Brief Summary
This video discusses the importance of being led by the Holy Spirit rather than relying on the law to achieve righteousness. It explains that law and grace are mutually exclusive, and true holiness comes from yielding to the Holy Spirit and being united with the resurrected Christ. The video uses parables to illustrate how the Holy Spirit guides believers and emphasizes that the Christian life is not about struggling but about yielding and union with Christ.
- Law and grace are mutually exclusive paths to righteousness.
- Being led by the Holy Spirit is essential for spiritual maturity.
- True holiness comes from yielding to the Holy Spirit and being united with the resurrected Christ.
What it means to be led by the Spirit
The message focuses on the Holy Spirit as a guide, emphasizing that this is one of the key ministries of the Holy Spirit, which also includes being a teacher, remembrancer, revelator, and administrator. The speaker references John 16:13, highlighting that the Holy Spirit guides believers into all truth. He also cites Romans 8:14, explaining that those who are consistently led by the Spirit of God are mature sons of God. Many Christians who are born again fail to be led by the Holy Spirit, hindering their spiritual maturity. The speaker aims to address how to be led by the Holy Spirit, contrasting it with the alternative of seeking righteousness through the law.
What's wrong with keeping the law?
There are two ways to achieve righteousness: law and grace, which are mutually exclusive. Law involves keeping a set of rules perfectly and consistently, while grace is unearned and received through faith, as stated in Ephesians 2:8. To be righteous by law, one must keep the entire law all the time, as emphasized in Deuteronomy 27:26 and Galatians 3:10. James 2:10-11 states that failing in one point of the law makes one guilty of all of it. The natural mind tends to rely on keeping rules to achieve righteousness, but the Bible says no one can be justified by the law (Romans 3:20, Galatians 2:16). The law's purpose is to reveal sin and our need for a savior.
We were slaves of the devil
The speaker references Romans 7, using the analogy of marriage to explain the relationship between Christians and the law. As long as a spouse is alive, one cannot marry another without being considered an adulterer. Similarly, believers have died to the law through Christ's body, freeing them to be married to the resurrected Christ and bear fruit to God. When controlled by the flesh, the passions of sin are aroused by the law, leading to death. However, being delivered from the law allows serving in the newness of the Spirit, not the oldness of the letter. Union with the resurrected Christ through the Holy Spirit enables believers to produce the fruit of righteousness, which is the fruit of the Spirit.
The law is God’s diagnostic
Paul's personal experience is shared, illustrating that the harder one tries to be good through the law, the more one realizes their inability to succeed. The law reveals sin and the "old man," or the rebel within. The commandment to not covet made Paul aware of covetousness. The law, though holy, brings death because sin deceives and kills through it. The law serves as God's diagnostic tool, exposing the sin dwelling within us. The speaker uses the analogy of being sold as a slave under sin, where Satan, the slave owner, dictates the slave's actions. Jesus, however, buys us from the slave market with His blood, granting us liberty.
God’s law is written on your heart
Achieving righteousness through law is impossible due to the problem of sin within us. God's way is grace, which is unearned goodness. Religious people often struggle to receive grace because they think they must earn it. Romans 6:14 states that sin shall not have dominion over those under grace, as they are not under law. Being led by the Spirit, as mentioned in Romans 8:14 and Galatians 5:18, means not being under the law. Law, or a set of rules, is like a crutch for many Christians, but God calls them to throw it away and trust in His grace. 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 explains that believers are living letters of Christ, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God on the tablets of their hearts.
What it means to live holy
God’s way of righteousness and holiness involves yielding to the Holy Spirit rather than struggling. This means using willpower not to do things independently but to seek God's solutions. The Christian life is about union with the resurrected Christ through the Holy Spirit, which leads to producing the fruit of the Spirit. The speaker emphasizes that it is not about effort but about union.
Do you want the map or the Guide?
John 15:1-5 is referenced, where Jesus is the vine and believers are the branches. Abiding in Him leads to bearing much fruit, as without Him, we can do nothing. Bearing fruit also means expecting to be pruned by the Father. The Father is the vine dresser, Jesus is the vine, and the Holy Spirit is the sap that flows through the vine into the branches, bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit. The speaker shares a parable about choosing between a map (the law) and a personal guide (the Holy Spirit) to reach a destination. The Holy Spirit knows the way and can lead us even when we are lost. The story of Rebekah in Genesis 24 is used to illustrate how the Holy Spirit guides the church, the bride of Christ, without a map.
