Good Works

Main Idea - Good works done in the flesh bring death but done in the Spirit bring life.

Galatians 6:7
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”

All you gardeners know this to be true. If you plant a pumpkin seed, you will get a ____________.

What you plant = what you get at harvest time.

It’s true in the Christian life as well. What you plant = what you get.

Galatians 6:8
”For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

If you plant your flesh, the fruit that results is called corruption. Death, destruction, pain, decay, wasting away, death, …

Flesh is living independently from the Spirit within us. It’s living in our own effort. It’s trying to control people. It’s trying to gain something for me by doing something. Doing good works to get something out of it.

The end result is Galatians 5:19-21

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.”

You might expect Paul to say - You plant the seed of a fit of anger and you will get the fruit of a fit of anger. That’s not what he says. He says you plant flesh and you get all this junk. It’s all born out of flesh. It’s all born out of self-confidence, independence from God.

Sometimes you are actually trying to do good in your flesh. People think that whenever you are stepping into flesh it is because you are stepping into sin. That is true but it is also true that in the flesh you might be trying to do something good, just for the wrong reasons.

For example, you might be trying to bring reconciliation in a relationship but you are doing it in the flesh and the net result is you reap division. You might be trying to be patient in your own strength but instead the result is fits of anger and you don’t get it.

The key word here is you are trying, trying, trying … You are trying to do it in your own strength and this stuff is what you are getting instead of the good stuff you were anticipating. And you end up thinking how comes doing good works doesn’t work? The answer is because you are doing them in the flesh.

The result of doing good works in the flesh is death, destruction, decay, stench,…

Think of an octopus. You’ve got all these different arms on the octopus. Each arm is one of these things from verses 19-21. You hate that stuff. You don’t want it in your life. You are a believer. You’re a follower of Jesus. You don’t want to see this stuff happening in your life. So you see the envy, jealousy, fits of anger and so you say, “God, I’m not going to lash out in anger anymore” and you try not to do it and your life becomes this life of sin management. I’m not going to do this. I’m not going to do this. I’m not going to do this. There are all these arms you are trying desperately to manage. For a while you cut that fits of anger arm off and you don’t get mad any more but then all of a sudden one day it starts to bubble up and off you go again. What you discover is that arm has grown back. The only way you can deal with the arm, is to cut off the head. That’s the only way you can take an octopus out. The head of the octopus is called the flesh.

So how can you take off the head of the octopus? Look at Galatians 5:16.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

So how do I walk by the Spirit – look at Galatians 6:8

”For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit (Allows the Spirit to work in him, surrenders to the indwelling spirit, allows the Spirit’s power to show, who stops trying and starts trusting) will from the Spirit (it’s His work not ours) reap eternal life.”  (words in parenthesis are mine)

Abiding life, constant life, everlasting life, vibrancy, health, the real deal.  This abundant life that Jesus promised - this is how we find it.

Good works done in the flesh bring death but done in the Spirit bring life.

Galatians 6:9

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, …”

A telltale sign that you are doing good works in the flesh is you get tired. You get worn out. Your energy gets to the end.

You tried to do something nice for your spouse and they shrugged it off. And you respond – “Whatever, I quit.” That’s probably from the flesh. When you are tempted to quit, when you are weary, when you are tired – that’s a good indication that you are functioning in the flesh.

Galatians 6:9
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, (we will get fruit) if we do not give up.”  (words in parenthesis are mine)

Reap ties back to verse 8.

We need to surrender to the Spirit and we will reap this fruit of the Spirit which ties back to Galatians 5:22-23.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

So you plant the Spirit, you surrender to the Spirit and all those things happen.

Good works could also be added to this list as a fruit of the Spirit.

These are all what the Spirit does when we surrender to Him.

Galatians 6:10 
“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Ephesians 2:10
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

God has prepared good works in advance for us to do. The Spirit knows all about these good works that He has prepared for you. The Spirit is going to prompt you towards those good works. If you are surrendered to Him, He will empower you into those good works. He will minister through you to people and life will happen. This is what the Christian life is about.

Galatians 6:10 
“So then, as we have opportunity (as the Spirit prompts you to do these good works that are prepared in advance for you), let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”   (words in parenthesis are mine)

Walk in the Spirit and allow Him to use you to touch those around you. Pray about who you can reach out to.

How do you know if you’ve done something in the power of the Holy Spirit or in your flesh?

The difference is the motive and the one accomplishing the work.

Works of the Spirit are those actions prompted, directed, and produced by the Holy Spirit in us and that will ultimately bring glory to Christ.

Works of the flesh are done in our own power and strength and elevate us.

The big question lies in “Who is lifted up?” Jesus or me?

Works of the Spirit means responding in a godly way to a situation.

Remember the saying, “What Would Jesus Do?”  Think about that as you are in situations.  Allow Jesus to live His life through us.

It is understanding the idea of surrender.

To surrender means to relinquish possession or control to another, to submit to the power, authority, and control of another.

It is a willingness to live your life for God’s plan no matter what that plan calls for.

Matthew 5:16
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Try to imagine what could happen if Christians started to reach out to others in the power of the Holy Spirit.  If we started to recognize the good works that God planned in advance for us to do.

These don’t have to be major big things.  In fact, I would say most of the time these things are small things that God uses in the lives of others.  It could just be a cup of coffee and a listening ear for someone who is having a hard week. Maybe you see someone who just needs a hug. Reach out.

Little things that the Spirit says go and you think that’s not that big a deal – just go – and in the Spirit you will step in and life will be breathed from you to them.  When you do things in the Spirit, you will find yourself energized, joyful, effective.

There is joy in being used by the Spirit regardless of the outcome.