I Introduction
In Galatians 3:13–18, we see that the life of the Christian is a life of war. War between the sinful desires of the flesh and the new godly desires that the Spirit is creating in our hearts. A struggle between good and evil, between love for self and love for God, self-indulgence and self-sacrificial service. There is a war taking place in the heart of the Christian, a war that will continue until the day when Christ returns in glory. That wonderful day when our sinful natures are finally removed and we are given new resurrection bodies.
We look forward to the coming of Christ, but until then we remain in this place of conflicting desires. One day we want to honour and serve God, eager to be led by his Spirit. The next day we give ourselves to that which we know to be wrong and contrary to his commandments. How then can we make progress in this war? How can we come to a point where there are more days where we seek to honour God than not? Or to use the words of Paul from Galatians 5:16, how can we walk by the Spirit so that we will not gratify the desires of the flesh?
Commissioned by Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul wants to help us with the question. He wants to encourage us in the Christian life, so that we grow up into maturity. And when it comes to sanctification, when it comes to growth in godliness and holy living, he reminds us that it is first and foremost the work of Christ in us, and that we will make progress when understand the Spirit’s methods so as to keep in step with him.
II Sanctification is the work of Christ by his Spirit.
A Explain: What do Paul’s vice and virtue lists definitely not mean? (Given what he has said in Galatians 1:1—5:18)
B Explain: Why does Paul include lists of vices and virtues? What does he want to teach us thereby?
C Explain: Where does godliness come from? Whose work is it? How does it happen?
III The Spirit uses the preaching of God’s Word to change our desires and equip us for service.
A Explain: Why does Paul remind us of our conversion? What happened in our conversion happen?
B Explain: Can a Christian, someone who has the Spirit dwelling in their heart, continue to persevere in sin without repentance?
C Explain: Are we passive
in conversion? What does the Spirit do to our will? How does this help us to understand sanctification, what does the Spirit do in us?
D Explain/Apply: How do we come to faith? How do we grow in faith? Give examples and illustrations to make things clear.
E Explain/Apply: If the Spirit uses the preaching of Christ to grow us in faith, what does that mean about where we need to be week by week?
Concluding prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for our Lord Jesus Christ. That he has set us free from the demands of your law, rendering the obedience that we are unable to give, paying the penalty that our sins and failures deserve. Thank you that he has been given to us, we know that we do not deserve the precious gift of your Son. We deserve judgement and wrath but in him we have found mercy and love.
Thank you also that you have given us your Holy Spirit. That he dwells in our hearts, that he has made us alive where we were dead, and is at work this day, tomorrow and all the days to come, conforming us into the image of your Son. Thank you that he is changing our desires, bringing forth those wonderful fruit that Paul has told us about in your Word. Love, joy, peace, gentleness, and self-control: These are all virtues that we long to see more and more in our lives, not for our sake, but that Christ may be honoured and praised.
Please help us to pursue these virtues more and more. Would you make us strong for our fight against sin as we meditate on your Word and what you have done for us in Christ. In his name we pray, Amen.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,