“God’s Answer to the Sinful Nature”

(part 1)

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I ward you as I did before that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature- with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Galatians 5:19-25

As believers, there is a conflict that is happening within us between- “what the sinful nature desires” and “what the Spirit of God desires.” Galatians 5 gives us a vivid description of these “works of the flesh”…these attitudes and behaviors that cater to the desires of the sinful nature. Paul warns that this type of living- living to indulge the sinful nature- has eternal consequences:

“I warn you as I did before that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Galatians 5:21

As I meditated on this passage of Scripture, I was forced to stop and consider: “How do we, as believers, manage this conflict within us between the flesh and the Spirit? How do we respond when we are tempted? How do we react in times of trouble?”

God’s answer is found in Galatians 5:22-23:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law.”

The fruit of the Spirit is God’s response to the sinful nature. The fruit of the Spirit, do not simply reflect the character of God, but they are “responses.” Responses that gratify the Spirit of God! Just as the “works of the flesh” gratify the desire of the sinful nature, the fruit of the Spirit gratify the heart of God.

Galatians 5:24 says that: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passion and desires. Since we live by the Spirit let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Keeping in step with the Spirit is about managing conflict by consistently responding with the fruit of the Spirit. When we respond to temptation or trial by gratifying the flesh we get out of step with the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, after we have indulged the sinful nature and found ourselves out of step with God…we have somehow wrongly determined that “asking forgiveness” puts us back in step.
Notice from Galatians 5:22-23 that “asking forgiveness” is not a fruit of the Spirit.

Too many people suppose that asking forgiveness when they choose to indulge the sinful nature is as good as exercising the fruit of self-control from the start. When faced with temptations, they reason that the difficulty or their unwillingness to “exercise self-control” will be adequately covered by God’s Grace.

We have confused what it means to “ask forgiveness” with true repentance. Asking forgiveness simply acknowledges our remorse for having participated in the acts of the sinful nature. We are asking God to extend His mercy towards us. It calls for action on God’s part, but none on our own.

Repentance, however, calls for action on our part…to flee, forsake, and turn away from the fruitless deeds of darkness. Repentance brings us back in step with the Holy Spirit.





Pastor Scott Burr http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com