Sermon:
Advance … a sermon about Spiritual walking
by Chris Cumming
On the 18th of
January of this year (2020),
I presented to you the sermon, “Double-down”
which shared with you a hands-on perspective to repentance. I began
that sermon with this statement:
“Back in July and August of 2014, I gave four sermons as part of a
Holiness series.
You can see all these sermons at the
Las Vegas site.”
Today’s sermon is the thirteenth in the Salvation series which was born
in the Holiness series Each Salvation Series sermon is stand-alone
sermon on the same overall subject: Holiness and Salvation.”
The “Double-down” sermon is part of the
Holiness series
of four (4) sermons. From this one sermon, I have put together fourteen
(14) sermons in what I call the, “Salvation
series.”
You can see these sermon titles and subjects on the
Sermons page
of the
Las Vegas site.
Each sermon has a key verse or two you heard in “Double-down.”
Again, today’s sermon is the thirteenth sermon in this series.
This is the last primary sermon in this series. The fourteenth sermon,
“Culmination” is a wrap up of those 13 primary sermons.
Note:
Any scripture you see with an asterisk (*) is one found in the sermon
“Double-down.” Any scripture where you see the text in red is emphasis
by me.
Let us begin.
This sermon has 3 key scriptures from the original, “Double Down”
sermon:
Romans 8:1* Galatians 5:24-26* Galatians 5:16*
Each one has the same admonition and is the purpose of this final
primary sermon of the series: Walk in the Spirit.
Walk in the Spirit
Turn to Romans 8.
Romans 8:1*
There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit.
Double-down Phrase:
--Walk after the Spirit.
Definitions:
---Walk:
G4043: walk at large (especially
as proof of ability);
figuratively to live, deport oneself, follow, go, be occupied with.
Notice all of these definitions words and phrases involve action. This
entire sermon is about manifestation of action. I went to the Macmillan
Dictionary for each of these words for G4043 as they relate to, “Walk in
the Spirit.”
a] Deport oneself:
to behave in a particular way. The synonym for deport oneself is
“conform.”
b] Go:
Change to. Move a particular way. Operate correctly.
c] Walk at large:
Go with someone on foot. “on foot” denotes progress. With someone (in
our case) means Christ.
d] Live:
keep alive in a certain way…His way.
e] Be occupied with:
be in control of your place or position. Regularly think about
something.
You place/position is disciple in the salvation process. The object of
your thinking is the Word of God.
For “e” – Thinking on God or His Word
2 Corinthians 10:7
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to
himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that,
as he is Christ's, even so are we
Christ's.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are
honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise,
think on these things.
Now what is going to be the outcome of you being occupied with the Word
of God?
James 1:22
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your
own selves.
On “b” – go and “c” – walk
with Christ we have:
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he
shall direct thy paths.
Micah 6:8
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of
thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly
with thy God?
Psalm 119:133
Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over
me.
For “d” – living His way:
Deuteronomy 5:33
Ye shall walk in all the ways which the
LORD your God
hath commanded you,
that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your
days in the land which ye shall possess.
For “a” – conforming to Jesus Christ and God:
Romans 8:29
For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
1 Corinthians 15:49
And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of
the heavenly.
2 Corinthians 3:18
…my favorite scripture on how the
salvation process works
[see
sermon]
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are
changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the
Lord.
Walk in the Spirit
No a couple of verses linked to Romans 8:1
Romans 8:1*
There is therefore now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit.
Naturally, we know our
other two key verses for today are linked to this verse and here are a two
others:
Romans 8:4
…just down from the key scripture of
Romans 8:1
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Titus 2:11-14*
[see
Lesson]
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation
hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should
live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present
world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and
purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous
of good works.
Looking at the text here I put in red, by what power could we live soberly,
righteously and godly? And how is God purify unto himself a peculiar people?
Clearly by the Spirit of God (the power of God)
which is the only way Christ and God the Father do things.
So, Walk in the Spirit
Let us go to our second of three key verses from the “Double Down” sermon:
Galatians 5:24-26
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh
with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one
another.
Double-down Phrases:
--Crucify the flesh …see the sermon in this series,
“Mortification”
--Live in the Spirit
--Walk in the Spirit
--Control desire and eliminate any desire for anything negative and/or against
the Word of God.
Definitions:
---Crucify: notice the commentary:
The corrupt passions of the soul have been put to death; that is, destroyed.
They are as though they were dead, and have no power over us. ~Barnes
Notes
---Live in the Spirit: Again from the
commentary: "The sense of this verse probably is, "We who are Christians profess
to be under the influences of the Holy Spirit."
---Walk in the Spirit: Produce fruit by that
Spirit. Take note that Galatians 5:22-23 lists those fruits.
By your firm conviction and your calling, you live in the Spirit. By that
power, you walk in the Spirit as produce fruit and good works. The crucifixion
of the flesh is a specific procedure you initiate by that Spirit.
Why is Paul asking us to “crucify” the flesh? What is depicted here?
Crucifixion
...from the Wikipedia article, acclimated to our
discussion today
Crucifixion was most often
performed to dissuade its witnesses from perpetrating similar (usually
particularly heinous)
crimes. Victims were sometimes left on display after death as a warning to any
other potential criminals. Crucifixion was usually intended to provide a death
that was particularly slow, painful (hence
the term excruciating, literally "out of crucifying"),
gruesome, and humiliating,
The Greek and Latin words corresponding to "crucifixion" applied to many
different forms of painful execution, including being impaled on a stake, or
affixed to a tree [like Jesus]
While a crucifixion was an execution, it was also a humiliation, by making the
condemned as vulnerable as possible.
~end quote from Wikipedia
If you read more about what happens in a crucifixion, you see just how ugly,
distasteful and abhorrent it is. This is why Paul was inspired to use it. God
wants us to utterly crucify the deeds of the flesh. That is, He wants us to
have a white-hot hatred of sin and all things negative.
Notice in the last paragraph of the Wikipedia description that it was to bring
up a feeling of vulnerably. When we see how ugly and abhorrent the sin is, we
readily see that we do not have the power to deal with it. Part of the
crucifixion of the flesh (the negative
deeds thereof) is to
fully surrender and put ourselves into the hands of God. God is the only one to
lead us by the hand out of these situations and to the constant path of
righteousness.
Let us now look at some linked verses to Galatians 5:24-26 and specifically the
first phrase of verse 25:
Galatians 5:25
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the
Spirit.
John 6:63
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit,
and they are life.
Romans 8:2
For the law of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus hath made me
free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:10
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but
the Spirit is life
because of righteousness.
1 Corinthians 15:45
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam
was made a quickening spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:6
...a fact about ministers
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter,
but of the spirit:
for the letter killeth, but the spirit
giveth life.
1 Peter 4:6
For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they
might be judged according to men in the flesh,
but live according to God in the spirit.
Walk in the Spirit
Let us look at a verse earlier
in Galatians 5.
Galatians 5:16*
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit,
and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Double-down Phrase:
---Walk in the Spirit.
Commentary: Frequent in a metaphorical sense for habitual conduct. ~Vincent's
Word Studies
Walk by the Spirit -
Follow his guidance in all things. And fulfil not - In anything negative. Roman
The desire of the flesh - Of corrupt nature. ~John
Wesley Explanatory Notes
Walk by the Spirit -
The Christian life is often represented as a journey, and the word walk, in the
scripture, is often equivalent to live. ~Barnes
Notes
Walk by the Spirit -
“By (the rule of)
the (Holy)
Spirit.” ~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
Walk by the Spirit -
that is, either after the Spirit of God; making the word inspired by God the
rule of behavior, which as it is the standard of faith, so of practice, and is
the lamp unto our feet, and the light unto our path; taking [God]
for a guide, who not only guides into all truth, but in the way of holiness and
righteousness unto the land of uprightness; and depending upon God's grace and
strength for assistance throughout the whole of our walk and conversation [conduct]. ~John
Gill
Look at this verse again. The statement is clear. If you are walking in the
Spirit, you will not fulfil the lust of the flesh. If you are in the Spirit you
are in firm conviction. If you are in the Spirit, you are in holiness. If you
are in the Spirit, you are constantly doubling down in repentance.
Here are some linked verses:
Galatians 6:8
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Romans 8:12-14
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the
flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do
mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit
of God,
they are the sons of God.
Jude 1:19-21
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
20 But ye, beloved, building up
yourselves on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Ghost [Spirit],
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus
Christ unto eternal life.
Note:
The building up of yourselves is accomplished by Christ in and through us by the
power of the Holy Spirit…walking in the Spirit.
Let me leave you with some
famous quotes on following God.
“You will know if
you are on the right path when God directs your choices.”
“Dependence on the Lord is wisdom and self-reliance is foolishness. But
dependence on the Lord does not mean laziness, it means prayerful action and
patient perseverance...”
“A godly leader will be effective only as much as he stays connected to the
great and awesome God and follows His lead.”
“God has brought you through before and He will bring you through again. Make a
decision each day, to follow His lead.”
“Those who walk with God always reach their destination.”
Maybe the best quote is the words of Paul in our last key verse (Galatians
5:16):
“This I say then,
walk in the Spirit.”