THE
CHRISTIAN LIFE IS SUPERNATURAL
Galatians 5:1-6:1 REVIEW Ø God Saved Us For The Purpose Of Fruitfulness (Galatians 5:22-23; John 15:5-6) Ø Fruitfulness Comes Only By Faith Working Through Love (Galatians 5:6; John 15:5) Ø We Exercise Our Faith In Christ Through Scripture, Prayer, Sacraments and Christian Fellowship (Acts 2:42) Ø At The Heart Of Christian Fellowship Is Loving Servanthood (Galatians 5:13; 6:2,10) I. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS SUPERNATURAL A. The fruit of the Spirit is a
reproduction of the life of God in the believer. Only God can reproduce His attributes of
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc. B. From start to finish the Christian
life is entirely supernatural. 1. The Christian life in the Spirit
begins with the supernatural work of rebirth (John 3:1-16). a. All of us are sinful at the time of conception (Genesis 6:5; Psalm 51:5; 58:3) b. Because we are conceived in sin, as a person grows and develops he is estranged from God (Jeremiah 13:23; Ephesians 2:1-3). c. The Holy Spirit must quite literally raise us from death to life and from wrath to mercy. d. The Christian is one who has been conceived by the will of God. We receive new eyes, ears and new hearts, and sin no longer has dominion over us (Ezekiel 36:25-27; John 1:12-13; Romans 6:14). 2. The Christian life continues
through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:2,3;
5:25). II. ONLY THROUGH FAITH
JESUS CHRIST CAN YOU BEAR SUPERNATURAL FRUIT OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (cf. John 15:4-5) ü You cannot love in the strength of your
flesh. ü You cannot be joyful in the strength of
your flesh. ü You cannot find peace in the strength of
your flesh. ü You cannot be patient in the strength of
your flesh. ü You cannot be kind in the strength of
your flesh. ü You cannot be good in the strength of
your flesh. ü You cannot be faithful in the strength
of your flesh. ü You cannot be gentle in the strength of
your flesh. ü You cannot be self-controlled in the
strength of your flesh. A. The fruit of the Spirit is supernatural as opposed to the natural fruits of this world. B. There isn’t a single aspect of the Christian life that you can live in your own strength! 1. Peter: “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” (Matthew 26:31-35//Mark 14:26-31//Luke 22:31-34//John 13:36-38) 2. Jesus was dependent upon prayer and could not
have accomplished His work without it (Hebrews 5:7; Matthew
26:39,42,44). 3. Samson (Judges 16:4-27) 4. When we try restoring others who are living in sin, we face the danger of falling into sin (Galatians 6:1). QUESTIONS FOR SABBATH
DISCUSSION & MEDITATION Take what you have learned
this morning and make it into a prayer.
Pray that your faith in Jesus would make you fruitful in your service of
Jesus Christ and in your relationship with all people. God saved us for the purpose
of ________________. “How can we be fruitful?” How is the “life of God in
the believer” an evidence for the deity of the Holy Spirit? Explain how the Christian
life from start to finish is a work of the Holy Spirit. The only ways that we can
exercise our faith in Christ so that we might be fruitful are: __________ How is the fruit of the Spirit
different from the love, joy, peace… of the world? |
