Romans 3:19-20, what is the actual purpose of the moral laws of God? Many people falsely believe that the law of God is a ladder that you climb to reach heaven, they think that if they can just obey enough rules, God will have to accept them, but Paul says the exact opposite, the law is not a ladder you climb to save yourself. The law is a heavyweight that completely crushes pride, the purpose of the law is to stop every single mouth from speaking, the whole entire world stands completely guilty before God, this is why nobody can ever be justified by doing the deeds of the law.
Galatians 5:19-21, Paul ends this list with a stern warning, Galatians 5:21, this does not mean that a believer loses their salvation if they get angry or have a bad thought, the key phrase is those who live like this, it refers to a lifestyle, it refers to someone who practices these things habitually with no repentance and no struggle. Look at that list, do you say, that is my life and I don’t care, then you have a serious problem, it may be evidence that the Holy Spirit is not in you. After Paul shows you the ugly chaos that the flesh produces, Paul paints a portrait of what a life looks like when God is in control. Galatians 5:22-23, Paul uses nine beautiful words to describe the character of a believer, there are several brilliant things about this list. First, notice the word fruit is singular, not plural, it is not fruits of the Holy Spirit.
You do not get to pick and choose, you cannot say, I am going to have joy, but I am not going to do patience, you cannot specialize in faithfulness, but ignore kindness. The fruit is one package, it is the character of Jesus Christ, when the Holy Spirit grows in you, all of these thing grow together. Galatians 5:22-23, look closely at what these words mean, because your culture has watered them down, Paul starts with love, which is not just a feeling, but a decision to seek the best for another person, even at a cost to yourself. Then, there is joy, this is different from happiness, because happiness depends on what happens, while joy depends on who you know, it is a deep sense of well-being that remains, even when life is hard. Peace follows and this is not just the absence of war, it is wholeness, a calm assurance that God is in control, which allows you to sleep in a storm.
Forbearance or patience, literally means, being long-tempered, it is the ability to suffer a long time with difficult people without blowing up, essentially having a long fuse. Kindness describes a tender concern for others and is the opposite of being harsh or abrasive. Goodness refers to moral excellence, being a person of integrity who does the right thing, even when no one is looking. Faithfulness means being reliable, it describes a person who keeps their promises, shows up when they say they will and remains loyal. Gentleness is often misunderstood as weakness, but it represents power under control, having the strength to hurt someone, but choosing to handle them with care. Self-control is the mastery over your own desires, it is the ability to say no to your feelings, when they lead to destruction.
Galatians 5:19-21, Paul ends this list with a stern warning, Galatians 5:21, this does not mean that a believer loses their salvation if they get angry or have a bad thought, the key phrase is those who live like this, it refers to a lifestyle, it refers to someone who practices these things habitually with no repentance and no struggle. Look at that list, do you say, that is my life and I don’t care, then you have a serious problem, it may be evidence that the Holy Spirit is not in you. After Paul shows you the ugly chaos that the flesh produces, Paul paints a portrait of what a life looks like when God is in control. Galatians 5:22-23, Paul uses nine beautiful words to describe the character of a believer, there are several brilliant things about this list. First, notice the word fruit is singular, not plural, it is not fruits of the Holy Spirit.
You do not get to pick and choose, you cannot say, I am going to have joy, but I am not going to do patience, you cannot specialize in faithfulness, but ignore kindness. The fruit is one package, it is the character of Jesus Christ, when the Holy Spirit grows in you, all of these thing grow together. Galatians 5:22-23, look closely at what these words mean, because your culture has watered them down, Paul starts with love, which is not just a feeling, but a decision to seek the best for another person, even at a cost to yourself. Then, there is joy, this is different from happiness, because happiness depends on what happens, while joy depends on who you know, it is a deep sense of well-being that remains, even when life is hard. Peace follows and this is not just the absence of war, it is wholeness, a calm assurance that God is in control, which allows you to sleep in a storm.
Forbearance or patience, literally means, being long-tempered, it is the ability to suffer a long time with difficult people without blowing up, essentially having a long fuse. Kindness describes a tender concern for others and is the opposite of being harsh or abrasive. Goodness refers to moral excellence, being a person of integrity who does the right thing, even when no one is looking. Faithfulness means being reliable, it describes a person who keeps their promises, shows up when they say they will and remains loyal. Gentleness is often misunderstood as weakness, but it represents power under control, having the strength to hurt someone, but choosing to handle them with care. Self-control is the mastery over your own desires, it is the ability to say no to your feelings, when they lead to destruction.