Light Brings Salt
Volume 2, Issue 4 January 25 , 2004
Dedicated to the
Systematic Exposition of the Word of God
Walking and
the Spiritual Life
Part 3
As we noted in the last newsletter,
when the believer walks by means of the Spirit, it is impossible for him to
bring to completion, or fulfillment, the lusts of the flesh. Fulfilling the
lust of the flesh and walking by means of the Spirit are mutually exclusive
alternatives. This is the point being made by Paul in Gal. 5:16.
We need to realize that as a believer
at any moment we are
either depending on the divine provision of the Holy Spirit, or our own innate ability
that has its ultimate source in our sin nature.
Stan Toussaint (an excellent N.T.
scholar) has an interesting observation on this context. "In Galatians
The next question we should ask: How,
then, can a believer who is walking by the Spirit sin? He
must first stop walking by the Spirit.
The
promise implicit in this mandate is that as long as the believer consciously
depends on the Holy Spirit, and walks by faith
he will not sin.
Once the believer chooses to stop
walking, then, and only then, does lust conceive sin.
A choice must be made to stop walking by the Spirit
and to put the OSN in rulership/dominion, then sin is conceived. (Rom
It is obvious from Gal.
A believer cannot be walking mostly by
the Spirit with a few occasional unknown, or
unintentional sins.
Toussaint writes concerning this
context: In this entire epistle two alternatives are set before Paul's
Christian readers. Either they may walk under law or under grace. These same
two choices are open in Gal. 5:16-23. A
walk under law necessitates a walk by means of the flesh (cf. Gal 3:2-3;
Evidence of this dichotomy between the
flesh and the Spirit is then described in the various character qualities
listed in Galatians 5:19-23. First when
the sin nature dominates in
We as believers are to abide in Christ,
and to walk by the Holy Spirit! That's
to be the norm for the believer. It is never in our best interest or advantage to
produce the deeds of the sin nature listed in 19-21 only consequences.
Paul includes this info here because as believers we may choose to stop walking by the Holy Spirit and begin
operating by means of the flesh, or the sin nature. These are the only two
options.
It is clear that abiding, fellowship, (as developed by John in 1 John and John 15)
and walking by means of the Holy Spirit all look at the advancing believer's
life from the same perspective. In
contrast, not abiding, lack of fellowship, and operating by the sin nature
describes the believer living in self-dependence dominated by the sin nature's
lust patterns both the weakness and strength.
It might be helpful for us to relate these conclusions to another category
of walking: walking in the light.
Walking in the Light
Numerous passages use walking as a
metaphor for the Christian life. A noun in the dative or with an "in"
(en) clause often accompany "walk."
As we study Scripture we must pay close attention to the context in
determining the precise nuance and thrust the author intends for us to
understand.
In Galatians, the nuance of
instrumentality/means was necessary due to the nature of the verbs and the
description of the action.
In 1 John chapter one, the apostle does
not use a simple dative. Instead, John opts for "in the darkness" (en
to skotos) and "in the light" (en to
photos) to describe the characteristics of two opposing walks of the believer's
that are (1 John 1:6,7). Further, John's use of "in" (en)
makes it clear that he has a locative connotation in mind, that of sphere (1
John 2:9-11).
As with Paul's mutually exclusive
categories of walking by the Spirit or walking according to the sin nature,
John expresses the mutually exclusive walks of life as either darkness or light
(1 John 1:6, 7). Having fellowship with
God is impossible while walking in darkness.
Walking in the light is connected to
fellowship in these verses, and fellowship is synonymous with abiding in 1
John. As believers we can either walk in
darkness or walk in light. Paul's development of walking in Ephesians 4-6
supports this view.
As children
of light (Ephesians 5:8).
The Christian life is covered
extensively in Ephesians under the metaphor of walking in chapter 4 - 6. Five times the apostle uses the verb "to
walk" (peripateo), three times in Ephesians
chapter five alone.
The first is to walk in love (Eph 5:2).
The Greek preposition "in" (en), one may translate as a locative or
instrumental. If locative, then the idea would be in the state or sphere of
love, a more passive idea. Yet, the
remainder of the verse suggests a more instrumental idea. The standard for the
believer is Christ's love demonstrated at the cross.
The active voice of the verb suggests
that Christ's active love for God the Father, to fulfill His plan and to
provide salvation for mankind, was the motive that kept him on the cross (Heb.
12:2-3).
Thus, He endured not "in love," but
"by means of love." Love for God the Father enabled Him to endure the
indescribable suffering for our sins on the cross. This shows that certain means or instruments
aid the believer's walk. The Holy Spirit
is one; the active application of love toward fellow believers is another. [actually connected]
Walking by means of love is then
parallel with the next command to: walk
as children of light
in Eph. 5:8.
This mandate follows the statement about our former position as in
darkness with our new position as light in the Lord. [another
example of You were this but now this.]
We are born physically in the realm of
darkness and only become sons of the light at the instant of faith alone in
Christ alone (John 12:36a).
Walking in the light, as John observed,
is not automatic. As believers we can surely choose to walk in darkness instead of living
on the basis of who we are now as a member of God's family, possessing a new
nature, and indwelt by God the Holy Spirit.
Failure to reflect the character of the new nature.
The metaphor of light is used two ways
in Scripture:
1)
to portray the holiness, righteousness, and
absolute perfection of God (1 John 1:5)
2)
the revelation of God, His Person, Perfections,
and plan through the Word of God (Psa 119:105, 130.
In Him, Christ, there is no darkness. John emphasizes
that to walk in darkness breaks fellowship with God.
Dr. Dean stated related to the subject:
"Some suggest that only known sin breaks fellowship with God, or sin
revealed to the individual by the Holy Spirit. Yet, how much sin violates the absolute
standard of God's perfection? Does sin
only violate that righteous standard when one is aware of it, or he does it
intentionally? The answer is that any sin, known, unknown, intentional or not,
violates the standard of God's absolute perfection. The light of God's Word and the Light, His
Son, reveals the standard. The believer is to walk consistently with God's
Person and perfections as revealed in the light of His Word. Whenever he sins,
he paralyzes his walk."
In Ephesians chapter five Paul, again,
contrasts the mutually exclusive walk of the believer with the results of
choices made outside the will of God. Recognizes that these are absolute states which are mutually
exclusive.
The believer may imitate God or not
(5:1), walk by means of love or not (5:2), have improper conduct or not (5:3,
4), be disobedient or not (5:6), and walk as children of light or as approving
deeds of darkness (5:7-13). Paul shifts
the metaphor of light from light as divine perfection to light as the
revelation of that perfection in the Word that exposes sin in the context of (
This introduces the informational aspect of one's walk - the revelation of God's Word -that
informs us as believers of the directive will of God, the mandates, and
provisions for living the Christian life having impact for Christ.
Only through His Word as the Holy
Spirit illuminates that Word and therefore teaches us, can we as believers
learn what God's plan is and the procedures for life being lived in the light
of the Word.
The
Holy Spirit is crucial in this process.
Jesus called Him the Spirit of truth
(
The role of the Holy Spirit is in the
revelation, communication, understanding, retention, and recall of the
principles of the Word of God (John
As the believer learns under the
teaching ministry of God the Holy Spirit, he develops wisdom. Wisdom is related
to application of the Word. So again, Eph. 5:15-17 reveals an absolute
contrast, wisdom, that is making wise choices as
opposed to foolishness.
Abiding, walking by the Holy Spirit,
walking by means of love, walking in the light and walking as a child of the
Light, and walking with wisdom - all represent
the believer who is growing and advancing in the spiritual life.
However, how does the believer come to
understand these mechanics and the doctrines they represent? Can he do that on
his own? When Ephesians
The context of Ephesians chapter five
reveals a dynamic that is both parallel
with the absolute state of walking in the Light and, in itself, tantamount to walking by means of the
Holy Spirit. [of Gal.
Since the walk by means of the Holy
Spirit is parallel to abiding in Christ and fellowship, we discover that the
filling by the Spirit characterizes abiding in Christ.
This brings us to the command Be filled with the Spirit
(Eph
First, Paul's imperative directed
toward the believer's volition indicates the possibility of only two options, either obedience or disobedience.
Once again this mandate fits the scenario of absolute states: one is either
filled, or not.
Second, Paul draws his contrast with
wine. The issue is not control, but instrumentality. The Greek mystery
religions, including that of Dionysus, proposed certain means for uniting with
the gods, wine being one of those means.
The Holy Spirit is not the content of
the filling, the believer does not get more of the Spirit in the filling, but
rather the Holy Spirit fills the believer with something. We discover the
content of the filling in, a parallel passage.
The apostle Paul mandates, Let the
Word of Christ richly dwell within you (
The results are teaching, admonishing,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, thankfulness, and transformed
relationships in the home and at work (Col. 3:16-24).
This points out identical consequences
follow the filling by [agency] of the Spirit (Ephesians
Comparison
of these two passages yields a couple of conclusions.
The Holy Spirit fills the believer with
the Word of God. Does this just happen?
No it takes Choices! The
believer, then, walking by means of the Holy Spirit, applies the Word that
transforms his thinking and in turn his life.
However, the believer can choose to
reject the ministry of the Spirit, to reject the Word. This is synonymous with
not walking by the Spirit,
or walking in darkness at which point sin ensues.
The believer is no longer abiding,
having fellowship with God, walking in the light, walking by means of love, and
advancing in wisdom.
Instead, the believer is walking
according to the flesh, as a fool, and in darkness. No longer does the Holy
Spirit lead him, nor does he follow in the Spirit's footsteps.
The results of this walk are the works
of the flesh, although it may be very moral.
Such a condition shuts down [stymies] the production of the fruit of the
Spirit in their
life.
There is nothing mystical or magical
about this process. Any believer may learn doctrine that is useable in his or
her spiritual growth, but it has value for spiritual growth only when in right relationship with
the Holy Spirit.
Apart from the ministry of the H/S it
becomes distorted info and will be misunderstood and applied.
This does not involve some mystical
takeover of the believer's volition, or "letting go and letting
God." That indeed would be the
result or emphasis, if Paul used a genitive of content in Ephesians 5:18. But he didn't did
he!!
The Spirit does not operate in a
vacuum, but always in conjunction with the Word of God, the light of divine
revelation. Neither works apart from the other.
Emphasis on the Holy Spirit without
equal emphasis on learning and applying the principles of truth from the Word
inevitably leads the believer to a subjective mystical approach to life.
In contrast, emphasis on study apart from the indispensable role of the Holy Spirit leads to knowledge for knowledge's sake, a merely academic emphasis often confusing human morality with spiritual growth produced by the Holy Spirit.