Would anyone like to expound on what this passage and this example reveal to us and are they similar?
Phil 4:8-9
8Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
From Dr. Thomas L. Constable, Study Notes on Gal. 5:22
My wife and I used to live on a beautiful wooded lot. The largest tree on the property was a stately red oak that was over 100 years old. In the fall, most of the other trees would shed their leaves and remain bare through the winter months. But that red oak tree would usually retain most of its leaves through the winter. When the spring came, the sap flowing through that tree would cause buds to develop, and in the process the buds would push the old dead leaves off the branches. Similarly, the life of the Spirit normally expels the old dead habits of the flesh as the new life within grows stronger. Rather than trying to remove all of our former sinful practices ourselves, we should cultivate the spiritual life, and the Holy Spirit will deal with them. This phenomenon has been called "the expulsive power of a positive affection."
Grace and Peace
3 comments:
Great analogy of how pursuing a relationship with the Father causes changes as we naturally change our own habits and disciplines resulting in spending time with Him in His life changing Glory. The deeds of the flesh will fall off in the right season allowing for fresh fruit of His Spirit to appear and retain.
I enjoy how you put this passage with the example. Often times when we read about being honorable, right, pure, etc., it is something that we strive to do in ourselves. But we fall short and will fail. But Praise the Lord, we can see in Galatians as well as other verses, that Christ's life growing in us and saturating us is the real change. He is the one that is honorable, pure and right.
Taken together the two passages remind me how much it matters where we set our minds.
Romans 8:5 For those who are according to the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but those who are according to the spirit, the things of the Spirit.
When we set our mind on the Spirit, we behold Jesus. That is our looking away unto Jesus. Beholding Him, the reality of purity and genuineness, and every other positive thing, we are transformed into His image. Trying to deal with my flesh any other way has been like wrestling with a tar baby.
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