Galatians 5:19-21
The Works of the Flesh (Part 1)
INTRODUCTION
Last week, we looked at the big picture. Christians are free from the rule of
the Law but because of our nature, we must have rules or we will do that which
is wicked. In grace, we have two rulers—love and the Spirit.
Once we see the big picture, we can then look at Paul’s words more minutely.
1. The works of the flesh are a great danger to Christians.
a. They prevent us from following the Spirit and doing the things we wish
\\#Ga 5:16\\
b. If one abounds in these, it tells us of their spiritual condition
\\#Ga 5:21\\ .
2. It makes sense that we know what are the works of the flesh. To aid us in
this battle, Paul provides a list of sins that are quite evident.
3. We can divide these sins into three categories:
a. Sins of the body - sins done with and against the body.
b. Sins of the spirit - sins of false worship.
c. Sins of the soul - sins of emotion.
I. SINS OF THE BODY
A. Some call these sins moral or morality sins.
1. The bottom line is they sins which can be committed primarily
with the body.
2. The Bible says a sin that is done primarily with the body is a
sin that is done against the body.
1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the
body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
B. ADULTERY and FORNICATION (Grk., porneia)…
1. Note: Adultery is a specific form of fornication.
a. It refers to physical impurity between a husband and a wife.
b. While anything that could be said about adultery would be
said in the word FORNICATION, the fact that Paul mentions
it separately bears out the importance of purity between a
husband and his wife.
2. Porneia - illicit sexual relationship of any kind.
3. As used in the New Testament, we find it having at least four
different applications…
a. A reference to premarital sex \\#1Co 7:1-2\\
1 Corinthians 7:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is
good for a man not to touch a woman.
2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let
every woman have her own husband.
b. A synonym for adultery \\#Mt 19:9\\
Matthew 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it
be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso
marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
c. A generic term referring to all forms of unchastely
\\#1Co 6:13,18\\
1 Corinthians 6:13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall
destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the
Lord; and the Lord for the body.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he
that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
d. A specific sense referring to harlotry and prostitution
\\#Re 2:20-21\\
Revelation 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou
sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and
to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto
idols.
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
4. FORNICATION then includes any sort of sexual relationship between
partners who are not married.
5. In every case FORNICATION IS WRONG and SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
6. God’s disdain for such immorality is seen in the fact…
a. There are seven lists of evil in the writings of Paul.
b. Fornication is listed in five of them.
7. A lack of self-control coupled with unbridled lust is wrecking
the home—even the Christian home.
C. UNCLEANNESS (Grk., akatharsia)…
1. Akatharsia - in a moral sense: the impurity of lustful, luxurious,
wasteful living - Thayer
2. The word went through a metamorphosis.
a. It originally had reference to dirt or dirtiness in a
physical sense.
b. In the Greek OT, it is used to denote ritual and ceremonial
impurity which made it impossible for the worshipper to
approach God \\#Lev 22:3-9\\
c. It then came to be used in a moral sense, of that moral
depravity which disgusts the person who sees it.
3. We end up with a word that means dirty or nasty, either to God or
to others.
D. LASCIVIOUSNESS (Grk., aselgia)…
1. My definition -
a. has been to be controlled by fleshly desire.
b. In the NT it seems often linked with sexual excess in a
public way.
2. Most Christian commentaries define it as lewd or shameless
behavior.
a. One Christian commentary lists three characteristics of this
sin:
1. It is wanton (wasteful) and undisciplined action.
2. It has no respect for the persons or rights of anyone
else.
3. It is completely indifferent to public opinion and to
public decency.
b. Thayer defines this word by giving these examples:
1. Speaking "filthy words."
2. Having "indecent bodily movements."
3. "Unchaste handling of males and females."
3. This word is one that best describes…
a. What is often seen in much of modern dance, music, theater.
b. What goes on at many concerts and on many talk shows.
II. SINS OF THE SPIRIT.
A. These are sins done with the spirit.
1. These would be false worship or worship that as a Christian, we
should not enter into.
2. Two are listed: IDOLATRY AND SORCERY
B. IDOLATRY (Grk., eidololatreia)…
1. The word means "image worship" - Strong
2. In the beginning stages of idolatry, no one worships the idol or
image itself.
a. The idol gives the worshipper a visual image of the god it
represents.
b. The idol’s purpose is simply make it easier to worship the
god represented by the idol.
c. Of course, God says don’t do it.
Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of
any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is
in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy
God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children
unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
d. Why? Because the people will end up worshipping the idol.
1) We see this in various forms of Catholicism.
2) Where the leaders say the image is not an idol, only an
‘icon.’
3) But who can deny that the average worshipper begins to
view the image itself as something holy and to be revered?
4) Thus that which is ‘created’ begins receiving adoration
rightfully due the ‘Creator.’
3. Idolatry is not just the adoration or worship of images.
4. Paul defines ‘covetousness’ as idolatry.
Ephesians 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, NOT
COVETOUS MAN, WHO IS AN IDOLATER, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ
and of God.
Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;
fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, AND
COVETOUSNESS, WHICH IS IDOLATRY:
a. Any strong desire for material things that replaces our
desire for God is a form of idolatry!
b. Our hearts are drawn to whatever we treasure.
Matt 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
c. If our treasure is earthly, our heart is drawn away from God.
5. We cannot serve material things and God at the same time!
\\#Mt 6:24\\
6. Thus we can be idolaters when we make things other than God
Himself our priority in life, such as: our job, house,
hobby, family.
C. SORCERY (Grk., pharmakeia)…
1. Pharmakeia is the word we get our word pharmacy from.
a. We normally think of sorcery has the casting of spells to
change someone’s behavior.
b. The use of drugs has always been a large part of that black
art.
2. Drugs can be used in three ways.
a. Medically for healing. Such use has no bad meaning at all.
b. To hurt or poison, not cure.
c. The practice of sorcery and witchcraft, which often used
drugs to cast spells and alter the behavior of others.
3. The practice of witchcraft and sorcery is strongly condemned.
Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and
murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the
second death.
4. Examples of this sin today…
a. There is an increasing number of religions based upon the
occult and that make use of drugs in their religion.
b. The "recreational" use of drugs also falls into this category.
1) Remember that altering the behavior through drugs was a
basic function of sorcery and witchcraft.
2) What is the difference between using drugs to alter
others’ behavior and your own?
3) But just as the Bible condemns drunkenness, which is an
altered state brought on by alcohol (a drug), so it would
seem to condemn similar use of other drugs.
CONCLUSION:
The last category of fleshly sin are the SINS OF THE SOUL; that is emotions or
feelings that we should not engage in.
Because of the power of sin to corrupt, we need divine help to break free from
its bondage…
a. Jesus promises freedom from the bondage of sin. \\#Jn 8:31-36\\
John 8:34 …Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
b. He sent the Holy Spirit to deliver on that promise.
Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the
Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust
of the flesh.
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