatians 5, God’s word gives us some very important insights as we seek to live out our Christian life.

One of the goals of the Christian life is to be fruitful, and all through the New Testament, this is emphasized in several different ways—but it’s there. And the Holy Spirit is given to every believer in order to work in us that which will bring forth fruit to the glory of God and praise to the Lord Jesus Christ. From start to finish: the planting, watering, and bringing forth fruit: it’s all of God, and from God.

I could say here that Paul summarizes everything that needs to be said by his simple command to the Galatian church: four words: “Walk in the Spirit.” But that raises a very big question: what does it mean to walk in the Spirit? The word of God gives us the answer.

Walking in the Spirit is to walk by faith. We have never seen Jesus Christ; we have never audibly heard Him speak; we didn’t see Him crucified, and we didn’t see Him resurrected. And yet, we believe in Him; we testify that His blood has washed away all our sins; that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. We call on His name, and daily thank Him for His love to us. That’s walking in the Spirit; that’s being led by the Spirit.

Walking in the Spirit is to walk in hope. Jesus left us with two wonderful, precious promises. He said He was going to prepare a home for us: an eternal home of never-ending love, joy and peace where we will enjoy being in the presence of the Father and Jesus forever. And all of that in a city of indescribable beauty.

Jesus also promised to come back and get us and personally take us to our new home. Paul describes that transforming, glorious day when Jesus comes for us; that moment when faith becomes sight; when we meet the One Who died for us, face to face.

“…The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17/1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

As we daily embrace and hope for that day, we are walking in the Spirit; we are being led by the Spirit.

Walking in the Spirit is to walk in love. Jesus’ last command to His church could not be any clearer:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

The apostles were faithful to emphasize that this command of Jesus was of first importance in a believer’s life.

Paul: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves has fulfilled the law” (Romans 12:9-10/13:8).

Peter: “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22).

John: “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another” (1 John 3:10-11).

Big question: what does this love look like? First of all, in the regular assembly meetings, you make it your business to meet those you are there with. You want to know their name, and show yourself friendly. As a Pastor and church goer for all of my Christian life, it is appalling how so many “church folks” want to promote and get in the spirit of things: preaching, singing, get-togethers, and etc., but are completely unwilling to reach out to new faces, or even old faces, let alone love them.

Godly love seeks to serve one another with the gift/gifts God has given us: teaching, encouraging, giving, helping, leading, showing mercy, and above all, always ready to overlook the faults of others and forgive them. Walking in love toward one another is walking in the Spirit, and being led by the Spirit.

One final thought from Galatians 5. Your flesh, your old man, will fight you on this all the way home. Paul said that in his flesh dwelt no good thing. Do not be alarmed or surprised when you want to do right and something inside of you wants to shut you down. In the power of the Holy Spirit, we rise and follow Jesus. And when we faithfully seek to do this, the fruit of the Holy Spirit will break forth to the glory of God.

Walk In The Spirit!

Brother Bill Oldham

bboldham@sbcglobal.net

 

 

For those who have never opened a Bible but rely on “religionists” to provide them with “Holy Words,” their understanding of Heavenly things is tainted. The Bible does not say, “In the beginning, God was created.” Rather, Genesis 1:1 clearly states, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (ESV – all emphasis is mine)

Consider Isaiah 43:10-11; “You are My witnesses, declares the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me that I am He. Before Me, no god was formed, nor shall there be any after Me. I, I am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior.”

Also Revelation 22:12-13; “Behold, I am coming soon bringing My recompense with Me to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

John 1:1-3; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.”

The Holy Trinity is our God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the John 1:1-3 passages, we are told of the Father and Son with the Son being called “the Word.”

In many passages of the Bible, we’re told about “The Spirit of God” in different ways. Isaiah 11:2; “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding; the Spirit of counsel and might; the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.”

Ezekiel 36:27; “And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes and be careful to obey My rules.”

Jesus told His disciples that they would not be left helpless after His departure, but as stated in John 16:13, “When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.”

Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price; so glorify God in your body.”

The price that He speaks of is the shed blood of Jesus the Christ, whose sinless, pure blood was shed for the remission of our sins. It was, is, and will always be the only blood sacrifice that the Father could ever accept to cover sins.

Ephesians 4:1-7 is Paul’s wish that all would receive and accept the Savior, and therefore be in the will of God, and receive the gift our Savior gave us. “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all, and in all. But grace was given to us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”

When we speak of the one baptism, in Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist states, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (This is the baptism that saves.) Please know that water baptism is an open sign of repentance symbolizing preparation for the return of our Savior, but water baptism alone does not save us.

Holy Spirit baptism is a deeper spiritual transformation for all believers. The Holy Spirit baptism was the one that Jesus told His disciples would happen after His departure. The day of Pentecost was all about the Holy Spirit coming into all the disciples that were present at Jerusalem. On that day, because the Holy Spirit filled the disciples, causing them to boldly give the word of the Lord, about three thousand souls were saved.

Our Precious Lord and Savior suffered horribly during His crucifixion. He knew exactly what He came here for and was aware of all that was going to take place. How could we not love someone who took our sins to a cross that we deserve so that we truly could have a pathway to a Heavenly Home?

There is a hymn by an unknown author called “Fairest Lord Jesus.” It’s a wonderful inspirational praise song.

1.) Fairest Lord Jesus; ruler of all nature; Oh Thou of God and man the Son. Thee will I cherish; Thee will I honor; Thou my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

2.)  Fair are the meadows; fairer still the woodlands; robed in the blooming garb of spring. Jesus is fairer; Jesus is purer; who makes the woeful heart to sing.

3.)  Fair is the sunshine; fairer still the moonlight, and all the twinkling starry host. Jesus shines brighter; Jesus shines purer; Thou all the angels heaven can boast.

4.)  Beautiful Savior! Lord of all nations! Son of God and Son of Man. Glory and honor, praise, adoration, now and forevermore be Thine.

Ephesians 2:8-9; “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast.”

Please know that when we have received and accepted Jesus per Romans 10:9-13, we will have the Holy Spirit come to live within us. This gift that we have received has a value that we can only imagine, yet we can count on it as a promise from the Father.

God has promised that all who belong to Jesus and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit will not go through the Tribulation. That seven-year period will be worse overall than anything this earth has ever experienced.

In 2 Thessalonians 2, we’re told that the “lawless one” – the ultimate antichrist – can only come forward when “What is restraining him” has been taken out of the way. That would be the Holy Spirit, and when He is taken out of the way, all that He indwells will be removed as well. That’s the Rapture as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.

It should go without saying, but we are told in several places that we have a Heavenly Father who never lies. Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18, Numbers 23:19, and 1 Samuel 15:29, just to give examples.

People may say they’ve sinned beyond God’s forgiveness, but what part of “All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved” don’t they understand? (Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21, and Romans 10:13). Paul had believers in his day put to death before his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus. He ended up being a most zealous Christian and author of most of the New Testament.

God even knows that all who are saved will still sin, and that’s why we have a pathway to forgiveness in 1 John 1:8-10. He really, really does love us all and will allow all who truly receive and accept His Son to have an eternal Home in Heaven when we leave this earth (John 3:16-18).

Time of this era is drawing nearer to a close. Today would not be too early to call on the name of the Lord and be saved. When the Trumpet of God sounds, and there is a shout from an archangel, there will not be enough time to call out for Salvation (1 Corinthians 15:52). People will still be able to receive and accept Jesus after the Rapture, but martyrdom will likely be the outcome.

Talk to the Lord today (Pray), ask His forgiveness, and Believe He really came to this earth for us. Call on Him to be your eternal Savior.

Our “Fairest Lord Jesus” will turn no one away who truly calls out to Him.

Shalom!

huebshman46@gmail.com