Which Dog?
Galatians 5 says, “use not liberty as an occasion to the flesh (sin nature) but by love serve one another.” The battle against sin rages on. In a marriage counseling workshop one man approached Pete and said “I found a note from my wife this morning when I went to work. It said, “If you want to save this marriage then go see Pete.” Pete asked him, “Do you really want to be God’s man?” He answered, “yes kind of.” Pete’s next question was, “are you willing to do whatever it takes to save your marriage?” His answer was, “probably not.”
Jesus summed up the question of relationships with one command: “A new commandment I give you: That you love one another, even as I have loved you.” Galatians 5:16 says, “walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” Lust means “over desire.” It is anything that we love and desire over our fellowship with God. Desires of the flesh are the things that we battle every day. The way to overcome these sinful desires is to love and treasure the things of the spirit of life in Christ over the things of the our natural sinful flesh. The flesh and the spirit are in opposition to one another so that you cannot do the things that are pleasing to both you and God.
There are two dogs in everyone’s nature. There’s a good dog and a bad dog. When they fight, which dog will win? The dog that wins is the dog you feed. The question for life’s decisions is, “which dog am I feeding?” If we’re casual about which dog we’re feeding, we’ll become a casualty in the spiritual battle.
There are two natures, the law of the flesh that produces sin and death and the law of the spirit of life in Christ. The law of the spirit is the law of grace. Galations 5 contrasts the “works of the flesh” and the “fruit of the spirit.”
When you’re in the flesh, you start doing things that you never thought you’d do. According to Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and such like…”
Physical and immoral impurities are the hallmarks of today’s culture. These are celebrated as “acceptable behavior” in our “politically correct” culture where men call good evil and evil good. Laciviousness is indulging to excess that which is impure. Idolatry is anything to which you give your life other than the one true God. Witchcraft and sorcery tap into the devil’s power-source of “spiritual wickedness from on high.” Most people don’t believe in hell. The devil’s greatest trick is to convince people that he doesn’t exist. Variance is division and strife focusing on “irreconcilable differences.” Jealousy and seditious incite insurrection and factions against others who don’t agree with the world’s definitions of “political correctness.” Disputes, heresies, and dissensions focus on hatred against others and drive wedges between opposing factions.
Sometimes you can’t help entering into the darkness of the world that surrounds you. Suzan often said, “you can’t help how others treat you. However, you can always love them in return.” The adversary’s goal is to steal, kill and to destroy. This is his nature and the nature of the flesh that we inherited form Adam.
In a marriage, wounds and hurts accumulate over time. However, when we forsake our pride, humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and meet each other at the foot of the cross, he will reconcile us.
Anger, wrath, jealousy and envyings intentionally hurt others from a heart of malice. Murder is the extreme end result of premeditated intent to kill from a heart filled with hate.
Reveling is to “pull out all the stops” by abandoning self control when we give ourselves over to sin.
In stark contrast to the works of the flesh are the fruit of the spirit. The list in Galatians 5:22 contrasts the flesh nature of sin and death with the spirit nature of life in Christ. The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the spirit.
The first fruit of the spirit is love. The Love of God overcomes envyings, wantonness, and selfishness. Love suffers long and is kind. Joy is fullness and calm delight in the presence of God. Joy is not the absence of pain, rather it is the presence of God. When we delight ourselves in the lord, he will give us the desires of our heart. Peace is surrendering our hearts to the higher power in fellowship with our Lord.
Patience, long suffering and forbearance is the result of actively waiting in the presence of God. Gentleness is gracious affection according to the grace we have been given. Gentleness is quick to encourage and bless. It is amiable and uplifting in putting others first.
The fruit of the spirit is the nature of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “come unto me all you who are weary and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” When we’re beaten down by the lusts of the flesh and weakened by the powers of darkness, we can turn our hearts to him in repentance. Time in his presence will produce the fruit of the spirit.
When you squeeze a man his essence will come out. The heart of the flesh will produce the works of the flesh. However dwelling in the spirit of life in Christ will squeeze out the fruit of the spirit.
To have a great relationship with a great God is to walk according to the spirit of life in Christ. Our challenge is to choose which dog we will feed. If we feed the dog of the flesh we will produce anger, indignation, strife, contention, confusion and every evil work. If we feed the dog of the spirit it will produce the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance…. Against such there is no law.
May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael