When I was very small, two or three years old perhaps, my mother would put me in a play pen on the back lawn, under a tree, and give me sweet slices of fresh peach. As I grew up, she always tried to have a ripe white peach from the garden for me on my birthday in early May in southern California. Peaches are still my favorite fruit. And my earliest memory is of sun through leaves, of that sweet moment of anticipation.
We finally come to the most familiar section of the 149 verses of Galatians.
This is part that is used for self examination & judging others as far spiritual/Christian authenticity.
I will be guest preaching again this week. The title of the sermon=“UNCHURCH-Life Enrichment Center”. The theme is basically to counter the inept, shallow teaching that is often presented in sermons like that in the quote above.
Whose effort?
"…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; " Phil 2:12
Galatians 5:13-24.Paul says we have been called to live in Freedom, but Freedom is not to be used to satisfy the wants of one’s sinful nature. Freedom is to be used in service to one another in love [In other parts-- showing love to one another is the Fulfilling of the Law] The Spirit gives us Desires that are Opposite to the desires of our human nature. Consequently both of these Desires within are are constantly warring.
In verses 19,20 Paul lists the EMOTIONAL Desires of our Human Nature.The “I WANT” and “I DO because I want”. These Emotional Desires are – CHILDISH, ADOLESCENT, IMMATURE – in behavior. And most of them will CAUSE HARM to others – the opposite of Love.
In verses 22,23 Paul lists ADULT, MATURE behaviors. These Behaviors are Based on CHOICES a person makes. I CHOOSE to have Joy [not happiness].Paul said he had JOY in prison. Jesus experienced JOY going to His awful death. I CHOOSE to Love. Love IS a Choice. I CHOOSE to have Peace when everything around me is falling apart. I CHOOSE to be PATIENT with God, with those in my everyday contacts. I CHOOSE to be Kind to Myself, to Others, to those I DON’T like. I CHOOSE to be GOOD. I CHOOSE to be FAITHFUL in the tasks I have to do for Myself, God, Others. I CHOOSE to be GENTLE – NOT forcing myself and my ideas on others. I CHOOSE to have Self-Control. To be aware of What I do, What I say both in speech and body language. It is ME watching ME.
Notice in Verse 24, Paul says we have taken our PASSIONS [our Emotional Wants] and Desires [our Immaturity] and with going through the PAINFUL PROCESS of giving them up, Nail them to Our Cross.
Crucifixion is a painful process, a VERY SLOW process of dying in a lot of PAIN and Discomfort.
Some of these GIVING UP completely may take a Life-Time of WORK.
But, this is the Road to Perfection. A Journey. A Walk.
And, we have to be Generous to others in their Journey, their Walk. Everyone stumbles, trips, falls, skinned nose, skinned hands, elbows, skinned knees. We have to offer 1st Aid to those around us when that happens. Assist the getting “back up”.
As one of my favorite people, Richard Rohr, says, It is in Multiple Falling that we LEARN to get up.