Walking in the Spirit – Free to Be Fruitful

Text: Galatians 5:22–25

Big Idea: The Spirit frees us from rule-keeping and self-indulgence and makes us fruitful in love.

1. The Two Pitfalls of Not Walking in the Spirit

• • Legalism 
    • Definition: Trying to be right with God through good works,
    • Galatians 2:21 “If righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”

• Geerhardus Vos “The essence of legalism is to divorce the law of God from the person of God.”

• License 
  • Definition: Abusing freedom to indulge the flesh.
  • Galatians 5:13 “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”  

2. The Common Denominator of the Pitfalls

• Both legalism and license are Christless ways of living.

3. Love: The Answer to Legalism and License

• Galatians 5:6 🡪 “only faith working through love. 
• Galatians 5:13 🡪 “through love serve one another.” 

4. How the Fruit of the Spirit Grows

• Gradually – not instant, but step by step (Phil. 1:6).
• Naturally – not stapled on, but Spirit-produced (John 15).
• Inevitably – if the Spirit lives in you, fruit will show (Gal. 5:25).
• Application Questions: Through the gospel how was Christ ____Quality of the Spirit’s Fruit____, and how can I reflect this quality to others? 

5. Free to be Fruitful

• • Galatians 5:23 “against such things there is no law. 

• What does this mean? There is no restriction against the fruit of the Spirit.