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II. REPLICATING THE IMAGE OF GOD

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2)

"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:29)

To replicate the image of God we must learn to live in and by the Spirit of God.

In many denominations church members are required to successfully complete "confirmation" classes before church membership is granted. Indoctrination is important. This is, in no way, an attempt to lessen its importance. It is, however, an attempt to show that confirmation, according to our knowledge of doctrine, isn't enough. It is far more important to be "conformed to the likeness of Jesus" than it is to be "confirmed by our church doctrine". Church doctrine varies according to denomination. But conforming to the likeness of Jesus crosses denominational boundaries.

In Galatians 5:16-26, the Apostle Paul discusses what it means to live in the Spirit of God. This passage can easily be outline:

I. THE PERSONAL CONFLICT THAT WE FACE. VS. 16-18

II. NEGATIVES THAT DILUTE AND DESTROY THE IMAGE. VS. 19-21

III. POSITIVES THAT RESTORE AND REFINE THE IMAGE. VS. 22-26

I. THE PERSONAL CONFLICT

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law." (Galatians 5:16-18)

All of us are born with a "sin nature". This is something that we inherited from Adam and Eve.

"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men..." (Romans 5:12)

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

As long as we are in this physical body, though we may be born again and filled with the Spirit of God, we will always be faced with the reality of our own selves - the reality that our "old sin nature" will continually attempt to reclaim its fallen position and exert itself above and against our "new recreated nature". This explains why men and women who have been born again and filled with the Holy Spirit can backslide and return to sinful living. It is urgently important that we learn to live in and by the Spirit, to be led by the Spirit, if we are going to leave behind a testimony of faithfulness when we draw our last breath.

II. NEGATIVES THAT DILUTE AND DESTROY.

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21)

To put it bluntly, those who do these things commit spiritual treason against the throne of God. The Apostle Paul is describing three areas of sinful practice here:

1. Sexual Immorality.

2. False Doctrines.

3. Unchristian Human Relationships.

Quite honestly, there seems to be an epidemic of these sinful practices in the church world today. The surest way to shipwreck our faith, find ourselves outside the will of God and subsequently lose our inheritance in the kingdom of God, is to yield ourselves to our old sin nature and participate in the activities that Paul names here.

In our permissive society, sex is the big ticket item. Sex sells. And, rather than go into a long discourse about sexual immorality, this area of behavior can be simply summed up - "if it's not between a man and a woman who are married to each other, it is sin." Those who desire to justify sexual immorality in their lives will do so regardless of any argument against it.

What about false doctrines? Paul is specifically addressing idolatry and witchcraft here. These are at crisis levels in the church world today.

An idol is anything that receives a higher priority in our lives than God. In our modern materialistic society the "golden calves" have different names. Our calves go by such names as "my house, my car, my boat, my jewelery, my status, my rights, my choice.....", just to name a few. Idolatry is a dangerously deceptive and easy snare to slip into.

Witchcraft has a new dress too. Yes. The dark and evil character of witchcraft is still a reality and there is a terrible revival in these last day in the occult. However, witchcraft, in simple definition, is nothing more than exerting emotional/spiritual influence to control someone.

Witchcraft can be simply defined as any techique of manipulating supernatural forces to attain one's own personal goals. It may involve the use of psychic powers to project an inner force onto some person or situation. When we try to use emotional power to manipulate others we are engaging in a basic form of witchcraft.

Oh dear! Do we need to rethink our positions regarding possessions and persuasiveness? Absolutely!

Idolatry and witchcraft are two things expressly forbidden for the people of God to practice and they are such masters at disguising themselves. We should not worship idols outright. Nor should we allow our possessions to become idols in our lives. We should not participate in the "dark" arts. Nor should we attempt to control others by using emotional techniques against them. None of these are acceptible for the child of God.

Paul also talks about some unchristian behavior traits that have gone a long way in ruining individuals and entire churches. These are really bad news because they are more often left alone and allowed to run their dastardly course until their affect is irreversable.

These are the sins of many who make up the Body of Christ and infect both the leaders and the laity. Often these are displayed in people who desire to control God appointed leadership or by those who simply refuse to sit under any kind of authority.

"hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy"

Let's define these ungodly behavior traits according to "Strongs Concise Dictionary Of The Words Found In The New Testament".

HATRED

ecthos means hateful or hostile opposition

DISCORD

eris means quarreling, wrangling, contentious debate or strife

JEALOUSY

zelos means unholy, heated ardor manifesting itself in indignation or zeal

FITS OF RAGE

thumoo means to become enraged with passion

SELFISH AMBITION

eritheia means provoking contention

DISSENSIONS

dichostasia means disunion and division

FACTIONS

hairesis means choosing to be party to disunion and division

ENVY

phtlonos means distracting ill-will and spite

These behavior traits, belonging to the sinful nature, have caused more problems in the Body of Christ and destroyed more churches than any other singular or collective set of problems that we could name! Is it any wonder that the Bible ranks them right up there with those other big sins?

These are the "little foxes" that most often "spoil the vine". These are the snares that the enemy most often used to distupt and destroy the flowing or moving of the Holy Spirit in our personal lives and in our corporate assemblies. How many believers have fallen victim to these snares? How many churches have been robbed of the power of God because well intentioned members have given their feet to the well laid plan of the enemy where these items are concerned?

Bear in mind that the Apostle Paul was not writing to an unbelieving audience. He was writing to the church at Galatia. These are not warnings to the lost. These are warnings to those who will be lost if they participate in these things!

The Word of God plainly states that those who participate in these things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

That's serious business!

Conforming to the likeness of Christ demands that we refuse to participate in any form of behavior that dilutes and destroys the image of God in us. There is some baggage that we need to leave behind that is filled with the old rags that we wore before we were made new by the Spirit of God and born again. There is a new wardrobe that is ours to put on.

III. POSITIVES THAT RESTORE AND REFINE THE IMAGE.

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,goodness,faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." (Galatians 5:22-26)

The "fruit of the Spirit" is described as a "nine-sectioned" singular fruit. Though singular, it contains nine parts that comprise it's fullness. All nine sections, or parts, are essential in the life of the believer who desires to replicate the image of God in his or her life.

Each of these nine sections are given much space on the pages of Holy Scripture. It's of great advantage to us to study them and to allow the Holy Spirit to cultivate these in us. And not only to us. Both the kingdom of God and the lost world are in dire need of seeing the fruit of the Spirit wrought in the lives of those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ.

Let's peal the fruit and take a look at each section. Again, let's use Dr. Strongs widely accepted authority on the Greek language as our guide to discovery.

LOVE

agape means affection and benevolence manifested in a social and moral sense

JOY

chara means greatly, exceeding cheerfulness and delight

PEACE

eirene means a settled, quiet, restful and prosperous soul

PATIENCE

makrothumia means endurance, perseverance, constancy and steadfastness

KINDNESS

chrestotes means harmless goodness and integrity

GOODNESS

agathosune means uprightness of heart and life

FAITHFULNESS

pistis means assurance, belief and fidelity

GENTLENESS

praotes means gentleness and mildness

SELF-CONTROL

egkrateia means mastery of desires and passions (especially concerning sexual)

These are things which the Bible declares contain no law against them. These "fruit of the Spirit" are the producers of harmonious and joyful relationships within the Body of Christ where the image of God is replicated in our lives.

As people of faith we must savor the things of God that cultivate harmony in His Body. As we savor these things we must seek after them. This is the fruit that the Holy Spirit desires to grow in our lives. As we savor and as we seek the flavor of the Holy Spirit, we must also be prepared to say "no" to our old sin nature that wages war against us - a war that will lead us into participating in works of the flesh that dilute and destroy the beautiful image of God in us.

UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, ALL SCRIPTURES USED IN THESE STUDIES ARE FROM THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION OF THE BIBLE, COPYRIGHT NEW YORK BIBLE SOCIETY, USED BY PERMISSION.

THESE STUDIES ARE "GRACEWARE" - DISTRIBUTED FREELY AND WITHOUT OBLIGATION. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP FINANCIALLY IN THE CONTINUATION OF THIS MINISTRY, YOU CAN SEND YOUR GIFT TO DAVID KRALIK MINISTRIES, INC. P.O. BOX 961, HOXIE, KANSAS 67740.

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