Our State of Theology 2021-9i(8)j
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Our State of Theology – 9i(8)j
Galatians 5:22-23: Fruit of the Holy Spirit, Self-control
Galatians 5:22–23 (NKJV)
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Fruit is singular showing that all nine attributes described here are included in the fruit of the Spirit.
Against such there is no law. None of the attributes of the fruit of the Spirit breaks any law, whether spiritual or natural.
Self-control = ἐγκράτεια enkrateia = restraint of one’s emotions, impulses, or desires.
The trait of resolutely controlling one’s own desires (which would produce actions); especially sensual desires.
Remember from our previous teaching that gentleness is control over anger, and self-control is control over sensual passions.
The normal biblical emphasis is on God at work in us by the Spirit rather than on man’s self-mastery.
Self-control is the manifestation of the Spirit’s work in man resulting in the putting to death the misdeeds of the body. (See Romans 8:13.)
Romans 8:5–11 (NIV84)
5Those who live according to the sinful nature (flesh, kjv) have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Have their minds set on = φρονέω phroneō = to incline to, be set upon, mind.
Phroneō refers to the basic orientation, bent, and thought patterns of the mind, rather than to the mind or intellect itself (Greek nous). It includes a person’s affections and will as well as his reasoning. (Attitude, Philippians 2:5)
6The mind of sinful man (mind set on the flesh, esv) is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;
Mind = φρόνημα phronēma = the faculty of fixing one’s mind on something; way of thinking, mind(-set).
Phronēma is the noun form of the verb, phroneō, in verse 5, and, like the verb, refers to the content, thought patterns, the basic inclination and orientation of the person’s mind rather than to the mind itself.
It is significant that Paul does not say that the mind set on the flesh leads to death, but that it is death.
The unsaved person is already dead spiritually.
The apostle is stating a spiritual equation (reality), not a spiritual consequence.
The same holds true for the mind set on the Spirit.
The mind set on the Spirit does not lead to life and peace but is life and peace.
7the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
Unbelievers are incapable of pleasing God because they belong to “the realm of the flesh.” The saints, on the other hand, belong to “the realm of the Spirit” and are characterized by life and peace.
9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
Lives (dwells, esv) = οἰκέω oikeō = The Greek word for “a home” is oikos (οἰκος). The verb means “to live or dwell in a certain place as your home.”
The Spirit is not only resident in the believer in the sense of position in him, but He is actively at home in him, living in him as His home. He has a ministry to perform: to give the saved man victory over sin and produce His own fruit.
This puts that person out of the sphere of the evil nature and within the sphere of the Holy Spirit.
The saved person is not in the grip of the evil nature but under the control of the Holy Spirit as he yields himself to Him.
The indwelling and empowering presence of the Spirit helps believers to resist the flesh and please God.
Indwelling sin marks the unbeliever, and the indwelling Spirit marks the believer.
The Apologetic Study Bible for Students: There are no Spiritless Christians. They are no longer “in the flesh” but are freed from a merely human, powerless life.
Ephesians 1:13 (AMP) 13In Him you also who have heard the Word of Truth, the glad tidings (Gospel) of your salvation, and have believed in and adhered to and relied on Him, were stamped with the seal of the long-promised Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
This is referring to our bodily resurrection, where we will receive glorified bodies that will no longer be subject to death or decay.
The ultimate destiny of our body is not death but resurrection.
Our bodies are not yet redeemed, but they will be, and we are eagerly awaiting this event. How can we be so sure about it? Because of the nature of the indwelling Spirit.
He is not only the Spirit of life, but the Spirit of resurrection.
Romans 8:12-17 (NIV84) 12Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.
Since we’ve been freed from the dominion or rulership of the sin nature, we are no longer obligated (required, forced) to obey sin’s demands.
Romans 6:6-7 (NIV78) 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Might be rendered powerless = καταργέω katargeō = to cause something to come to an end or to be no longer in existence, abolish, wipe out, set aside.
To abrogate, make void, do away with, put an end to; “make . . . without effect”
The sin nature is powerful, but that power has been made without effect, abolished, wiped out, set aside, when it was replaced by the Holy Spirit’s nature residing in the believer.
13For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,
This is not addressing Christians living carnal lives.
This verse is differentiating between unbelievers dominated by the sin nature and believers dominated by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8 stresses the assurance of salvation and NOT a believer being able to lose his salvation.
If you live habitually like a non-Christian, dominated by your sinful nature rather than living habitually under the dominion of the Holy Spirit, you will perish like a non-Christian—because you are a non-Christian. “If you live according to (live habitually under the dominion of) the sinful nature, you will die.”
On the other hand, if you really are a Christian, you will not live according to (live habitually under the dominion of) the sinful nature. Instead, you will acknowledge what you actually are in Jesus Christ and live accordingly.
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: “The apostle teaches quite clearly that the way of sanctification is the way of realizing the truth about ourselves as Christians, and then putting it into practice.”
14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
V. 14, Not everyone is a member of God’s family.
The test in this verse is: Christians are those who are led by the Spirit of God. Those who are not led by God’s Spirit are not Christians.
Christians often use language such as “led by the Spirit” to refer to guidance: “I was led by the Spirit to witness to her.” But this is probably not what Paul means here.
Being led by the Spirit means having the basic orientation of your life determined by the Spirit. The phrase is a way of summing up the various descriptions of the life of the Spirit in 8:4–9.
15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Fear of what or whom?
Fear of rejection by God. Fear of being judged by God. Fear of the wrath of God
Fear of not obeying the Law well enough in the case of Jews, fear of antagonizing the gods in the case of pagans.
Bernard of Clairvaux: One man praises the Lord because He is mighty; another because He is good unto him; and, again, another simply because He is good. The first is a slave, and fears for himself; the second mercenary, and desires somewhat for himself; but the third is a son, and gives praise to his Father.
Slaves fear their masters, but sons don’t fear their fathers.
16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Vss. 15-17 reinforce that fact of the assurance of the believer’s salvation.
John Calvin: “The substance … amounts to this, that all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God; all the sons of God are heirs of eternal life; and therefore, all who are led by the Spirit of God ought to feel assured of eternal life.”
Douglas J. Moo: The Spirit of God we have received is not a spirit of fear but the Spirit who makes us God’s sons.
Followers of Jesus have been baptized into Christ Jesus and have been united with him in death; as a consequence, the power of Sin is duped, since it gets no inevitable traction in the lives of Jesus-followers.
When people die, the power of Sin no longer has a foothold in their lives; since Jesus-followers have died with Christ (in baptism), the power of Sin has thereby been hoodwinked.
But these “died-with-Christ people” are not trophies for the power of Death. Instead, they have come alive in a new “sphere of lordship”—a sphere in which their lives are instruments of God’s grace and righteousness.
Sin (Sin nature) is no longer the controlling overlord of those who follow Jesus, and those who follow Jesus are no longer slaves to the power of Sin.
Romans 6:12-14, 16 (NIV84) 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
16Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Jesus-followers may improperly “offer” their bodies to the power of Sin, allowing that power to influence their lives.
Jesus-followers are exhorted to offer themselves to the power of God, “as those who have been brought from death to life” (6:13), thereby confounding the powers of Sin and Death.
2 Peter 1:3–8 (NIV84)
3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Vss. 5-8, The Ladder of Christian Virtue
V. 5, effort = σπουδή spoudē = earnest commitment in discharge of an obligation or experience of a relationship, eagerness, earnestness, diligence, willingness, zeal.
“To make haste, be eager, give diligence, to do one’s best, to take care, to exert one’s self.”
V. 5, to add = ἐπιχορηγέω epichorēgeō = to provide (at one’s own expense), supply, furnish.
‘Providing more than is barely demanded.’
“To supply in copious measure, to provide beyond the need, to supply more than generously.”
These verses are not saying to add one virtue to another. Instead, the Greek states, to develop one virtue in the exercise of another; each new grace springing out of, attempting and perfecting the other.
In your faith supply virtue (goodness), and in your virtue supply knowledge, etc.
Faith = πίστις pistis = the conviction that what Jesus Christ says is true and that we can commit ourselves to his promises and launch ourselves on his demands. It is the unquestioning certainty that the way to happiness and peace and strength on earth and in heaven is to accept him at his word.
Goodness (Virtue) = ἀρετή aretē = excellence of character, exceptional civic virtue; bring the finest character to your commitment; courage, operative or efficient excellence (William Barclay)
Aretē was used for moral heroism, viewed as the divinely endowed ability to excel in heroic, courageous deeds. It came to encompass the most outstanding quality in someone’s life. Aretē never meant cloistered (sheltered from the outside world) virtue, but that which is demonstrated in the normal course of living.
Knowledge = γνῶσις gnosis = comprehension or intellectual grasp of something; knowledge as possessed by God and humans; understanding of the Scriptures.
Gnōsis is practical knowledge; it is the ability to apply to particular situations the ultimate knowledge which sophia gives. Gnōsis is that knowledge which enables a man to decide rightly and to act honorably and efficiently in the day-to-day circumstances of life. So, then, to faith must be added courage and effectiveness; to courage and effectiveness must be added the practical wisdom to deal with life.
Self-control = ἐγκράτεια enkrateia = restraint of one’s emotions, impulses, or desires.
Self-mastery; the ability to take a grip of oneself.
Enkrateia used of the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites. The Greeks used it of the one who had his sex passions under control.
Perseverance = ὑπομονή hypomonē = to persevere, remain under. A bearing up under, patience, endurance as to things or circumstances.
This is in contrast to makrothumía (3115), long–suffering or endurance towards people.
Hupomonḗ is associated with hope (1 Thess. 1:3) and refers to that quality of character which does not allow one to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial.
Marvin Vincent: Remaining behind or staying; not merely endurance of the inevitable, but the heroic, brave patience with which a Christian not only bears but contends.
Marvin Vincent: That virtue which qualifies us to bear all conditions and all events, by God’s disposal incident to us, with such apprehensions and persuasions of mind, such dispositions and affections of heart, such external deportment and practices of life as God requires, and good reason directs.
Hupomonē does not simply accept and endure; there is always a forward look in it. Jesus, for the joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2).
Godliness = εὑσέβεια eusebeia = fear of God; awesome respect accorded to God, devoutness, piety, godliness.
Reverence for God; true religion, true worship; conveys the idea that one who has it properly honors and adores God.
Brotherly kindness = φιλαδελφία Philadelphia = brotherly love; love of the Christian brotherhood.
Sense of affection for a fellow Christian.
Philadelphia, (φιλαδελφια,) made up of phileō, (φιλεω,) “to have an affection for,” and adelphos, (ἀδελφος,) “a brother.”
Love = ἀγάπη agapē = love, generosity, kindly concern, devotedness;
The quality of warm regard for and interest in another but not in a sensual or sexual manner.
John 13:34-35 (NIV84) 34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (NIV84)
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.
27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
V. 25, goes into strict training = ἐγκρατεύομαι enkrateuomai = to possess the power of self-control or continence; to practice abstinence.
To keep one’s emotions, impulses, or desires under control, control oneself, abstain; exercise self-control in all respects
To be self-denying, temperate, to have self–control.
1 Peter 4:7 (NIV84)
7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.
Be clear minded = σωφρονέω sōphroneō = to be prudent, with focus on self-control, be reasonable, sensible, serious, keep one’s head.
to have understanding about practical matters and thus be able to act sensibly—‘to have sound judgment, to be sensible, to use good sense, sound judgment.’
Self-controlled = νήφω nēphō = to be sober, not intoxicated; be well-balanced, self-controlled.
To curb the controlling influence of inordinate emotions or desires (and therefore become reasonable); conceived of as sobering up from the influence of alcohol.
Selah.