Lesson 400 - Senior
Memory Verse
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22, 23).
Cross References
I Works or Fruit?
1. The spiritual life is free from the works of the flesh, [GAL:5:16-18]; [ROM:8:1-2]; Psalm 1.
2. The works of the flesh will keep one out of Heaven, [GAL:5:19-21]; Jude 14-15; [PS:9:17].
3. The unimpeachable fruit of the Spirit is the result of walking in the Spirit, [GAL:5:22-26]; I Corinthians 13.
II Sowing and Reaping
1. Seeds of gentleness, long-suffering, goodness and love, sown in meekness, temperance and faith, bring forth joy and peace, [GAL:6:1-5]; [2PE:1:4-8].
2. Sharing is a Christian duty, [GAL:6:6], [GAL:6:10]; [MAT:10:40-42]; [PRO:19:17]; [1CO:9:7-19].
3. The harvest is inevitable, [GAL:6:7-9]; [JER:17:9-10]; [MAT:16:25-26].
Notes
Walk in the Spirit
When one is converted, he is born of the Spirit. But birth is only a beginning. Walking in the Spirit is necessary in order to maintain spiritual life. Jesus taught a way of self-denial. Paul testified that he kept his body under. Although salvation rids us of sin, and sanctification removes the Adamic nature, still we are human, and subject to temptation. Daily consecration is the answer to successfully walking in the Spirit. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" [ROM:8:14]). If we are led by the Spirit, we are overcomers. The works of the flesh are kept out.
Carnality
"The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" [ROM:8:7]). In the unsaved person there is a constant warfare between the conscience and the carnal mind. If one listens to the voice of conscience it leads him to repentance. Repentance is a change of mind and if conscientiously pursued leads to salvation, which removes the carnal mind.
The terms, Adamic, carnal, or sinful are synonymous when referring to the unsanctified heart. This carnal nature is given a deathblow and is held in subjection when one is saved. Before one is sanctified, this nature will at times try to assert itself. Through faith, prayer, and consecration an instantaneous experience of sanctification can be obtained. This experience is the complete destruction of the carnal nature.
The carnal mind is destroyed at salvation, the Adamic or carnal nature at sanctification, but this does not entirely end the conflict. Sanctified people can still be tempted; there is still a tempter from without. We are still human and there remains a self-life, which must be yielded to God. Every earthly desire and ambition must be subjected to the leading of the Spirit and consecrated to God. This is where self-denial, keeping our bodies under and dying daily, come in, which are necessary to spiritual life.
The Manifestation of Sin
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper" are the words of the Almighty. Adam, Achan, Ananias and Sapphira attempted it; in fact, from the beginning of time until the present day, men have tried to hide their sins. "The works of the flesh are manifest"; they crop up like weeds in a garden -" ugly, undesirable, and hideous, but they are there. The works of the flesh are the result of an unregenerated heart. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" [JER:17:9]).
Without the blotting out of sin through the Blood of Jesus, the works of the flesh will be there and they will be manifest. "A good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh" [LUK:6:43-45]).
Works of Flesh
Although divorce and remarriage while the first companion still lives is legal in civil courts, and is commonly practised, Jesus said, "Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her" [MAK:10:11]). This sin is the first of a long list of the works of the flesh of which it is said, "They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Fruit
There is a diversity of gifts of the Spirit. God may give to one the gift of prophecy and to another the gift of discerning of spirits, but the fruit of the Spirit is different. It is here portrayed as one fruit made up of the various elements such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. For instance: an orange contains water, sugar, fibre, acid, iron and other elements, which are a part of the whole orange. A person who is born of the Spirit of God possesses a portion of all the elements of the fruit of the Spirit. As he goes deeper in Christ the purging process takes place in order that he may bring forth more fruit, but it is the same kind of fruit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. If one is lacking in any of these attributes, he is lacking in the Spirit of God. A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. We possess no more of the Spirit of God than is displayed in times of provocation. As Christians we must be constantly submitting ourselves to the chastening of God that we may be "pruned" as vines or trees, in order to produce "fruit."
Correction
If a man be overtaken in a fault it is the place of a spiritual person to correct him in a spirit of meekness. A man destitute of the Spirit might recognise the fault and try to correct it, but only aggravate the condition.
Seedtime and Harvest
God promised Noah right after the Flood: "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" [GEN:8:22]). Just that sure is the law of sowing and reaping. If we sow to the flesh we shall of the flesh reap corruption. This is true not only of the baser sins of life as mentioned in [GAL:5:19-21]; but also in the case of the farmer who decided to tear down his barns and build greater ones. He lived for himself and was not rich toward God. (See [LUK:12:16-21].) Many sinners who shun the grosser sins of life and work hard to better their position in the world are still sowing to the flesh and neglecting their spiritual life. "All that is in the world, . . . is not of the Father" ([1JN:2:16]). The material things of this life that men work so hard to obtain will pass away. Even this physical body, which men labour to preserve will go back to corruption. Only that which is spiritual shall remain. Won't you start today to spend more time sowing to the Spirit in order that you might of the Spirit reap life everlasting?
"Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Even though the benefits of sowing to the Spirit are not fully reaped today, the harvest is certain. Amid all the blight and corruption of this present world, who wants to store away much goods for many years? Is it not better to have our gold upon the streets of Heaven to enjoy than in a vault to corrupt? Is not fine linen, clean and white, more thrilling than moth-eaten purple? Wouldn't you rather have a mansion designed by the Architect of Creation than a house upon the earth? Sow to the Spirit and say with the Apostle Paul, "We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens [2CO:5:1]).
Questions
1. How can one keep from fulfilling the lust of the flesh?
2. What did Jesus class as adultery?
3. Can one enter Heaven who manifests the works of the flesh?
4. What are the qualifications given for restoring a brother overtaken in a fault?
5. What happens when a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing?
6. How can a man prove his own work?
7. What is the harvest of one who sows to the flesh? To the Spirit?
8. What are we told to do if we have the opportunity? [GAL:6:10]).
9. How can one walk in the Spirit?
10. What have those who are Christ's done concerning the lusts of the flesh?