Sermon - Trinity XIV 2023 - Galatians 5:16-24

Fruit of the Spirit Stained Glass Window at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin

Walk by the Spirit

1. We’re Not Epicureans.

2. We’re Not Gnostics.

3. We’re Christians who belong to Jesus.

4. Thus, we follow the Spirit, and crucify the passions and desires of the flesh.

“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” We are often afflicted by two major errors today: Epicureanism and Gnosticism. Both of those are big weird words, but they help us understand the world around us and the temptations we ourselves fight against. If we’re to be the salt of the earth, we have to know the earth well enough that we know how to salt it. Epicureanism is named after its founder Epicurus, an ancient Greek philosopher. Epicureanism is, simply put, the belief that we should gratify the desires of the flesh. If you feel hungry, you eat. If it feels good, do it.

This is clearly the mindset of many people today. Their motto is: Do what makes you happy. But as we read, the works of the flesh aren’t wholesome and their end is evil. (v.19) “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

An epicurean lives for the moment, though. God and eternity aren’t on the mind, since the desires of the flesh are all that matter. The flesh is very fleeting. The flesh defines what is good, not God or anyone else. Follow your heart, they say. But you know what our Lord taught us: “Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick.” If anyone ever tells you to follow your heart, run away from them, because they’re leading you down a path that leads to ruin.

Obviously, we’re not epicureans. Just because something feels right doesn’t make it so. The heart isn’t a good judge. Instead of gratifying the desires of the flesh, we are to follow the Spirit. But here arises another error common among us today: Gnosticism. Gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge. Gnosticism says, to put it simply, that the body doesn’t matter but only the spirit, only knowledge matters.

But again, Gnosticism is not a Christian thought. God didn’t just create us as spirits or just as brains, but He created us as simultaneously bodily and spiritual creatures. I am my body, and I am my soul. I’m not a body with a soul, nor am I a soul with a body. But both my body and soul make me who I am as a human being.

Gnosticism is very popular though. For example, people spend hours a day on social media, where they feel connected to others, but are in reality just staring at a small plastic box alone in a room. Or our Gnosticism is quite obvious in how we treat the dead. It’s a common thing I hear from people: “That’s not so-and-so, they’re in heaven, this is just their husk.” But that’s not true, the body lying in the casket is their loved one, just as much as the soul in heaven is their loved one. Or consider how common cremation is becoming, where we don’t consider their body to be them, so we burn them up and grind their bones. It’s dark and disturbing when we describe it outloud, but that’s what it is. The body doesn’t matter, only the soul; that’s Gnosticism.

Therefore, having reviewed both Epicureanism and Gnosticism, what I’ve noticed is a combination of the two among many people today. We follow the desires of the flesh, disregarding the consequences, because we think we’re only a spirit anyways and so the body doesn’t matter. Thus, people will claim to be spiritual or even Christian, while they continue to gratify the desires of the flesh, because they think that their faith is only a matter of the mind and has nothing to do with how they live physically. For example, someone might claim to be a Christian, yet never go to church, because they think they can worship God in their mind just as well as in person. 

These are easy temptations to fall into; doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, been a Christian for a few years or a few decades, Epicureanism and Gnosticism are part of the spirit of the age, they’re in the water we drink, and they attack all of us. 

(V.16) “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Both Gnosticism and Epicureanism are condemned in those words. We’re told to walk, this is physical language, it’s not just about what happens in the mind. The fruit of the Spirit isn’t just a state of mind, but these are spiritual virtues which manifest themselves in physical behaviors toward others. Thus, Gnosticism is wrong, the physical world matters a lot! We’re also told not to gratify the desires of the flesh. This is blatantly against Epicureanism, since we should not do whatever makes us feel good.

Thus, we’re neither Epicureans nor Gnostics. Instead, we’re Christians who belong to Jesus. Walking by the Spirit is language used to describe a disciple, someone who follows after another. People literally did this with Jesus where they followed Him from place to place, keeping in step with Him, following His lead. After Jesus’ ascension to heaven, His disciples did the things that Jesus did, they followed His example and walked like Him.

Just like those early disciples, we too are Jesus’ disciples and follow after Him. Through baptism we belong to Christ Jesus, His name has been placed upon us, and we have been seared with the mark of the cross. Baptism now saves us as a cleansing of sins through Jesus’ bloody sacrifice. We are made new creatures through faith in Jesus. We’re not like the world; we’re neither Epicureans nor Gnostics, we’re Christians. 

Since we’re Christians we are led by the Spirit and we crucify the passions and desires of the flesh. So let’s spend a couple minutes looking at these works of the flesh we must crucify, and the fruit of the Spirit we are led into. First the works of the flesh, v. 19. Note that these are works. Worldly, sinful, flesh produces these things. “Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality” are all particularly egregious and widespread works of the flesh. “Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” 

Then, (v.20) we come to “Idolatry, sorcery.” Both of these are looking to others for help in the place of God. It’s notable that sorcery is becoming more common. Mediums, healing oils and crystals, and worship of the earth are all becoming popular. “Enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy,” are all works of the flesh which afflict groups of people, like Christian congregations. We’re all aware of these sorts of situations arising, so let us remember that they’re works of the flesh and not from Christ. (v.21) “Drunkenness, orgies,” are both vices of overindulgence. Wine and food are good things, in moderation, but too much and too often is sinful. All of these works of the flesh aren’t just dangerous on earth, but dangerous eternally. (v.21) “I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” 

In distinction to the works of the flesh we Christians have the fruit of the Spirit, v.22. Note here that these are fruits of the Spirit, not works. We do not produce these virtues of our own will, but they’re the fruit of the Spirit dwelling within us. This is our sanctification, the Holy Spirit makes us holy and godly. Because we belong to Jesus, because He washed us and named us His in baptism, these fruits are what come from walking in the Spirit and being new creations.

Love. The greatest of the virtues. Love isn’t selfish, gratifying its own passions and desires of the flesh, but is like God Himself and self-sacrificial for others. 

Joy. The Christian rejoices in all circumstances because of God’s abundant grace. The Christian life is a good and joyous life! Even in suffering the Christian has joy because of God’s love.

Peace. Because God has justified us through His sacrifice, we have peace with God. If we have peace with God, then we can also have peace with one another, forgiving as God forgives us.

Patience. Better yet, we might say longsuffering. Just as God is long suffering towards us, waiting for our repentance, so can we be long suffering towards us.

Kindness and Goodness. God is kind and good towards us, not wrathful, so we are kind and generous to others.

Faithfulness. God is faithful to us, always keeping His promises, even to the point of the death on the cross. Thus, we are to always be faithful and steadfast toward God, trusting in Him forever.

Gentleness. Like God, neither are we excessively angry nor are we incapable of justice, but gentle. In other words, we do what is right without blowing a gasket.

Self-control. No longer are we ruled by the passions and desires of the flesh, but we walk by the Spirit, and are in control of the flesh. We subdue it and discipline it as necessary.

All of this is immensely liberating! The passions and desires of the flesh seek to enslave us and make us eternally miserable. But we belong to Christ. We are His disciples and we keep in step with the Spirit. Of course, until Jesus returns, the flesh clings to us, tempting us. But we don’t go it alone, the Spirit dwells within us and we follow in His steps. The world is looking for a better way, and you have it. Don’t be afraid to be the salt and light of the earth, because you have what the world needs: Jesus.