The Conflicts and Consolations of the Disciple

In our first time together, we considered the call of the disciple to put out into the

deep with Christ.

We then considered the course answering that call puts us upon one involving an ongoing

dying, yet also of the simultaneous upwelling of the life of Christ within us.

This morning, we want to take up another constant companion in our course as disciples, and that

is an inner conflict with which our experience is perpetually fraught.

And while I want to be soberly realistic as to this dread conflict, I want the accent to

fall upon the hope we have that even in this fierce inner fray, our Lord Christ has given

us provision that we might not finally succumb, but rather prevail.

To speak of an inner conflict is to speak of a reality with which every disciple is intimately

familiar.

The Apostle Paul depicts this conflict forthrightly in Galatians 5.

And that is where we will put in.

Here is how he describes it.

Turn there, if you would.

Galatians 5, picking up in verse 17.

What's going on here?

How does this conflict play out?

Well, when we choose one course of action, say something good or right, then our sinful

desires, the desires of our fallen humanity, oppose.

Alternately, when, alas, we have a mind to do something wrong, the spirit opposes, the indwelling

spirit.

Perhaps you experience this conflict this very morning, 7 a.m. snug in your warm bed.

You awaken to your alarm, which you deliberately set early, reflecting your holy desire to make

it to Sunday school this semester, as was your ambition.

You start to get up accordingly.

That is, about to do the thing that you please.

Suddenly, your flesh opposes you, so that you would not do it.

That is, not do your spiritual pleasure.

You are, says the flesh.

Really?

Are you really going to get up?

Oh, but you're so exhausted.

You were reading that Page Turner spy novel last night, and you didn't get to bed till

1 a.m.

You're awfully tired.

Why don't you just take a miss this one morning?

There will be plenty more.

One morning can't hurt.

You'll catch up next time.

Besides, if you get up now, you'll be so tired, you'll probably embarrass yourself by

falling asleep at the church service, the worship service.

You wouldn't want to be nodding off then.

So, a little more shut-eye, and you'll be able to stave off, nodding off.

All right, so now, you are about to roll over and fall back asleep.

That is, do the thing you please in fleshly esteem.

Then, the spirit opposes you.

That is, opposes your now prevailing fleshly pleasure.

Suddenly, you feel convicted.

What am I doing?

I resolved this semester to attend Sunday school.

I want my life to show some spiritual harvest.

And, I think this would be a good way to sow to it.

In the final clause of verse 17,

So that you may not do the things you please.

That describes the outcome of the conflict.

Not simply the result of one or other force, whether flesh or spirit, prevailing.

Sometimes, not doing as we are a mind to represents the spirit's victory.

Other times, alas, it indicates the flesh prevailing.

It all depends upon what or whom we allow ourselves to be persuaded by.

I wonder if you've ever experienced this kind of thing.

Which of us does not know this conflict?

Now, I want you to take, for a moment,

The most grueling, fleshly enticement.

Self-pity or self-assertion.

Anger or anxiety.

Lust or laziness.

Pride or possessiveness.

Fear or fury.

And recall the dread struggle.

Is it not an experience of ferocity?

Can we not at times feel as if in the throes of a Jekyll and Hyde tale?

You recall the chilling description of the moral conflict within,

which Robert Louis Stevenson gives us in his classic.

The parallel was suggested by an old mentor of mine.

Dr. Jekyll, a respectable London physician,

in the course of research,

discovers a drug which transmogrifies him

into a repulsive, malevolent dwarf.

Hyde.

And Hyde performs all kinds of immoral and abominable acts.

Yet for all of Jekyll's shame and disgust at these deeds,

he finds himself incorrigibly addicted to his alter ego.

And the more often he yields to the drug,

the more difficult to regain his virtuous identity afterwards.

Eventually, the evil side of his personality so dominates

that he becomes permanently wedded to the character of Hyde,

finally destroying himself after many a heinous crime,

a dramatic and dreadful inner conflict.

Interestingly, judging from some of the author's correspondence,

it is not unlikely that Stevenson intended his story

as an allegorical commentary on this very verse of Paul.

Well, if so, and if he got it right,

so much for our hoped-for hopeful accent.

Will Hyde, in the end, destroy Jekyll?

Will the deeds of the flesh,

the very unglorious catalog of verses 19 through 21,

be the prevalent display?

Sometimes I can sure feel this way.

But not according to Paul.

And this is why this passage brings mighty encouragement.

So for all of Paul's sympathy

with the power and inveteracy of the flesh,

all of the sinful desires of our fallen humanity,

the apostle in this passage

is notwithstanding optimistic.

Notice that it opens with a reassuring promise.

Surely one of the most wonderful promises

of the whole Bible.

Do you see it there, verse 16?

Walk by the Spirit

and you will not carry out

the desire of the flesh.

If you have the NIV,

it dissolves this promise

by making it a second imperative.

In other words, a command.

But that's not the way to translate it.

It's a promise.

It's a promise.

You see, it is for us,

as disciples of Jesus,

no longer a conflict

of Jekyll versus Hyde.

That was the old war

before we were believers.

And that was a losing battle.

But now,

it is Jekyll plus the Holy Spirit

versus Hyde.

And with the Spirit,

the balance of power

in the inner war

has been decisively altered.

And this battle,

we can win

and we shall win.

But how?

That's what we need to know.

What is the way of victory?

How do we overcome

the dark acts of the flesh,

clamoring to be indulged?

And instead,

begin to bear the fruit

of the Spirit.

That glory display

of the character of Christ

that's cataloged there

from verse 22 on.

What is the dynamic?

Surely,

there are few questions

more vitally practical

for the Christian.

And Paul gives us the answer

in this passage.

And though challenging

to apply,

I think it's probably

simple to grasp.

And I want us

to apply ourselves

to grasping it.

So let's pray.

Lord,

we thank you

that you have given us

every good thing we need

for doing your will.

That you have given us

all that we need

for life and godliness

in your scriptures.

And that you can take

these truths

and you can make them real

and animate them for us

by your Spirit.

Would you do that?

That we might

begin to display

this wonderful glory

that is the character

of Christ.

So we ask for this aid

with confidence

that you will give us

it

as our good shepherd

in Jesus' name.

Okay,

here it is

in a nutshell.

Team,

for victory

in this battle,

we must

maintain

both

toward

the flesh

and the Spirit

a right attitude

or posture

or disposition.

Namely,

in the Apostle's words,

we must

first

crucify

the flesh

and we must

walk

by the Spirit.

Okay?

Let's look at each

of these vital aspects

in turn.

So for one,

we must

crucify

the flesh.

Verse 24,

those who belong

to Christ

have

crucified

the flesh.

Notice the tense

there,

have

crucified.

This crucifixion

is something

that took place

for us

in the past.

So when did we,

described as

those who belong

to Christ,

when did we

crucify

the flesh?

Well,

at our conversion,

when we repented

and we believed

in Christ,

it was then

that we,

by faith,

were united

to Christ

and so shared

in His

crucifixion.

It was then

that we were

incorporated

into His,

Christ's,

death

and resurrection.

As Paul

previously told

the Galatians

in 2.20,

I have been

crucified

with Christ.

So both

2.20,

which I just quoted,

I have been

crucified with Christ

and chapter

5.24

refer to the

same event.

But,

and this is

vitally important,

don't miss this,

there's a crucial

difference between

2.20

and 5.24.

Although they refer

to the same event,

they're looking

at it

from different

angles.

Notice

that Galatians

2.20

is passive.

I have

been

crucified

with Christ.

Okay?

I have been

crucified.

It happened

to me.

But here,

in 5.24,

it is

active.

Do you see

that?

Here,

crucifixion

is not

done

to us,

but

by us.

Do you see

that?

It is

we ourselves

who are said

to have

crucified

the flesh.

How

was this

so?

Well,

when we came

to Christ,

we repented,

we put to

death

everything

that we knew

to be wrong,

we radically

renounced

fellowship

with sin,

we took

our old

self-centered

selves,

all its

sinful

passions

and desires,

and we

nailed it

to the

cross.

That's

what we

did.

Probably,

our promise

at our

baptism

gave verbal

expression

to this

turning

from

a life

of following

sin

to a

life

of following

Christ.

Christ.

Now,

in describing

the Christian's

relation to

her flesh

as that

of crucifixion,

Paul is

borrowing

Jesus'

metaphor.

It was

he that

originated

this

metaphor.

You

recall,

he says

in Mark

8,

34,

if anyone

would follow

me,

they must

deny

themselves

and take

up their

cross.

Okay,

crucifixion.

And the

cross was

the Lord's

figure of

self-denial,

a crucifying

of self.

Now,

when anyone

was seen

taking up

a cross,

there was

no question

as to

what was

happening.

That was

very clear.

Execution.

That was

the point

of it.

And Paul

is making

the same

point here.

Taking

up the

cross

means

that we

need to

make sure

that an

execution

takes place.

And that

is the

Christian's

posture

toward the

flesh,

their flesh,

crucifixion.

Okay,

now,

these days,

I hope I

may safely

say that

we haven't

witnessed

a live

crucifixion.

Not so

for those

in Jesus'

and Paul's

day.

People

would have

seen

crucifixion.

Hence,

for them,

the

grisly

power

of this

metaphor.

What did

it

communicate?

Let me

draw this

out.

And the

late

John

Stott

is very

helpful in

his commentary

on this

stuff,

too.

So,

for one,

crucifixion

was

pitiless.

Pitiless.

It was

not a

pleasant

form of

execution

for the

nice and

the refined.

It was

reserved for

the worst

of criminals.

If you

were a

Roman citizen,

couldn't do

this.

No,

this is

too

terrible.

And that's

how our

flesh is

to be

treated.

We are

to show

it no

courtesy

or deference.

It is

so

flagitious

that it

deserves no

better fate

than to be

crucified.

Also

significant to

the metaphor,

crucifixion

was

painful

and so

also

will be

our

rejection

of our

flesh.

Who

does not

know

the acute

pain,

even

anguish

of the

inner

conflict

when the

fleeting

pleasures

of sin

are

renounced?

You

remember

Augustine's

cry,

Oh,

Lord,

give me

chastity.

Just not

yet.

Just not

yet.

Or what's

that wonderful

part in

Lewis's

great

divorce.

Remember

when that

habit,

that terrible

fleshly

habit that

is dominated

and the

angel is

saying,

can I

kill it?

And that

habit sitting

on the

shoulder,

oh,

you can't

kill me,

don't,

no,

oh,

think of

what it

will be

to be

without

me,

no,

I

comfort

you,

oh,

I

bring

you

such

pleasure,

don't

kill

me,

can I

kill

it?

Oh,

no,

you

can't,

the

anguish

is terrible.

That's

what it's

to crucify

these things.

And also,

part of the

metaphor as

well,

crucifixion

was decisive.

No one

who saw

someone nailed

to a

cross

queried,

you know,

I wonder

what the

outcome of

this will

be.

No,

no,

although

death by

crucifixion

was a

lingering

death,

it was

a certain

death.

Everyone

knew

criminals

nailed to

a cross

did not

survive.

they were

left there

to die.

And so

it is

and must

be with

our

flesh.

Now,

it is

true

that the

crucifying

of our

flesh

produces

death,

not

suddenly,

typically,

rather

gradually.

In fact,

we never

succeed in

completely

killing it

off in

this life.

But,

we fixed

it to

the cross

and we

are

determined

to keep

it there

until it

expires.

It's

interesting

that soldiers

were placed

on the

scene of

the execution

to guard

the victim

and their

job was to

prevent anyone

rushing up

and taking

them down

from the

cross.

So,

at least

until the

felon was

completely

dead.

God,

and so

it is

with

Christians.

We have

put,

when we

came to

Christ,

we have

put our

flesh on

the cross.

We

crucified

it at

our

conversion.

This

was a

decisive

action

in the

past.

But,

that

decisive

action in

the past

involves

the

ongoing

duty

of

keeping

the

flesh

on

the

cross.

We

need to

leave it

there

to die.

And,

it will

be a

lingering

death.

Life

long.

Now,

this

requires

of us

a daily,

moment

by moment,

continuous

attitude

toward our

flesh

of

ruthless

and

uncompromising

rejection.

As

Jesus

said,

take up

your

cross,

daily.

Daily.

That is,

each and

every day.

No half

holidays or

holidays or

long weekends

for the

flesh.

We can't

do it.

No.

However

painful to

experience,

we must

show our

flesh no

pity.

However

much it

pleads,

screams,

petitions,

no

mercy.

This

must be

our

policy.

daily

draconianism.

Okay?

And this

daily

reassertion

of our

crucifixion,

decisively

begun at

conversion,

is

absolutely

vital

in this

terrible

contest.

We

cannot,

having once

nailed our

flesh to

the cross,

wistfully

return to

the scene

of execution

and there

begin to

fondle and

caress the

flesh and

long for

its release

or maybe

even try to

take it down

from the

cross just

for a little

bit.

So how

does all

this play

out

practically?

Okay?

When some

jealous

or proud

or malicious

or lustful

thought or

suggestion

invades our

minds,

we must

banish it

at once,

instantly

exile it,

give it not

a moment's

refuge.

We cannot

be an

abetter

to a

condemned

criminal.

And it's

fatal to

Parley

to begin

to examine

it and

consider

whether or

not we

might give

in.

No,

no.

I mean,

imagine

Joseph

responding to

Potiphar's

wife's

proposition.

Well,

run that

by me

again.

What

particularly

did you

have in

mind?

Yeah,

good luck,

buddy.

No,

no.

We have

declared

war on

the flesh.

We cannot

resume

negotiations.

The issue

is settled

and cannot

be reopened.

We have

crucified

the flesh

and we

are never

going to

draw the

nails.

So this

is the

posture

that we

must

maintain

unflaggingly,

indefatigably,

incorrigibly

toward our

flesh.

If we

are to

experience

victory

in this

crucial

campaign.

If we

are ever

to see

glory

begin to

dawn and

show its

radiant

beauty

in our

lives,

the likes

of that

wonderful

catalog of

fruit

that we

see there.

But

there is

an

indispensable,

a second

prong to

this

strategy.

Namely,

the

attitude

or posture

that we

must

maintain

in relation

to the

indwelling

Holy Spirit.

Okay?

So,

we must

walk by

the Spirit.

And we

saw that

this was

pivotal to

that promise

there in

verse 16.

Walk by

the Spirit

and you

will not

carry out

the desire

of the

flesh.

And the

phrase occurs

again in

verse 25

there.

If we

live by

the Spirit,

let us

also

walk by

the Spirit.

Okay?

Here the

Spirit is

first described

as the

source and

sustaining

power of

the believer's

life.

We live

by the

Spirit,

then as

the

regulative

principle

of the

believer's

life.

Walk

by the

Spirit.

So,

the exhortation

here is

this.

Since,

and that

probably

better renders

the if

for the

condition

is assumed

to be

true,

since

the Spirit

is the

source of

our life,

let the

Spirit also

direct the

course of

our life.

So,

how does

this play

out?

Well,

it plays

out in

terms of

a posture

that we

adopt in

relation to

the Holy

Spirit.

And the

requisite

posture is

described in

this passage

in two

ways.

First,

it is to

be led

by the

Spirit,

verse 18,

led by

the Spirit.

Second,

it is to

walk by

the Spirit,

verses 16

and 18.

Sorry,

no,

16 and 25.

Yeah,

16 and 25.

In each of

these expressions

in the Greek,

Spirit is

positioned first

in word

order for

emphasis,

implying that

the Spirit

is the

key to

this

process.

And the

verbs are

both

continuous,

implying the

need for

this to

be happening

on an

ongoing

basis,

not just

episodic,

has to be

ongoing.

And so

much those

phrases have

in common.

But there

is a

critical

distinction

between

being led

by the

Spirit

and walking

by the

Spirit.

Notice that

the former

is passive

and the

latter is

active.

In other

words,

it is the

Spirit who

does the

leading,

but we

who do

the walking.

So first

then,

we are

led by

the Spirit.

That is,

the Spirit

here takes

the initiative,

he forms

within us,

the indwelling

Spirit forms

within us,

holy and

heavenly desires,

and he puts

gentle

pressure on

us to

yield to

his direction.

As, for

example, we

speculated may

have happened

at 7 a.m.

this morning

when the

Holy Spirit

awakened you

and gently

prompted you

perhaps to

recall your

ambition to

make it to

Sunday school

this semester.

Just gently

prompted you

with that

recognition.

And then

perhaps reminded

you gently

that you

desire a

spiritual harvest

in your life

and this is

going to be a

good way that

you might sow

to that.

So you

yielded to

his promptings

and you

got up and

here you are.

Well done!

Well done!

Here you are.

Maybe it's

growing up in

Vienna but I

tend to think

of this process

like a

waltz.

I wish my

sister were

here.

She could

really

demonstrate.

She's a

master waltz

instructor.

Well she's

actually a

missionary but

she does a

little waltzing

on the side.

But in

that it's

just you

get it's

probably with

a lot of

old-fashioned

dances at

least you're

just following

the gentle

lead of the

partner.

And this

kind of

describes the

passive aspect

of our

relation to

the spirit.

Yielding to

the spirit's

lead.

Just gently

taking us

along and we

just respond to

the lead of

the spirit.

So that's that

side.

But in

relation to

the holy

spirit it's

not our

relation to

the spirit is

not entirely

passive and

it would be a

grave mistake

to think so.

We are not

simply led by

the spirit.

We also

walk by the

spirit.

And this is

the active

side.

It's interesting

to note and

I think

suggestive that

the Greek

words translated

alike walk

so in the

English 16

and 25

just walk

same word

but in

Greek they're

different words.

The verb

in verse 16

is the

ordinary word

for walking

but in

verse 25

the verb

translated

walk

isn't the

ordinary

it's not

the ordinary

word

but rather

one that

suggests

marching

or

walking in

rank

or walking

in line

with

it's a

different one.

It's a word

that's used

in Romans

4.12

and translated

follow in

the steps

of the

faith of

your father

Abraham.

And it

occurs again

in Galatians

6.16

where it's

rendered

walk by

this rule

and the

notion is

deliberately

walking

the path

that's marked

out by

the spirit.

Okay?

In the

spirit's

steps.

Here,

because I

picked on

the NIV

before,

here the

NIV

very

felicitously

puts it

in step

with the

spirit.

That's

good.

That's

good.

I

regularly

take the

girls out

hiking,

my daughters,

and they

have become

equal to

some pretty

astonishingly

tough terrain

now.

Very proud

of them.

But when

they were

young,

occasionally

we would

encounter

a particularly

tricky bit

of trail

and some

sort of

soggy

slough

or a

carking

quagmire

or who

knows what.

And here

I would

tell Vienna

then Geneva

and Belle,

okay,

watch where

dad puts

his feet

and you

step just

where dad

steps.

And then I

would show

them how to

pick their

way through

the little

challenging

bit and

they would

do that.

And that's

the idea

here.

Or if

you,

again,

if you want

the ballroom

metaphor again,

think of a

dance school

this time,

not the

waltz,

but the

dance school

where don't

they stencil

out the

steps that

you're supposed

to take?

One,

two,

three,

four,

and you

place your

feet in

those steps

and that's

how you

learn these

moves.

And that's

what this

is.

So the

Holy Spirit

is not

simply the

partner to

prompt the

dance in

our first

metaphor to

whom we

passively

yield,

that's one

side,

but he is

also the

instructor

to indicate

the steps

in which

we

deliberately

walk,

kind of

in the

Spirit's

choreography.

That's what

we're doing

there.

So just

as we

actively,

consciously,

and deliberately

repudiate the

flesh,

we reject

to follow

the path

suggested by

the flesh,

likewise,

it's equally

vital

actively

to ply

the Spirit's

path

and deliberately

turn ourselves

toward the

things of

the Spirit.

This is what

Scripture means

when it tells

us to

set our minds

on the things

of the Spirit,

Romans 8.

Seek the

things that are

above,

set our minds

on things above,

in Colossians 3.

Or let your

mind dwell on

these things,

Philippians 4,

and so forth.

This sort of

active

resolve,

this posture,

will be

reflected in

our whole

way of life.

What we do

with our

leisure time,

those precious

discretionary

hours that we

have,

the books

that we

read,

the friendships

that we

cultivate.

Will these

choices play

out to

grieve or

quench the

Spirit?

Or will

they sow

to the

Spirit?

And especially

significant here

is what an

older generation

of Christians

called the

diligent use

of the means

of grace.

In other

words,

availing

ourselves

very prodigally

of those

means that

God has

particularly

established

and appointed

for our

growth in

grace.

He's given

us some

really good

fat paths

to grow

in grace,

such as

maybe the

disciplined

practice of

prayer,

meditation,

hiding God's

word in our

heart,

attending upon

the ministry

of the word,

corporate

worship,

remembering

Christ's

death

in the

cup,

and so

forth.

these

things.

So we

ought not

to

simply

wait

to be

prompted

by the

impulse

of the

Spirit.

That's the

passive side.

Okay,

if the

Spirit does

prompt us,

yield,

but we

don't just

wait for

the promptings

of the

Spirit.

We need

to be

forming

holy

resolves

and

resolutions

on the

basis of

what the

Spirit has

clearly mapped

out in

his word.

I think

of the

young

Jonathan

Edwards

during his

college

days.

He

formulated

some

resolutions

that would

guide his

paths while

he was in

college.

Here are a

few of the

ones that he

formulated as

a college

student.

Here was

number 28.

Resolved

to study

the Scriptures

so steadily,

constantly,

and frequently

as that I

may find

and plainly

perceive

myself to

grow in

the knowledge

of the

same.

Number

30.

Resolved

to strive

to my

utmost

every week

to be

brought

higher in

religion

and do

a higher

exercise

of grace

than I

was the

week before.

Wow!

He wants

to be so

diligent

about his

growth

that there's

a, you

could actually

tell the

difference from

week to

week.

Yeah, I'm

growing.

I'm

growing.

Ah!

43.

Resolved.

Never

henceforward

till I die

to act as

if I were

in any

way my

own,

but entirely

and altogether

Christ's.

Well, these

are three of,

I think it's

70,

70 that we

find in his

diaries.

Well, this is

just an

example of

the active

walking in

the way of

the Spirit.

And this

then is

the dynamic

of how we

are progressively

transformed

into the

image of

Christ.

We must

actively

crucify our

flesh and

actively walk

in the steps

of the Spirit

along with

passively

yielding to

the Spirit's

promptings.

And as

we do

this,

the layers

of tarnish

will begin

to come

off and

we will

begin to

sparkle with

the reflected

light of

the glory

of Christ.

This is

how the

Spirit will

manifest in

us the

character of

Christ.

And as if

this were

not enough,

we begin

also to

make the

discovery

that as

we yield

to the

Spirit

and as

we stay

in stride

with His

steps,

we find

that all

along

He is

giving us

a greater

and greater

taste

for the

things of

the Spirit,

a deeper

delight in

them,

a more

settled

satisfaction

in

them,

a richer

relish

of them,

a taste

for glory.

Isn't that

wonderful?

Haven't you

noticed,

you know,

when I was

in college,

I used to

love to

eat Lucky

Charms.

And then,

I don't

know,

after college

I couldn't

afford to

get them,

and then I

got married,

and that was

the best

thing that

happened to

me after

Christ.

And then I

started eating

Alpen and

this good

stuff.

And one

day I

was at a

conference,

and they

had a little

box of

Lucky Charms,

nostalgia,

and I

went back

and I

tried to

eat that.

It was

like burning

my tongue.

It was

so sweet.

I thought,

whoa,

my tastes

have changed.

You know,

you eat

good food,

and your

tastes actually

get bent

toward the

better quality.

That's the

way it is

in the

spiritual

life.

Our

tastes

actually

change.

The

Spirit

gives us

changed

taste.

It's

wonderful.

And

correspondingly,

those old

dainties of

the flesh,

after which

our hungry

hearts