Galatians chapter 5, I want to read one verse of scripture from Galatians chapter 5, verse 18. If you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law. Let me read that again. But if you be led of the Spirit, what an awesome thing to think about, to be led of the Holy Spirit of God. If you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Let's pray. Lord, how thankful we are for your gospel, how thankful we are for your son, how thankful we are for your spirit. And Lord, we ask that we might be privileged and graced to be led of your spirit. We pray for your blessing on the service this morning. We pray that you would speak from your word, enable us to worship your son. Oh, Lord, forgive us of our sins and cleanse us. With the washing of. Regeneration by the washing of the water, by the word, Lord washes by your word. We pray for your presence and blessing on Those of our number that are sick, we pray for your healing hand upon them according to your will. Our Lord bless us for Christ's sake. Be with all your people wherever they meet together. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Lead of the spirit. How many times have you or I said, well, I feel led to do this. I feel led to go here. I feel led to perform this task. I feel led. Well, I think it would be better for us to say, I think I'm led. I think I'm led. And really that's not what this passage of scripture is talking about at all. It's not talking about us feeling led to take this job or us feeling led to be with this person. This is not speaking of that prompting. We sometimes think we feel as far as that goes. If I say I feel led to do something, it's contrary to the holy script. It's contrary to the scriptures. Don't blame the Lord. I feel led. We should be careful when we use that kind of language, but look what the apostle says. If you be led of the spirit. You are not under law.

Now back up to verse 16. This, I say, then walk in the spirit. And you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Now, what does it mean by walking in the spirit? Please listen carefully. It means believing on Christ. It's that simple. If you look to Christ only. You are walking in the spirit. That's what it means to walk in the spirit. It's not talking about some kind of ethereal way. I'm walking where I feel like I'm walking above sin and above my problems in this higher realm. No. When you look to Christ only you walk in the spirit.

Verse 17 for the flesh. My old man. lusteth against the spirit. Now, the translators make up their mind when they're going to translate it with a capital S or a small s. It's not that way in the original. This is not talking about the Holy Spirit. This is talking about the spiritual nature every believer has. God, the Holy Spirit, is not in a battle with someone. This is talking about the spiritual nature every believer possesses. He that's born of the spirit. For the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary. They're adversaries, the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would.

Now, If I'm a believer, I have a spiritual nature given to me by the Holy Spirit in the new birth, and I still have the same fleshly nature that I have always had since I was born into this world, and it's not one bit better. If someone says, well, I'm less sinful than I used to be, well, you're deceived. I don't know what else to say. You're deceived. Every believer has these two natures, battling, warring, so that you can't do the things you would. I would be perfectly conformed to the image of Christ and never sin again. I would never be proud, I would never be harsh, I would never be judgmental, I would never lust, I would never, I'd be without sin. I would, I can't. I would, and I'm ashamed to say the things that I would, and you are too. But I can't. We have the flesh lusting against the spirit, the spirit lusting against the flesh, the contrary one to another, so that you can't do the things you would, but, verse 18, if you be led of the spirit, you're not under law.

Here's the evidence of being led of the spirit. You are not under law. Now we would think, and I wouldn't say this is wrong to think this way, we think it seems like if you're led in the Spirit you'd bear the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. And we do. Every believer has the fruit of the Spirit, and we want to walk in a way that is glorifying to God. Every one of us do. We really want that.

But what does the Apostle say when he gives the evidence of being led of the Spirit? If you're led of the Spirit, You are not under the law. Free from the law, oh, happy condition. You are not under the law. You see, if you're led of the spirit, you're a son. Look in chapter four, verses six and seven. And because you are sons, not slaves, Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father, wherefore thou art no more a servant, a slave, but a son. And if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Look back in chapter 3, verse 26. For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many as of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on to Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there's neither bond nor free, there's neither male nor female, for you're all one in Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the flesh.

Now I would like you to turn to Romans chapter eight. I think this is the great commentary on being led of the Spirit. Romans chapter eight, verse 14. I believe the Lord's given me some light on this passage of scripture. I hope we'll be, I hope he has, and I hope he does with you as well. Give you light on this very important passage of scripture. Look in verse 14 of Romans chapter eight. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, there it is again. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. What an awesome thought to be a son of God.

Now let's start in verse one of this same chapter. There is therefore now, right now, this very second, no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, and look how they're described, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Now, let me say, you can't walk in the flesh one day and walk in the spirit the next. You either walk in the flesh or you walk in the spirit. And when you walk in the spirit, you look to Christ only. That's what it is to walk in the spirit. That's a supernatural thing. It's not something that can be produced by this flesh. You look to Christ only. And if you look to Christ only, you're walking in the spirit. If you look to yourself, that's walking in the flesh. That's what every natural man does.

Now, every believer walks in the spirit. Every unbeliever walks in the flesh. Now, let's go on reading. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. I love the word law. If you have the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, you obey the law of your nature. That's what people do. You do what is your nature to do. And this is what this is speaking of the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. This is the new birth. This is the new man for the law of the spirit of life in Christ.

Jesus has made me free. from the law of sin and death. For what the law, the law of sin and death, could not do in that it was weak through the flesh. The problem's the flesh. The problem's not the law itself. The problem's with the sinfulness of my flesh. God's law is holy. Well, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, he wasn't sin. but he came in the likeness of sinful flesh. The word was made flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. He bare our sins in his own body on the tree and he condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.

Now there, that is again, you walk not after the flesh according to the wisdom of the flesh, according to the understanding of the flesh, but of the spirit. God, the Holy Spirit, four, verse five. They that are after the flesh, they do mind the things of the flesh. They think the way fleshly people do, salvation by works. But they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit, for to be carnally minded, to be fleshly minded, same word, is death. But to be spiritually minded, to walk after the spirit, is life and peace. Life, spiritual life, the peace that comes from looking to Christ only. That's the only place peace is found. If everything God requires of me, he looks to his son for, peace. If you tell me there's something I need to do, no peace.

Verse seven, because the carnal mind, what we're born with, is enmity against God. Every body born into this world is born at enmity against God. Now, maybe not the God of their imagination, but the God of the Bible. When someone is confronted with Him, that's when the enmity is revealed. I don't hate God. Well, you don't hate the God you've made up, but the God of the Bible. Enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God if you haven't been born again if you're in the flesh as a natural man there's you cannot please God

verse 9 but but you are not in the flesh But in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Do you know if you're a believer, the very Holy Spirit of God dwells in you? That's an awesome thought and we wouldn't believe it if the Bible didn't say it. The reason you have a new nature, a spiritual nature is because the spirit of God, the creator, God, the spirit, God, the father, God, the son, God, the spirit, all one God in three distinct persons, all equally God. There's only one God, all having the substance of God, whatever that is. God, the father, God, the son, God, the Holy spirit.

but you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the spirit of God dwells in you. Now, if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he's none of his. And if Christ be in you, God, the Holy Spirit's in you, Christ is in you. Christ in you, the hope of glory. You know, the son and the spirit are one, just like the father and the son are one. And if the spirit is in you, Christ is in you. Christ in you, the hope of glory. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness.

Now, when it says the body is dead, my body's physically alive. I'm alive right now and you are too. The body is dead in sins. This body that I have right now is dead in sins. And you hath he quickened who are dead in sins. Our natural, the old man that we still possess is dead in sins. The new man produced by the Spirit of God is life because of righteousness.

Now there we have the two natures, one nature dead in sins. That doesn't mean it's physically dead. It means it's spiritually dead. It's nothing but evil. And the new man birthed by the Spirit of God is life, life, spiritual life because of righteousness, his righteousness.

But verse 11, If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, here's a guarantee. He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you. Your mortal bodies are going to be quickened or you're going to be raised from the dead. And this is talking about something in the future. You are going to be raised perfectly conformed to the image of Christ. And what a blessed, blessed thought. I'm not gonna deal with sin anymore.

Verse 12, therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh. The flesh profits nothing. It's the spirit that quickeneth. The flesh profits nothing. We're debtors, but it's not to this flesh. We don't give it any of the credit on any level. Therefore, brethren, we're debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die. And that's talking about an eternal death. If you live after the flesh, if you live according to salvation by works is what that means, you will die.

But if through the spirit, you do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. If you through the Spirit do mortify, put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live. Question. Does that mean I put to death sin? I put to death pride? I put to death self-righteousness? I nail them, crucify them? I put to death lust. I put to death all these things, so I no longer experience it. If that is what it means, me and you are in trouble, because it would be a lie for me to say I no longer commit those sins. I'm dead to them. There is no longer an attraction. Somebody that makes that claim, It's either a willful lie or they're just utterly, completely blind, dead in trespasses and sins with no holy nature. If they did have a holy nature, they wouldn't say things like that.

So what does the apostle mean when he says, for if you live after the flesh you'll die, but if you through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body? Notice he doesn't say the bad deeds. He just says the deeds, all the deeds of the body, two scriptures look in second Corinthians five. Verse 10. For, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body. according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. You and I are going to be rewarded for the things done in this body, whether it's good or bad. Now, the gospel is that because of what Jesus Christ did in his body, it's mine. That's his righteousness being mine so that all the deeds of my body are good. That's how real justification is. The deeds of the body. Now turn back to Romans chapter six. Verse 11. Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Now listen to what he says. He says this to every believer. Reckon yourselves. Believe yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin. Now the only reason God would tell me to reckon myself to be dead indeed to sin is for this one reason. I am, in fact, dead indeed unto sin. Sin has nothing to say to me. You see, Christ bore my sin and put it away. And I am dead indeed to sin.

Now what this is, is repentance from dead works. You reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin. You understand that before Christ did something for you, everything you did was a dead work, everything. The works of the flesh, the works of deadness, spiritual wickedness. Before God saved you, before he regenerated you, all your works We're dead works. And now you see you're dead to sin. You reckon yourself to be because of what Christ did dead to sin.

Look in verse 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you. And that word dominion is lordship. Sin shall not have lordship over you. Now, what does that mean? There was a time when faith was impossible. But when Christ put away my sin and gave me a new heart, sin doesn't have lordship over me, I believe. I myself believe the gospel. Why? Sin is not my Lord, Christ is. I can now do what I could not do before. I now am in a continual state of repentance. Why? Because sin's not my Lord. You see, Christ Jesus came into the world to save his people from their sins. For he shall save his people from their sins. I'm safe from the penalty of sin. I'm safe from the power of sin. It's not my Lord. One of these days I'll be safe from the very presence of sin. I'll no longer be a sinner, but here is the hope. I'm not under the Lordship of sin. I'm under the Lordship of Christ. What a blessed place to be.

Now let's go back to Galatians chapter five. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Now, back to Galatians chapter five. Verse 18. But if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under law. Well, what does it mean to be under law? It means the law is over you. If the law is over you, it means you're under the curse of the law. It means your salvation is ultimately dependent upon something you do. It means that you are under the curse of God as of many as are of the works of the law or under the curse.

Now, if you're led of the spirit, you're not under the law. You know, when you're, when you're under the law, That means salvation is totally dependent upon you doing something. And whenever you think that, you can't love God. You resent Him. You think, He's asking too much of me. I can't produce that which He's requiring. And you resent Him. hate him, you don't love him. You see, the law never produces love. The law cannot produce love, only resentment. That's it. But if you're led of the spirit, you are not under the law. You are under grace. Isn't it wonderful to have grace over you and you're under it. And all that God requires you have, there's nothing you need to do to measure up. You are completely accepted in the beloved. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walked not after the flesh, but after the spirit.

If you're led of the spirit, you are not under law. Now, as I said, if you're under law, you're under the lordship of sin. You can't love God. You can't believe the gospel. You can't come to Christ and that's your crime. That's your crime. You will not come to me that you might have life. That's the crime. That's not something, uh, is evil. Uh, but if you're led of the spirit, if you've been given a new heart, a new nature, You're not under the law. You're under grace. That's the promise in Romans 6, 14. You're not under the law. You're under grace. That's why sin won't have dominion or lordship over you. You're not under law. As long as you're under law, sin has complete dominion over you. It's your Lord. It's your master. You must obey it. You can't do anything but that.

But if you're led of the Spirit, What is it to be led of the spirit is to walk in the spirit. What is it to walk in the spirit is to look to Christ only. Now. I said this last week, let me say it again. Quit trying to keep the law. Quit trying to resist sin. Quit trying to believe. Believe. look to Christ, and it is only by looking to Christ that the flesh will not be fulfilled. Walk in the Spirit, look to Christ, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. You look to yourself, that's all you're gonna do.

And may God be our teacher and enable us to be those who are led of the Spirit not under law, looking to Christ only, only to Christ. Let me say this again. I say it a whole lot. When you follow Christ, that means you keep your eyes on him. You don't look at your feet. You don't look at your walk. You don't look to the side at your brother to see how he's doing and comparing yourself with him. You don't look behind you to look for evidences that you're saved. I must be saved because I did this. I experienced that. You look to him only. All the time. You never graduate past that. You never get better than that. You look to Christ only, and only in looking to Christ only do we not fulfill the lust of the flesh. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they're not under law. They're the sons of God.