ガラテヤの信徒への手紙5:24-26　Galatians 5:24-26,

キリスト・イエスのものとなった人たちは、肉を欲情や欲望もろとも十字架につけてしまったのです。

（ガラテヤ5:24）

「肉を欲情や欲望もろとも十字架につけてしまった」とはどういうことでしょうか。この手紙の2章19節後半から20節前半で、パウロは「わたしは、キリストと共に十字架につけられています。生きているのは、もはやわたしではありません。キリストがわたしの内に生きておられるのです」と記しています。これは、キリストが十字架の上で死んでくださったのは罪人である自分の救いのためであったから、キリストを信じた自分はキリストと共に十字架につけられたと同じだ、ということです。言い換えますと、自分はもはや古い自我の力によって生きることはできない、ということです。それでは、パウロは何の力によって生きるのでしょうか？復活したキリストの力によって生きるのです。2章20節の前半でパウロは「生きているのは、もはやわたしではありません。キリストがわたしの内に生きておられるのです」と記しています。これはクリスチャンの生き方をとてもよく表しているすばらしい言葉です。「キリストがわたしの内に生きておられる」とは、「キリストの霊である聖霊が私の内にあって、私に生きる力を与えている」という意味です。

人間が古い自我の力によって生きていこうとすれば、古い自我の「欲情や欲望」に支配されてしまいます。しかし、古い自我はキリストと共に十字架につけられたと同じだと考えて、古い自我の力によって生きることを断念するならば、もはや「欲情や欲望」に支配されることはないのです。そして、キリストの霊である聖霊の力によって生きることができるのです。ただし、注意しなければならないのは、聖霊の力によって生きることができると言っても、古い自我の「欲情や欲望」がまったくなくなるわけではありません。言い換えれば、19節から21節に記されている「姦淫、わいせつ、好色、偶像礼拝、魔術、敵意、争い、そねみ、怒り、利己心、不和、仲間争い、ねたみ、泥酔、酒宴」などの悪徳が一度にまったくなくなるわけではないのです。聖霊の力によって生きるときに、自分の中でこれらの悪徳の力が少しずつ弱くなっていくというのが現実でしょう。

そこで、パウロは継続して聖霊の力によって生きていくことを勧めます。それが25節の「わたしたちは、霊の導きに従って生きているなら、霊の導きに従ってまた前進しましょう」という勧めの言葉です。（9月15日の説教より）

Human beings have bad feelings in their hearts, such as jealousy and hatred. In everyday life, such bad feelings may arise when other people around you have something that you do not have. For example, when other people have abilities that you don’t have, wealth that you don’t have, or family that you don’t have, you may feel jealous, or your jealousy may lead to hatred. It would be good if we could think that every human being is different, but the reality is that it is not easy to control our feelings.

There is a film about a man who was jealous of another person because that person had a talent he did not have, and hated and tried to kill that person. It is the film “Amadeus” which was produced in the USA in 1984 and released in Japan in 1985. The film, which is almost 40 years ago, was a huge hit when it was released and won an Academy Award. However, the film was criticised for portraying many things that are not historical facts and, in particular, for distorting the character of Mozart. However, when viewed as a work of fiction rather than a work of historical fact, it is a very interesting film that makes us think about the sins of human beings. The film’s synopsis is roughly as follows.

The film opens in 1823, some 200 years ago, when Antonio Salieri, an elderly man who attempted suicide in Vienna, is taken to a hospital. At that moment, Salieri says: “Mozart! Forgive me! I confess I killed you.” Later, when Salieri’s condition has stabilised, a priest from the Catholic Church visits him and talks to him. Salieri begins to make a startling confession. The film progresses through beautiful and dramatic visuals and music to illustrate the content of Salieri’s confession. In his youth, Salieri lived a life of love for music and faith in God. And as a court musician in the service of the Austrian emperor, he was a man respected by people. However, the genius composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart came before him. On the one hand, Mozart’s unparalleled talent made him extremely popular. On the other hand, he was disliked by other musicians for his naivety but vulgarity and lack of etiquette. On the surface, however, Salieri was a court musician who understood Mozart’s talent and acted as a friend and supporter of Mozart. But deep down inside, he was intensely jealous of Mozart’s talent and hated him. Not only that, he hated God, who gave Mozart genius talent and gave him only mediocre talent, which was far below Mozart’s, even though he could understand Mozart’s talent.

Finally, Salieri had the opportunity to put his hatred of Mozart into action. Mozart was partying and drinking so much that his health was failing. But he had to push himself to compose music to make ends meet. Then Salieri appeared to Mozart, wearing a black mask, and asked him to compose a requiem for the dead. As the mysterious client, he gave him money and urged him to compose it as soon as possible. When Mozart fell ill while conducting and performing in the opera house, Salieri took him to his home. He then put the exhausted Mozart to work on his composition, lying that his client had told him to complete it by tomorrow evening. As a friend, Salieri pretended to help Mozart compose by transcribing his dictation, but in fact his intention was to debilitate Mozart by overworking him to the point of death. And just as Salieri intended, Mozart died. Salieri then continued his work as court musician, but his compositions were gradually forgotten. The story goes on, however, that Mozart’s music continues to be loved by people even after his death.

I think that many people saw the film “Amadeus” because they could identify with the jealousy and hatred of the ordinary man depicted in it, Salieri, which they could also identify with in themselves. Indeed, if we look at ourselves with humility, we have to admit that feelings of jealousy and hatred arise when we realise that others around us have something that we do not. And some of us may wonder how we can deal with ourselves having such feelings. There are books for the general public on how to deal with feelings of jealousy and hatred. But we want to consider what the Bible teaches on the issue of jealousy and hatred at a deeper level of human existence, rather than at a superficial level.

Today we will resume our exposition of the letter to the Galatians. In verses 19-23 before today’s passage, Paul contrasted the sin-stained old ego in human beings with the new personality through the Holy Spirit that God gives, writing as follows.

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. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

“The works of the flesh” are the thoughts and deeds of the old sin-stained ego, while “the fruit of the Spirit” are the thoughts and deeds of the Holy Spirit that God gives us. When we look at what is listed as “the works of the flesh,” we notice that many vices related to human relationships are listed. The first three “sexual immorality,” “impurity” and “sensuality” are sexual vices, while the next two “idolatry” and “sorcery” are religious vices. The last two “drunkenness” and “orgies” are vices related to alcohol. And the eight vices listed between them, “enmity,” “strife,” “jealousy,” “anger,” “selfishness,” “discord,” “strife” and “envy” are vices relating to human relationships. The turning point in which a person who lives by these evil thoughts and deeds is transformed to live by being given good thoughts and deeds by the Holy Spirit is the event of one’s conversion of believing in the cross of Christ.

In verse 24 of today’s passage, Paul says, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” “Those who belonged to Christ Jesus” are, of course, those who believed in Christ and offered themselves to Christ. Those who have offered themselves to Christ belong not to themselves but to Christ. But some may say, “I believe in Christ, but I don’t have faith enough to offer myself to Christ.” Then why not think of it as commending yourself to Christ? It means that you have commended your life to Christ the Saviour instead of holding it in your own hands. To believe is to commend yourself to the one you believe in. And if you can commend yourself, you can also offer yourself.

What then does it mean to “have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires”? In 2:20 of this letter, Paul says: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” This means that since Christ died on the cross for Paul’s salvation as a sinner, his believing in Christ is the same as being crucified with Christ. In other words, Paul can no longer live by the power of the old ego. By what power, then, does Paul live? He says: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” These are wonderful words that describe the Christian way of life very well. “Christ who lives in me” means that “the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, is in me and gives me the power to live.”

If you try to live by the power of the old ego, you will be controlled by the “passions and desires” of the old ego. But if a person renounces living by the power of the old ego, thinking that the old ego is the same as having been crucified with Christ, you will no longer be r controlled by the “passions and desires” of the old ego. You can then live by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. It is important to note, however, that being able to live by the power of the Holy Spirit does not mean that the “passions and desires” of the old ego disappear altogether. That is, the vices described in verses 19-21, such as “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” do not disappear all at once. The reality will be that the power of these vices will gradually weaken within you as you live by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, Paul encourages us to continuously live by the power of the Holy Spirit. That is why he recommends in verse 25: “I If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit” (NRSV). For many people, one of the most confusing teachings of Christianity is probably the teaching about the Holy Spirit. In the Apostles’ Creed, a concise summary of Christian teaching, we read: “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” Therefore, no one who is baptised and becomes a Christian would deny the existence of the Holy Spirit. However, it takes a long time to actually experience and learn to live by the power of the Holy Spirit and to live under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, it is not just a matter of time. As it says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit,” it is necessary to live a continuous life of going forward according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Specifically speaking, first of all, it is necessary to acknowledge that the vices of the old ego, i.e., “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” remain in us and to repent of them day by day. Of course, this does not mean that all these vices are in us. But it is necessary to know that some of these persistently remain in us. In particular, as I said at the beginning of today’s sermon, the “jealousy” and “envy” in the human heart, and the “enmity” and “strife” that arise from the hatred that accompanies “jealousy” and “envy,” will remain for most people until death. However, if we realise those vices that remain in us and repent of them day by day, we can move forward following the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

So where does moving forward according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit mean moving forward? First, for those who believe in Christ, they move forward from this life to heaven where Christ is. For those who do not believe in Christ, the end of life on earth will just be a hard and sad event. But for those who believe in Christ, the end of life on earth is not only hard and sad, but also the beginning of a joyful life in heaven. And that is not all. Life in heaven is completed by the resurrection on the Last Day. On the Last Day, the soul called to heaven will be resurrected with a body of eternal life like Christ’s. This is the consummation of our salvation. The life of moving forward under the guidance of the Holy Spirit towards being called to heaven and resurrected on the Last Day is the new life of the believer in Christ. And as we move forward in this way, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” mentioned in verses 22 and 23 will take shape within us.

As I have repeatedly told you, there was a struggle among the churches in Galatia over the teaching of Christianity. Paul taught that “one is saved by believing in Christ.” However, the evangelists who came after Paul taught that “one cannot be fully saved without not only believing in Christ but also undergoing the ritual of circumcision as prescribed by the Old Testament law.” This caused strife within the church. The strife must have been intense. Paul admonishes in 5:15 of this letter, “But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.” And in today’s passage, verse 26, he also admonishes, “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” This admonition indicates that even within the Christian church it is possible to “become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” In other words, if we forget to repent day by day and do not move forward under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, even those who believe in Christ and are baptised will “become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

At the beginning of my sermon today, I talked about the film “Amadeus.” In that film, Salieri, who in his youth lived with love of music and faith in God, became obsessed with jealousy and hatred towards the genius Mozart. If you watch the film carefully, you will notice that Salieri is often seen praying to God. What did Salieri pray for? As a boy, Salieri prayed as follows. “Lord, make me a great composer. Let me celebrate your glory through music. And celebrate myself. Make me famous through the world, God. Make me immortal. After I die, let people speak my name forever with love, Lord. In return, I will give you my chastity, my industry, my deepest humility, every hour of my life. Amen.” As a boy aspiring to a career in music, this might be a natural prayer. But none of the saving grace of the cross of Christ comes into play. And it is the honour of his own name that he is aiming for, not the praise of God’s name. The faith of Salieri in this film has no foundation in the salvation of the cross of Christ, and no goal of eternal life in heaven and on the Last Day. It is, in the words of Galatians, a thought of “the flesh.” It is not surprising that Salieri was seized by jealousy and hatred towards Mozart.

Let us have a foundation of faith that our sins are forgiven because Christ died on our behalf on the cross. And let us hold fast to the goal of eternal life in heaven and on the Last Day, which is beyond our earthly life. And let the Holy Spirit guide us to that goal. This is the new life in the Holy Spirit.