Page 20 - January 2022 - Truth & Tidings

within someone. Mercifully, though, “if us to gratify the wicked flesh within us.
Christ is in you, although the body is dead But how do we learn and sense His lead-
because of sin, the Spirit is life because of ing? Thankfully, He has made His ways
righteousness” (Rom 8:10). Our growth in and desires clear in the Scriptures, which
holiness is possible because we, as believ- He has breathed out. If I prayerfully seek
ers, do possess the Spirit of holiness. This to follow the guidance of His Word, I will
article began with the reminder that with- experience growth, power and victory.
out the Spirit of God we can do nothing. “Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18) is
But with Him, the most beautiful thing is another command to obey. Certainly, we
possible – likeness to Christ. already possess as much of Him as we
So … Do We Just Wait for the Spirit to can, but the first part of the text gives us
Sanctify Us? a key interpretive clue: “do not get drunk
No. Sanctification is a lot like regenera- with wine.” When someone is drunk, they
tion. We did not save ourselves, but that are living under the influence of alcohol;
doesn’t mean we had no responsibility in when someone is filled with the Spirit,
the matter. By God’s grace, we did obey they are living under His influence. His
the word of truth; we did believe God; we holy desires control our behavior. This
did submit to the work of the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean we roll around out of control
to convict us and draw us to Christ. We on the floor. In the context, a Spirit-filled
do not sanctify ourselves, but we do have individual will enjoy Christian fellow-
responsibilities. For example, in Romans ship, will sing, be thankful, and submit
8:13, we are to “put to death the deeds of to their fellow believers. This is the fruit
the body.” But do not miss the vital quali- that the Spirit produces (love, joy, peace
fier in the text – we do that “by the Spirit.” … self-control) – this is sanctification by
The Holy Spirit’s power will be operative the Spirit. And notice that this fruit is
in an obedient believer, submitting to the Christlike in character. This is an obvious
Spirit’s word and work. Final victory and contrast between being drunk and being
likeness to Christ awaits the Lord’s return, filled with the Spirit – “one makes us like
but the Spirit will grant power over sin beasts, the other like Christ.”
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and growth in righteousness in a people This text also helpfully blends human
who trust and obey. responsibility with divine activity. “Be
Walk … Be Filled … Sow filled” is a command, but it is in the pas-
In fact, God promises us victory in Ga- sive voice, conveying our responsibility
latians 5:16: “Walk by the Spirit, and you to let Him fill us, to yield to Him and His
will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” power. The passive voice does not mean
The walk of verse 16 is teased out in the we have no role; it means the power to
verses that follow, including verse 25 with truly enjoy fellowship and worship comes
another phrase that most translations from Him. We actively choose whether or
render something like, “let us also walk not to get drunk, and we actively choose
by the Spirit.” But the phrase is differ- whether or not to let the Spirit control us.
ent from verse 16; verse 25 more clearly If we grieve Him with critical words and
emphasizes the need to follow the Spirit’s bitter attitudes toward fellow saints, in
leading, to “keep in step with the Spirit” ⁴ John Stott, Baptism and Fullness (Downers
(NIV). Obviously, the Spirit will never lead Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 74.

20 TRUTH kTidings January 2022