In Gal 5:16-26 Paul concludes with the importance of a Spirit-lived life. Although he doesn't here mention being filled with or baptised in the Spirit, it is clear in the passage, and also from his alluding to Jesus' teaching on fruitfulness as a recognition of inner righteousness, that the Spirit-empowered life is absolutely essential to working out righteousness by faith.
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This is a challenge for preachers. Charismatics preach an experiential infilling of the Spirit; their expectation levels will be high and they tend to focus more on Spirit baptism with signs following but not so much on the ethical dimension. Non-charismatics tend to downplay the experiential often even discounting teaching on the Spirit. If there is talk of the role of the Spirit, it can be reduced to teaching on the effort of the believer to live right.
This is a challenge for preachers. Charismatics preach an experiential infilling of the Spirit; their expectation levels will be high and they tend to focus more on Spirit baptism with signs following but not so much on the ethical dimension. Non-charismatics tend to downplay the experiential often even discounting teaching on the Spirit. If there is talk of the role of the Spirit, it can be reduced to teaching on the effort of the believer to live right.
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Not so for Paul. He focuses squarely on the battle between the indwelling Spirit and sinful flesh. I find him very real here. Yes we have put to death the sinful nature on the cross; the back of sin has been broken. But yes there is also an ongoing battle between the flesh trying to resurrect itself until we are ultimately renewed. Pursuing the radical, indwelling & empowering life of the Spirit will bring incremental breakthroughs in the here and now.
Not so for Paul. He focuses squarely on the battle between the indwelling Spirit and sinful flesh. I find him very real here. Yes we have put to death the sinful nature on the cross; the back of sin has been broken. But yes there is also an ongoing battle between the flesh trying to resurrect itself until we are ultimately renewed. Pursuing the radical, indwelling & empowering life of the Spirit will bring incremental breakthroughs in the here and now.
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I am challenged to put the diamond back in the crown of Christian living and display it as it should be. The Spirit filled & empowered life is absolutely central to life lived as a Christian. It is essential for us to live in the reality of the justification by faith Christ has won for us at the cross. The Spirit filled life is not an optional extra for the happy-clappys. It doesn't mean extra effort to live right. It does mean a dynamic pursuit of Spirit-fellowship so that Christ and Christlikeness is formed in us.
I am challenged to put the diamond back in the crown of Christian living and display it as it should be. The Spirit filled & empowered life is absolutely central to life lived as a Christian. It is essential for us to live in the reality of the justification by faith Christ has won for us at the cross. The Spirit filled life is not an optional extra for the happy-clappys. It doesn't mean extra effort to live right. It does mean a dynamic pursuit of Spirit-fellowship so that Christ and Christlikeness is formed in us.
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