Sunday School Lesson

1. Galatians 5:13-25
True Fruit
“Keeping In Step With The Spirit”
October 7, 2018
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

2. What’s the number one thing?
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3. The Glory of God!
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4. 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it
all for the glory of God.
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5. October Memory Verses
Matthew 6:19-21 NIV
Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break
in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and
where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

6. References
•Stott, John R. W., The Message of Galatians
(Leiccester, England, Inter-Varsity Press, 1968).
•Barker, Kenneth, The NIV Study Bible 1985 (Grand
Rapids, Zondervan, 1985).
•MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Study Bible
(Nashville, Nelson Publishing, 1997).

7. Introduction to Galatians
•Paul is writing to the churches in Galatia (Turkey) that
were formed during his 1st missionary journey.
•Paul was writing to address the false teachings that
were being promoted in the churches.
•Paul was defending his apostleship (directly taught by
Jesus) from those trying to discredit his gospel
message.

8. The Problem in the Galatian Churches – False
Teachers
•Judaizers – Jewish Christians who believed that Jewish
ceremonial practices of the OT were still binding on
the NT church.
•These false teachers said Gentiles had to convert to a
form of Judaism to become Christians.
•Circumcision was one of the main requirements the
Judaizers were teaching.

9. The Common Denominator in False Teachings
•Faith alone, in Christ alone, for salvation is not
enough.
• Man must somehow contribute to his own salvation.
•All false teachings have components of “salvation by
works” in their teachings.
•By your obedience to the law, you yourself must finish
what Christ has begun.

10. Summary of Galatians 1-4:
All people are in one of two categories spiritually.
UNDER THE LAW
• Salvation by works.
• Doing good deeds.
• Following OT laws.
• Trying to be good enough.
• A dead-end path to God.
• In bondage (slave) to sin.
IN CHRIST
• Faith in Christ alone.
• Imputation.
• My sins transferred to
Christ and Christ’s
righteousness transferred
to me.
• The only path to God.
• Christian freedom.

11. Galatians 5:13-15 NIV “Christian Freedom”
13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not
use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather,
serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed
up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as
yourself.” 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each
other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
•Note the contrast in verses 14 and 15.

12. What is Christian Freedom?
1. It is not freedom to sin, but freedom from sin.
2. It is not freedom to exploit my neighbor, but
freedom to serve my neighbor.
3. It is not freedom to disregard the law, but freedom
to obey the law out of love.

13. Introduction to Galatians 5:16-25
•Next, Paul presents the Christian life of freedom as
one of an ongoing conflict with choices to make.
•Every Christian battle is “our sinful nature” vs. “living
by the Spirit.”
•It is a battle of “living for self” vs. “living for Christ.”

14. Galatians 5:16-18 NIV
16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the
desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature
desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit
what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in
conflict with each other, so that you do not do what
you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not
under the law.
•Note Verse 17: You have the power to make a choice.

15. Defining the Terms
• Spirit – The Holy Spirit; the Spirit of Christ indwells every
believer when you accept Christ by faith as Savior.
• Galatians 4:6 NIV
6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son
into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
• The Spirit helps us live for and like Christ.
• John 14:25-26 NIV
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the
Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in
my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of
everything I have said to you.”

16. •Footnote on Holy Spirit
•Cessationism – “spiritual gifts” from the Holy Spirit
for speaking in tongues, prophecy and healing
ceased in the apostolic age.
•While God still performs miracles today, the Holy
Spirit no longer uses individuals to perform
miraculous signs.

17. Defining the Terms
•Sinful Nature – The nature (tendency) we inherited
from Adam that drives us to live for ourselves, which
is contrary to God’s laws.
•“flesh” – In NKJV and ESV translations means all
sinful desires of our fallen nature not just fleshly lust.
•Satan uses this sinful nature to lead us into sin.

18. Sin entered the world through Adam.
•Romans 5:12-13a NIV
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one
man, and death through sin, and in this way death
came to all men, because all sinned – 13a for before the
law was given, sin was in the world.

20. Satan’s Worldly Tricks:
3 Areas (Lust of Flesh, Lust of Eyes, Pride of Life).
• Genesis 3:6 NIV
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good
for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for
gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave
some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
• 1 John 2:16 NIV
16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man,
the lust of the eyes, and the boasting of what he has and
does—comes not from the Father but from the world.

21. “led by the Spirit”
•“led” – a passive term meaning we are the follower,
not the leader.
•As our leader, the Spirit takes the initiative.
•The Spirit puts gentle pressure upon us, and we
should yield to His control and direction.

22. Galatians 5:19-21 NIV
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual
immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and
witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish
ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy;
drunkenness, orgies and the like. I warn you, as I did
before, that those who live like this will not inherit the
kingdom of God.

23. Four Realms of Our Sinful Nature
1. Sex – sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery (excessive
indulgence, indecency).
• Any sexual activity outside of marriage.
2. Religion – idolatry, witchcraft (tampering with the
powers of evil).
3. Society – hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish
ambition, dissensions, factions (Breakdown of personal
relationships).
4. Drink – drunkenness, orgies (impaired behavior).
• “and the like” – The list in Galatians 5 is not
exhaustive.

24. Galatians 5:21b NIV
21b I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like
this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
•“live like this” – prassontes (Greek) is the habitual
practice rather than an isolated relapse.
•A lifestyle of habitual sin gives evidence to fact that
they are not in Christ.

25. Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, 23 goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-
control. Against such things there is no law.
•The fruit of the Spirit: One fruit with many flavors.
•The function of the law is to serve as a mirror to show
us sin.
•There is no sin in the fruit of the Spirit.

26. One fruit with many flavors.

27. Nine Christian Virtues which portray a
Christian’s attitude.
Triad of general Christian virtues that are directed
Godward (Vertical relationship):
1. Love (agape) – Our first love is our love for God.
2. Joy – Our chief joy is our joy in God.
3. Peace – Our deepest peace is peace with God.

28. Nine Christian Virtues which portray a
Christian’s attitude.
Triad of social virtues (directed toward fellow man –
our horizontal relationships):
4. Patience – Longsuffering with others.
5. Kindness – Kind toward others.
6. Goodness – Doing good for others.

29. Nine Christian Virtues which portray a
Christian’s attitude.
Triad of virtues that are directed toward self (Inward):
7. Faithfulness – Reliability.
8. Gentleness – Humble meekness, not prideful.
9. Self-control – Not selfish freedom.

30. Galatians 5:24-25 NIV
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the
sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we
live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
•Paul gives 2 clues for living a victorious Christian life.

31. How can a Christian have a victorious life?
1. Crucify our sinful nature (flesh).
2. Keep in step (walk) with the Spirit.

32. 1. Crucify our sinful nature (flesh).
•This is something done by us, and not to us.
•Paul uses the image of crucifixion to explain this
denial of self.
•Jesus describes this.
•Mark 8:34 NIV
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his
disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me,
he must deny himself and take up his cross and
follow me.”

33. Why such a graphic and vivid description of
our sinful nature’s execution?
1. A Christian’s rejection of his sinful nature is to be
merciless (Satan’s goal for you was death!).
2. The rejection of your sinful nature will be painful
(it does not go down without a fight).
3. The rejection of our sin nature is to be decisive
(we must nail it to the cross and leave it there).

34. A quote from John Brown on crucifying our
sinful nature.
•“Crucifixion produced death not suddenly but
gradually…True Christians do not succeed in
completely destroying the sinful nature while here
below; but they have fixed it to the cross, and they
are determined to keep it there till it expire.”
•An Exposition of the Epistle to the Galatians by John
Brown, 1853.

35. Luke records that Jesus said this is a daily and
ongoing task.
•Luke 9:23 NIV
23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come
after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross
daily and follow me.”

36. 2. Keep in step (walk) with the Spirit.
•Verse 18 says we are “led by the Spirit.”
•Verse 25 says we must “keep in step (walk) with the
Spirit.”
•It is the Spirit who does the leading, and we who do
the following (keeping in step).

37. “Keeping In Step”

38. How do you keep in step with the Spirit?
1. Become Heavenly-Minded.
•Colossians 3:1-2
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set
your hearts on things above, where Christ is
seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds
on things above, not on earthly things.

39. How do you keep in step with the Spirit?
2. Become Holiness-Minded.
•Colossians 3:5, 8 NIV
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to
your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity,
lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such
things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and
filthy language from your lips.

40. How do you keep in step with the Spirit?
3. Become Christ-Minded.
• Colossians 3:12-14 NIV
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly
loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each
other and forgive whatever grievances you may have
against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds
them all together in perfect unity.

41. King David’s Plan for Keeping In Step with the
Spirit.
Psalm 37:3-7 NIV
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord,
and He will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord,
trust in Him, and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
7 Be still (Rest) before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
• Notice the actions and progression of the steps Trust,
Delight, Commit & Be still (Rest).

42. Are you spiritually out of step and out of
balance?

43. Isaiah’s Formula for Keeping In Step with the
Spirit.
Isaiah 30:15 NIV
15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of
Israel, says:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,”

44. “In repentance and rest is your salvation,”
•Goal is salvation – restoration, recovery, balance.
•Step 1 = Repentance – allow Spirit to expose your
sinful attitude and acts; then confess and repent.
•Step 2 = Rest – stillness, physical & mental retreat.
•Psalm 46:10a NIV
10a He says, “Be still and know that I am God;”

45. “in quietness and trust is your strength,”
•Goal is Strength – refocused, stamina, perseverance.
•Step 3 = Quietness – less noise and distractions in life.
•Step 4 = Trust.
•Proverbs 3:5 NIV
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding;

46. Isaiah describes the response of the Spirit
when you are in step.
Isaiah 30:19b-21 NIV
19b How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As
soon as he hears you, he will answer you. 20 Although
the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water
of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with
your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn
to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice
behind you saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

47. Summary Verse of Lesson Today
Romans 15:13
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as
you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.

48. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
John 3:16 NIV
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life.”
John 14:6 NIV
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through Me.”

49. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 3:23 NIV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a NIV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life
to pay the penalty for our sin.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the “second death”
explained in Revelation 21:8.

50. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Revelation 21:8 NIV
8 “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers,
the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the
idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake
of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Romans 5:8 NIV
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we
were still sinners, Christ died for us.

51. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 6:23b NIV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7 NIV
7 “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God
and he will be My son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be overcomers.

52. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Romans 10:9-10 NIV
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in
your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are
justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith
and are saved.
Romans 10:13 NIV
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved.”

53. The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
Do you have questions or would you like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900
or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/