Led By The Spirit

Sermon. Tim Keller.

gal 5:16-25

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

beliefs dont automatically affect our lives

- must be turned inward through christian practices

- must examine ourselves for the fruit of the spirit

-- all true christians produce fruit

-- it may not be big, but it should be growing

what are fruit?

love - caring about others for their sake, not what i get

joy - love of god, not his gifts

peace - trust in god

patience - ability to suffer/be wronged without becoming bitter

faithfulness

kindness

goodness

humility

self-control

gentleness

fruit = singular

- fruit of spirit = supernaturally produced character

-- many facets of same holy spirit but not seprate

our character is revealed by our actions

- if we're not growing in one, then we're not growing at all

- "temperamentally" patient is really just self-centered/sinful patence

- being led by spirit means growing in fruit

how do i cultivate this?

1. crucify sinful nature

- 'sinful nature' - acts of the flesh; system of self-salvation

--not talking about physical body

- if we're led/live by spirit, then we dont satisfy sinful nature and not under the law

--under the law = system of self-salvation

-- do i obey the law out of thankfulness or as an attempt to earn it

--- f.o.s. = flesh operating system

---- creates over desire

---- sucks good into center/heart and makes it an idol, displacing god

---- human approval is good but under the f.o.s., when ppl disapprove, we're devastated not just upset

i am therefore i do or i do therefore i am

2. belong to christ

- f.o.s. even says that i have to crucify the sinful nature to belong to christ

-- says i must obey to be loved/blessed

- gospel says belong and then the flesh will be crucified

-- gospel says ive been saved and loved so i can love others, knowing theyre what i am without christ (not based on what ive done)

how do i know i belong?

- because the price has already paid the price by christ

- gall = bitter fruit

-- christ recieved gall/thorns so i can have sweetness/fruit

-- fruit of hs is foretaste of coming age

-- obeying out of thankfulness because it has already been earned and freely given

-------------------------

building blocks to discipleship

1. exp the word

2. flesh vs spirit (what's at the center?)

- help them identify it and move themselves back on focusing on christ

3. singular fruit - are you growing?

- ask about and pt out fruit of spirit

4. identify root causes for behavior

-- ask why they do certain behaviors and examine motives

5. freedom in christ - gal 5:1

- what does it mean to be free?

6. christ crucified and changed lives

- im evil but hestill loves me, now he hs is he power of change

how?

- preach the cross

- be vulnerable in 1 on 1

- lead by living it out

- help them understand the interconnectedness and the importance of christ

- ask the right questions

- never let a mtg end without telling ppl how much god loves them

How to Change

Tim Keller - How to Change

Galatians 5:16-18, 22-25

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Christian Change; must understand: Nature, Pattern, Process

Nature:

- the phrase “fruit of the spirit” implies 4 things

1. gradual

why does paul use fruit?

- Christian change is as gradual as botanical growth

- growth is hard to detect; can’t see it; mysterious

-- but can only be measured

must be patient; won’t see dramatic change overnight

- some have seasons that grow quickly, but have seasons (like winter) where they grow but it isn’t seen

so gradual that we can never feel it

- it may be tested/measured but not seen

- like a 16 year old boy who is faster than when he was 15

-- doesn’t feel faster, but he is

- growth is evident when faced with struggle

what is the seed that produces fruit?

- holy spirit

2. inevitable

- If I have the spirit of god, I will grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

acorn falls into crack on marble slab, eventually grows into tree and splits the marble slab

- at first acorn seemed to be no match, until it grew

-- if botanical growth has that power, what kind of power will spiritual growth have?

Saved by faith, not fruit; never saved by fruitless faith

- real faith will inevitably produce fruit

we all have quirks/issues

- many show our lack of fruit

-- unless we’re changing, we’re not saved (but it may be really slow)

-- mustn’t give up on change/growth/faith

3. internal

what is fruit of spirit?

- not counseling, editing, leading, intelligence, charisma

- diff between external/mechanical and internal/organic growth

-- throwing bricks on a pile isn’t growth; pile is bigger but just in quantity and not quality/complexity

- diff between religiosity and faith

-- growing in faith or resume?

--- It’s not about doing great things

--- possible to do good works but miss growing in faith

--- good works mean nothing without growing in fruit of spirit

I may be changing lives but is my life changed?

- fruit of spirit means my life is being changed!

- can’t judge my growth based how many other lives are changed or how the HS is using my efforts

4. symmetrical

fruit = singular

- did it on purpose

- showing us that real Christian change has us growing in all collectively, not individually

if you want to know it’s real, permanent, spiritual:

- fruit of holy spirit is concatenated

1. all the fruit go together

ex: pride and peace don’t go together; it’s counterfeit peace

- worry = arrogance; refusal to assume a humble position before God and trust God is in control

- worry = arrogance = pride

-- anyone who worries thinks they know how things have to be; not trusting in God

-- Pride and peace occurs only when things are going well (“I chose well”)

- will not last

- if I don’t have one of the fruits, I don’t have any

2. all fruit is interdependent

ex: self control and joy

- what creates real self control is joy

- addiction comes because of lack of joy; seeking joy in other places

- guys don’t cry as much of girls

-- when guys cry, they’re told to stop being a girl

--- told to be “superior” to girls

--- false self control because we need to cry, but that isn’t self control but restriction

ex: patience and faithfulness
- tolerance of others; accepting of others failures and short-comings
-- if I have patience but not faithfulness/integrity, then my patience is just a way to assuage my guilt over my shortcomings


How do I develop these things?
2 things for how to grow in grace:
1. crucify sinful nature with over-desires
- find things that are too important and remove it from the center
-- place those things back in their proper order
2. keep in step with spirit
- spirit yearns for Christ
-- points us to Christ; tells us to see Christ's
-- need to see Christ as so real that he becomes more desirable than anything else

Paul comparing fruit and works! (not weeds)
- works of flesh are things i do
- fruit is something that grows from a seed (holy spirit)
-- can only open myself to them
-- gardener creates conditions but does not grow the plants himself
-- cannot make myself more peaceful, patient, good, loving, etc

Religion and the Gospel

The basis for this post comes out of Tim Keller's book, The Reason for God. If you haven't read it, you need to. The first half of his book talks about people's issues and problems with faith and Christianity. The second half, where this chapter resides, speaks to the reasons and ways we can see God.

There are two types of sin for this argument, religion and irreligion. Irreligion is easy to see. It's the world as it is outwardly broken: wars, violence, theft, etc. Religion is the "nice" world. It's the world of the nice and virtuous people. It's where people try to earn their salvation.

Keller uses the example of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Jekyll tried to seperate his evil and good self by means of a potion, hoping to supress his evil side. Eventually, the evil become more dispicable than he could ever imagine. Mr Hyde was a self-seeking, destructive beast that didn't care who he hurt as long as his desires are satisfied. Eventually, Dr. Jekyll decided to make up for the evil of Mr. Hyde by doing remarkable amounts of good works. He became prideful of this and eventually turned into Mr. Hyde without the potion.

The name Mr. Hyde is symbollic because, while Dr. Jekyll is a nice guy, Mr. Hyde is the evil within him, within all of us. Even the most respectable Dr. Jekyll has a hideous Mr. Hyde beneath the surface. Egotism, self-absorption, self-love, greed, pride. We all have it. And religion is when the nice people try to cover it up and make up for it. Their...my...salvation is based on how good I am on the outside, embarrassed by what's on the inside. What's worse, all my good works do not make up or shrink the evil inside me. All they do is grow my pride and ego, making the sitution worse. It's like trying to put out a fire by smothering it with gasoline. May look like water, but it's only making it worse.

For so long, I struggled with this, and still do. I see how a Christian is supposed to be and I try to act like that. "That, ironically, is a rejection of the gospel of Jesus" because I am basing my salvation and identity of my works instead of the grace of Christ. I'm trying to cover my evil deeds up but all it does it make my situation worse. "[I] cannot...deal with [my] hideousness and self-absorption...by trying to be a good person through an act of the will. [I] need a complete transformation of the very motives of [my] heart."

My religion tells me I need obey so I'll be accepted by God. However, Christ says I am already accepted. Therefore, I obey. My motivation, when understanding the grace offered through Christ, is that of gratitude, not fear. "The Christian gospel is tha tI am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yest I am so loved and valued and that Jesus was glad to die for me...A Christian's worth and value are not created by excluding anyone, but through the Lord who was excluded for me. His grace both humbles me more deeply than religion can (since I am too flawed to ever save myself through my own effort), yet it also affirms me more powerfully than religion can (since I can be absolutely certain of God's unconditional acceptance." I no longer have to be unsure of my salvation or work as if I have to earn it. I am a complete sinner but saved by complete grace so I operate out of gratitude of what I've been freely given, not out of fear of what I may get in the end.

This grace is incredibly troubling though. If I earned my salvation, I would have certian rights or there would be a limit to what Christ could ask of me. "But if I am a sinner saved by sheer grace--then there's nothing he cannot ask of me....From the outside that might sound coercive...[but] from the inside the motivation is joy." When you love someone, you do things for them that you know they will enjoy. There is no forced hands or guns to your head, you do it becuase you love them.

So Christ gives us freedom and in return we must give up our lives. "The most liberating act of free, unconditional grace demands that the recipient give up control of his or her life." Seems like a contradiction, but we are never really in control ourselves. We're always serving something. "It is only grace that frees us from the slavery of self that lurks even in the middle of morality and religion. Grace is only a threat to the illusion that we are free, autonomous selves, living life as we choose."

Boom.

Good book.

How Can a Loving God Send People to Hell?

So the title really isn't my question--it's actually the title of the fifth chapter in Timothy Keller's book, The Reason for God. Thus far, the book has been excellent. If you haven't read it, I really recommend buying a copy (so you can write in it) as soon as possible. The first half of the book traverses the broad spectrum of reasons why people doubt or object to Christianity. Some examples include Christianity is a straight jacket and the church has been responsible for so much injustice. The fifth chapter, as introduced by the title and first sentence of this post, wonders how a loving God could send people to Hell.

I think that it's appropriate at this point in time to mention the fact that doubts do not mean one doesn't have faith. In fact, doubts--to a degree--can be healthy. It is the at the intersection of faith and real life that doubts arise. The issue is how does one deal with them. Sweeping them under the metaphorical rug is by no means healthy as it allows them to fester and grow untouched by God's grace. If we become too focused on our doubts, instead of our Savior, they consume us and keep us from clinging to Christ. The proper way to deal with doubt (both our own and others) is to acknowledge and wrestle with it. By doing so with the proper understanding of God's sovereignty and mystery, doubts serve to strengthen our faith in the LORD and our witness to nonbelievers. In the same way muscles grow stronger when trained against the resistance of weights, our faith grows when we persevere and pursue Christ amidst doubt.

So one of my biggest doubts falls under the fifth chapter of this book. I won't divulge the entire contents of the chapter, but Keller does an adequate job of working through the reasoning behind this objection. Essentially, if you read the Bible, it is undoubtedly clear that God is indeed a loving God. He is also just and the Bible speaks numerous times to his judgment. We find this judgment so objectionable because it condemns people to hell on God's terms, not our own. Most people have some sort of moral line that they're willing to draw. However, our society has become self-obsessed, believing that we control right and wrong in the physical and metaphysical realms.
However, God's anger just seems so incompatible with him being a loving God. Keller quotes Becky Pippert's book Hope has Its Reasons in order to respond to that objection. "'Anger isn't the opposite of love. Hate is, and the final form of hate is indifference...God's wrath is not a cranky explosion, but his settled opposition to the cancer...which is eating out the insides of the human race he loves with his whole being.'...He is angry at evil and injustice because it is destroying [his creation's] peace and integrity."

So God is a God of love and a God of judgment. With that judgment, comes his wrath at the sin inside of us. Let's be clear, we all deserve judgment and death. We're wicked, twisted, and despicable. We have ruined all that is pure, beautiful, and holy in his creation. We deserve that condemnation. That much is clear. Keller makes the argument that hell is simple our chosen trajectory (either to God or away) going on for eternity. Whatever hell is, we deserve it for our sin. It is also clear that God is good, perfect, and just. But this is where my struggle comes in...

In the Bible, we learn that God formed and created us. Romans 9 says as much. That chapter reveals that he made some to be vessels of mercy by which to show his glory. However, he also made some to be vessels of wrath. So while we deserve hell, and God doesn't so much send us to hell as let us go to it ourselves, it seems to me as if God winds us up like a toy car and lets us roll off the table top into hell. Yes, we go off ourselves, but if God hadn't created us like that, we wouldn't have fallen off the edge. Romans 9:19 seems to speak my question clearly.

Yet, I know that since this is God's plan, it is perfect. It is the way his glory is best displayed. No other way could be better. Yet, I find it hard to reconcile that concept with the one that he made some to go to hell. As for right now, it is something that I chalk up to God's mystery.

However, as I wrote this, I had several thoughts. God created us to be in a relationship with him. We were not created to be sinful, but that is what we are due to our choices. We have chosen our way over God's. So there we deserve hell, we deserve the wrath. In Romans 9, it says some were created to be vessels of mercy, meaning we are not given what we deserve. Because of the sin, which is our fault/responsibility, we have no potential for greatness, no chance at reaching heaven. We are then redeemed by God's mercy and grace, and allowed to come into his presence.

I think the main issue was that I was assuming everyone deserved to be saved. This is a distortion of the truth that no one is more deserving than another to be saved. If no one is more deserving, then we're all just as deserving. While that may seem true semantically, it gives humanity, myself included, more credit than we deserve. While I do not comprehend the true severity and ugliness of my sin, I do view myself as an awful sinner. If God somehow saw fit to save me, then by logic, others are just as deserving. However, God does not work that way. If he did, none of us would be saved because we all deserve death for our sin. It is purely by God's grace and favor that I have been saved. This vessel that was destined for dishonorable use, was transformed by God into one for an honorable use.

Hopefully this makes sense. It follows logically in my head, but then again it is 1AM. I plan to revisit this post in the near future to try to clear up any uncertainties. In the meantime, please leave comments or questions if you have any. Peace.