Holy Scriptures and Israel

Announcer (Male): Holy Scriptures and Israel is a ministry designed to share with the Jewish people the good news of the Lord Jesus Yeshua the Messiah and to instruct Christians on the Jewish roots of their faith. And now teaching God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective here is Gideon Levytam.

Gideon Levytam: The study of the book of Galatians chapter 5 Unfortunately in reality we don't because we don't live in such a communion with God allowing the the Holy Spirit of God to lead us and that's why we stumble, we fall, we dishonor the Lord many many times in our life. And notice what we read about Yeshua for a moment. Turn to Matthew chapter 4. Matthew chapter 4 we read of our blessed Lord Yeshua the Messiah as men that when he entered into this world, when he was born to the virgin Miriam in the city of Bethlehem in the land of Israel and he lived among our own people Israel before he died he was submissive to the Holy Spirit of God in his own life.

We read of him in Matthew 4 and verse 1. Then was Yeshua led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Imagine the Holy Spirit of God led the the man Messiah Yeshua to go all the way to the wilderness because God wanted to teach us a great lesson that Yeshua every time he was tempted he never allowed himself to follow after Satan. He said to Satan, men shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth by the mouth of the Lord, from the mouth of the Lord.

He said to Satan when he tempted him he says, Thou shalt honor God. He honored God in his life. He was the supreme individual that never sinned and we are to learn from him. If we are led by the Spirit we don't need laws because God the Holy Spirit of God will lead us aright. God the Holy Spirit of God will lead us aright and how wonderful it was to see Yeshua who was tempted. You know I often wonder you see the difference between Adam in the garden of Eden and Yeshua in the wilderness. Both of them were tempted in the three areas that you and I are being tempted today.

The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. You remember when the woman saw the tree that it was good for food it was pleasant to the eyes and it was able to make one wise and she took of the fruit when she was tempted by Satan. She ate of it. Nothing happened because she was not the federal head of the human race. Adam was. But the moment that she have given it to Adam he ate and he plunged the whole human race into sin. And that's how you and I receive the sin nature.

On the other hand Yeshua in the wilderness, not in the garden of Eden where there is a plenty, Yeshua was hungry. The Lord Jesus for 40 days in the desert. And when he was tempted he didn't allow Satan to beguile him. He's the man from heaven. He's the man that came from glory. He's God's man. You and I belong to him because of his work on behalf on behalf of us when he died for us on the shameful Roman cross. Yes, in Adam we all died. But in Yeshua, in the new man, in the man from heaven, we all be made alive.

All who trust in him. Two men Adam, Yeshua. One failed into sin, the other one honored God, never sinned at all. And that's why he is qualified to be the Messiah of Israel and the savior of this world. And so beloved brothers, back to Galatians. In chapter 5 and verse 19, 20 and 21 the apostle Saul Paul give the Galatians the list. And this list is a list of the works of the flesh. Some, there's a lot more. And if you notice if you look at this chart and you will notice here's another list. Here's a list of the works of the flesh.

Galatians chapter 5 verses 19 to 21. Look at this list beloved brothers and sisters. Look at this list. This list shows us what the old sinful nation of ours, yours and mine is capable of doing because when we allow it to have its own way that's what happen in our life. Notice this list and let me read it to you. In verse 19 we read now the works of the flesh are manifest. Which are these? Idolatry fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murderess, drunkenness, reveling and such alike. And notice what he continued in verse 21 and he said, of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in past time or in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Now notice beloved brothers and sisters he give us a list here of the works of the flesh. These things men do. These things we do. When we allow our flesh, our old nature to continue on in its own way. And you notice these are divided really into four areas. Verse 19 the works of the flesh are notice a manifest which I give us a idolatry, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness. These are sensual sins that men by nature committed because of our own sin nature. Sensual sins. Then you notice in verse 20 8 the first part we have the false worship that men commit in his life.

Idolatry and witchcraft. This come from this old sin nature and this is not so much sensual but it is a false worship, idol worship that men is capable to commit in his life because of his sin nature. Thirdly, look at the personal social sins that we commit. It's continuing in verse at 20 B in verse 21 A. He continues as hatred variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition, heresies, envying and murderess. You see these are some things that we do personally and in relationship to the society. Why there are so many murders in this world? Why there is so much hatred in this world?

Why there is so much envies and emulation here in this world? Why there is so much anger and strife in this world? Why there is so much heresies here in this world? Why there is envying and so on? Why? Because it come out of the old nature, the flesh. And the apostle is showing the Galatians on this list. Notice this that on this chart you see the works of the flesh. There are so many of them. He only gave them a little list here. He continue if you remember he said an and such alike as these.

Sensual sins false worship sins personal and social sins. And notice the other one is restraint, inability to restrain ourselves. Notice in the last part of verse 21 it says there drunkenness and a reveling. You notice drunkenness, you notice that beloved brothers and sisters when Noah, this man of God came out of the ark into a new world and the first thing we find Noah failing in that very same thing when he got drunk. And you remember what we find out how his son looked at him and mocked him. And you remember that and this is how the capability that we have if we are not careful, if we are not careful we are very we cannot even restrain ourselves.

And that's the four areas in which the lusts of the flesh are being exhibited in the life of the men, women, people when they allow their flesh to carry on in its own way. It's called in scripture the works of the flesh in plural. The works of the flesh. The 16 fold sinful works of the flesh which is exhibited at times in the life of even God's people because we have the old nature within us. We are capable of falling into one or two or more many more of these sins that are called sensual false worship, personal and social sins and lack of restraint that can come in a life of a believer, a life of a child of God.

But you see a child of God may fall into one of these of of of those sins. We see it in scripture many times. But he or she will not continue on an ongoing habitual and continual way in their life because they have a new nature, a divine nature. At some point of time they will have to realize I cannot continue in this way. I dishonor the Lord. And so you can see that in these list of things that can happen in the life of the believer. Yet notice what he said at the end in verse 21.

Paul says I've also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. What does it mean here? He doesn't mean that a believer can lose his salvation or her salvation. No, of course not. Because our salvation does not depend upon our performance. Our salvation depend upon the finished work of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. But what does it mean here is that when a person is habitually and continually live this kind of lifestyle is an evident that he or she are really not belong to the Lord whatsoever.

That he or she are really unsaved if they continue habitually and on an ongoing basis. And that's why he said such those that practice or do habitually continue such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. When a when a brother or a sister fall into anyone of these sins he or she need to repent. He or she has to come to the throne of grace. We read in 1 John 1 9 if we sin, if we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The believer should immediately turn to the Lord and repent and recognize that he failed and the Lord that he dishonor the Lord and be restored to the Lord in his life.

So verses 16 beloved brothers and sisters to verse 21 the Holy Spirit of God helps the believer to overcome the flesh. Because the flesh the flesh profiteth nothing. The old nature of ours is capable to do anything. With this old sinful nature we have committed any and every sin that is in the book. Even if you haven't done it and you thought of it as far as the Lord is concerned it's a sin. And for this we deserve to be punished but praise God Yeshua paid for every sin that we have committed. Now quickly let's move along to the last portion of Galatians chapter 5 and the last verses, verse 22 23 and verse 24 he gives us, Paul gives the Galatians and you and I the third ministry of the Holy Spirit of God in the life of the believer.

And what is that third ministry? It is the fact that the Holy Spirit of God can help the believer to produce fruit for God. Can help us because our new nature is linked with the person of the Holy Spirit of God. And he is help us to bring fruit fruit for God. Blessing and honor to the Lord and to others. And so we read in verse 22 there is another list. And I would like you to look at this chart again. And here's another list now. Here's a nine fold list of the fruit singular of the Holy Spirit of God.

We read of it in verse 22 but the fruit notice that the word fruit is in singular. Even though there are nine parts to it but it is the fruit that is produced by the Holy Spirit through the new nature that God had given to the believer in Yeshua. And so we read but the fruit of the Spirit is and notice beautiful love joy peace long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. This is verse 22 and the first part of verse 23. Nine fold fruit of the Spirit which began with love. The Hebrew word is The Greek word is which mean unconditional love that the Holy Spirit of God can produce out of this divine nature, the new nature that we have, this new man.

And you see look at the beautiful thing, beautiful things or beautiful fruit that this new nature can produce with the help of the Holy Spirit of God. Notice that internally within love, joy and peace. Shalom and joy and love this is a this is what we have internally if we enjoy the things of the Lord. We have love in our heart. You remember what we read in Romans chapter 5 that the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Place love. Why are we able to love even those that are unlovable?

Why is it that we are able to have this joy when things around us are joyless? Why are we able to have peace when there's turmoil around us? The peace of God the joy of the Lord is our strength. And the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. Where do we get this? The new man with the help of the Holy Spirit of God have internally it is an inward state, inward condition that we can have when we walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Look at second group. It says long suffering and gentleness and goodness.

This is not done towards me or towards the inside. These are an outward state outward condition. You see why do we need long suffering? Why do we need a gentleness and goodness because we need patient. We need long suffering with one another, with people in a world in which we live and we suffer long. We allow ourselves to bear with things even though they are not so easy. But how can we do it? The Holy Spirit of God help us to produce it. And then thirdly, we have a third group which is faith and meekness and temperance.

This is a God word state. It's in relationship to God. We we are faith in God, faith in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. It be humble and meek. You remember what Yeshua said of himself, I am meek and lowly in heart. Moses was the meekest man on earth. It is in relationship to God. It was evident by others. But when Moses was broken before the Lord the law giver of Israel God have used him when he was broken before the Lord. He was a meekest man on earth. And of course temperance. Temperance simply mean to be tempered in whatever you do, to know when to do it, to know when not to, to know how to handle situation.

And God is the one that is able to help us to be temperance in our life, in the things that we do in our life. So verse 22 and part of verse 23 gives us the nine fold list of the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God. It is that which pleases the Lord in the life of the believer and notice what it says now in verse 23 at the end against such there is no law. You see a believer who walk in the power of the Holy Spirit doesn't need laws because the Spirit will always make him do the right thing.

But when you know when we need laws? When God said, Thou shalt not covet. Because he knows we have an inclination to covet. You know when we need laws? When the law said, Thou shalt not murder. Because we have an inclination to murder and to hate. When the law tell us a certain thing to do, you know why God said this to our people Israel in the law because he knew that the sin nature that they have that the law will become like a mirror to say, Oh God be merciful to me. I have fail you at every one of these commandments that you gave.

I need a sacrifice. I need forgiveness, the blood atonement which remind and ought to remind the Jewish men of the Messiah that it was going to come and take away the sin of the world. The law condemned us. The sacrifice, the blood forgave us and pointed to the Messiah who was the only one who fulfilled the law. And because of him we are now are set at liberty. And we are not to live in a light of the flesh. And notice what he conclude and I would like to conclude with this Galatians chapter 5. In the last verses here verse 24 25 and 26 the people who belong to the Messiah, God's prove of such a thing.

Notice in verse 24 it said, and they that are the Messiah, the Christ, the Messiah have crucified the flesh with the affection and lusts. In other words, what is the word crucified mean? Put to death. So those that belong to Yeshua the Messiah are on an ongoing basis need to put to death this old sinful nature. But positionally we have already reckon ourselves dead when we have accepted the Messiah. When we believed in the Lord Jesus and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we have already said this thing. I died with him. I was buried with him and I rose again with the Lord Jesus, with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

This is a very interesting verse in Colossians chapter 2 and I want to read that to you. Colossians chapter 2 and verse 11. Look what it says, what Paul said in Colossians 2 verse 11. Paul says like this. He says, in whom also with the circumcision notice made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of the Messiah. In other words, when Yeshua died we died positionally. When Yeshua died we died with him. And positionally beloved brothers and sisters God does not look at us whatsoever under this old sin nature.

He look at us as we are in Messiah, in Christ. He died, we died. He was punished on our behalf. We have accepted him. We have that they that are belong to the Messiah have died. They put to death the flesh with the affection and its lust positionally. Practically it's another story. This we need an ongoing help from the Spirit of God. Then verses 25 and verse 26 he is closing this fifth chapter and the apostle Paul says, if the believer will live in the realm of the Spirit of God then he will be able or she will be able to please the Lord and not to live in a way that it will it is harmful and dishonoring to the Lord.

Notice I'm going to read this list two verses, verse 25 and verse 26. If we live in the Spirit, in the realm of the Spirit, allowing the Spirit of God to guide us, living in the light of the new nature that we have let us also walk in the Spirit. If we are already positionally belong to the Lord and we live in the light of the Holy Spirit of God to guide us and to lead us now let us walk, let us practice this. Let us live it out on a day by day basis. Let us not verse 26 be desirous of vain glory provoking one another and envying one another.

A change has to happen practically. Just as a change happen positionally when we have accepted the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Let us not desirous vain glory. And let us not provoke one another to envy and so on envying one another. In other words, beloved and sisters what Paul is saying and I'm going to finish with it for today don't live like you used to live. He's saying to the Galatians don't carry on allowing the flesh to take control over our life. You have two natures. And if you look at one more time the chart you have two natures.

These two natures are completely different. The old nature is capable to sin. The new nature is incapable to sin. Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Why? Because the Spirit is the inward man. The Spirit is the new man. The Spirit is the spiritual man. The Spirit is the divine nature which we receive. So walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Why? Because the lust of the flesh is the outward man. The lust of the flesh or the flesh is the old man.

It's the natural man, is the human nature which dishonor the Lord at any time, every time. Live your life, Paul said to the Galatians in a way that it will please the Lord and how much help we need from the Lord to help us to walk in a way that will please the Lord Yeshua in our life. We can do it. The Holy Spirit of God to take control over our life. And he will do so if we will submit to his authority. Can we say amen to that?

Announcer (Male): You have been listening to the Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levytam. Gideon teaches God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective. For more information about this ministry write to Holy Scriptures and Israel box 14 11 Niagara on the Lake Ontario L0S 1J0 or visit our website at holyscripturesandisrael.com. You are also invited to Gideon's weekly Bible teaching on Fridays at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. at Willowdale Christian Assembly Hall 28 Martin Ross Avenue in Toronto. Holy Scriptures and Israel is made possible by your prayers and financial support. If you would like to support the program visit holyscripturesandisrael.com.

God bless you. Shalom Shalom.