Welcome. Today we are going to be talking about the works of the flesh, and how they can be so very destructive to our hearts and minds. These works of the flesh that Paul lists for us in Galatians 5:19-21 are issues we need to be aware of, and actively work to avoid. These are the sins that will set a snare for our souls. They really are that dangerous.

Let’s look over the list and then we’ll jump right in. (Gal 5:19) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (Gal 5:20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (Gal 5:21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

The works of the flesh are evident, and are easily seen. This list is opened with adultery, but there is some debate as to if this was included in the original manuscripts or not. Some versions include adultery where others do not. The point is somewhat moot, as fornication clearly covers adultery as well as other illicit sexual acts.

Let’s start with fornication. This word in the Greek is porneia, and according to

Thayer’s means illicit sexual intercourse. That is a pretty direct definition. As you no

doubt noted, the word porneia calls to mind the word pornography from our modern language, and with good reason, the meanings are quite similar.

There are three applications for the word found in the Bible, the first of these being premarital sex as we see in (1Co 7:2) Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. This verse is telling us that it is good to be celibate for the Lord, but to avoid illicit sexual activities, a man should have a wife. The implication in this verse is clear: that any sex outside of marriage is considered illicit and improper.

The next meaning is a synonym for adultery as we see in (Mat 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. Now Joe, you might say, but the word adultery is used here along with the word fornication. This is true, but fornication outside of marriage is indeed the definition of adultery and therefore is being used as a synonym here. So the word for fornication is being used in the intention of the word for adultery, indicating that they can indeed mean the same thing, as we all logically know.

Thirdly it is used as a general term for improper behavior. (1Co 6:13b) …Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. (1Co 6:18) Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. These verses are using the term to indicate that we should avoid all manner of illicit activities of a sexual nature.

The word fornication can clearly be used to cover all sexual behaviors that are considered wrong including premarital sex, adultery, homosexuality, prostitution, incest, so on and so forth. God is clearly condemning such behaviors as being wrong and sinful. There are seven lists of sins in the writings of Paul, and five of them contain fornication, and it is first in each one of them.

Next on the list is uncleanness. This word is numbered G167, and means to be unclean in a physical sense, as well as a moral sense. In the Greek Old Testament it meant to be ritually unclean and had to do with that which separated people from God. It then came to be used to describe moral depravity that disgusts the person who sees it.

There are three ideas that can be associated with this word. Firstly it indicates dirtiness, as some minds are dirty. It also brings up images of impurity and repulsive quality that disgusts descent people. Finally it is that uncleanness that separates man from God.

We are being taught to keep ourselves clean not only in a physical sense, but also in a moral sense. Be mindful of everything you think, do, and say so that you can remain pure and avoid the uncleanness of the flesh.

The next word in the list is aselgeia, which is translated in the King James as lasciviousness. Strong’s defines the word as unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence. In the New Testament this word indicates sexual excess in a public way.

There are also a few different ways this word can be taken to be describing shameless behavior like filthy words, indecent body movements, and the unchaste handling of males and females. Think about modern dances, movies, and what happens at concerts and you will see this word in action. You’ll hear profanity, you’ll see dances that simulate sex, and will probably see people put their hands on each other inappropriately as well.

This work is something that we’ve all probably seen at some point or another, and we were all disgusted by.

With these first three words, we see that the works of the flesh involves moral impurity. As we continue we’re going to see that the works of the flesh also include spiritual impurity.

Our next word is idolatry. The word is eido?lolatreia (G1495) and means literally or figuratively idol worship. It would do us well to remember that idolatry is not only physical worship of an image, but Paul also lists is as covetousness as idolatry. (Eph 5:5) For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Col 3:5) Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: so as we see here we have two examples where covetousness is equated to idolatry.

If you desire something greatly, more than you desire God you are committing idolatry. (Mat 6:21) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Is your heart with God, or are you seeking earthly treasures? These treasures will rust and can be stolen, but when you lay your treasures up in Heaven with God, then they will be perfectly safe. God has literally the perfect security system, and what you lay up with Him will always be safe. Your heart will also be with God, instead of being lost in the darkness that is our world.

Our world is full of corruption and evil, why would we want to keep our treasures here? God is perfect, just, wonderful, love, and every great thing you can think of, would not we be better off with Him? Personally I pick God.

You must decide for yourself too. (Mat 6:24) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Can’t love the world and love God at the same time. You must choose one or the other. But know that death comes through the world, but everlasting life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ.

But anything you put forth in your life as being more important than God is an idol and is expressly forbidden. (1Co 10:14) Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. (Lev 19:4) Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God. (Lev 26:1) Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. I think this makes the point.

Our next word is pharmakeia which is translated to witchcraft in the King James. Pharmakeia should sound familiar as it is related to our modern word pharmacy. The word can be used in three different ways. Firstly it can be used medically, in relation to medication, and not to any bad meaning at all. Modern medicine may suffer its problems, the advance of medicine is something few would actually call evil as a whole.

Next it can be used to mean the usage of drugs to poison and not to cure. The abuse of drugs can partially fall in this category as drug users are poisoning themselves, some slowly, and others quickly.

The final use is witchcraft and sorcery. Drugs are sometimes used by magicians to cast spells and alter the behavior of others.

Witchcraft is strongly condemned by the Bible, in very clear words. (Exo 22:18) Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. (Rev 21:8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and 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. Pretty clear.

This sin is more than clear today. The Wiccan religion is exploding in popularity as of late, and other occultic practices are being much more widely accepted. Drug abuse is at epidemic proportions and is destroying lives across the world. There is even a rise of abominations such as ‘Christian Wicca’ and other ‘Christian’ occult practices.

So we’ve covered sexual and moral impurity, and spiritual impurity, and now we’re going to move one to the sins that violate love.

Our next word is hatred. This is one concept that we probably all have experience with, either by our own hatred, or by being hated by others. If you have experience through hating someone, I pray that you let go of that hatred and come to repentance as we are told we are not to hate anyone by the Bible. (Mat 5:44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

Hatred is an attitude that humans carry that separates us not only from God, but from each other. Hatred is the direct opposite of love, and when hate rules our hearts, we cannot produce proper fruits of the Spirit. This is the reason that any group that claims religion and hate is in darkness. The Klan is a prime example of a group that claims religion but is truly lost because they allow hate to rule their hearts.

The next word is variance, in Greek it is eris, which means of uncertain affinity; a quarrel, that is, (by implication) wrangling: - contention, debate, strife, variance. It could be said that eris is the actual manifestation of hatred. It is the action you take when you have hatred in your heart.

This word also appears in the Book of Romans where it is rendered as ‘debate’ and is part of the list of evils of the Pagan world. It also appears in (1Co 1:11) For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. This shows us that this sin slips into even the church at times, as the word ‘contention’ here is also a translation of the word ‘eris’. This sin slips into groups of brethren and easily causes destruction to relationships between Christians. This is why we must guard against it diligently.

Our next word is emulations. In the Greek this word is zelos, and means properly heat, that is, (figuratively) “zeal” (in a favorable sense, ardor; in an unfavorable one, jealousy, as of a husband [figuratively of God], or an enemy, malice): - emulation, envy (-ing), fervent mind, indignation, jealousy, zeal according to Strong’s.

This can clearly be either a good thing, or a bad one. Let’s look at some good examples. (Rom 10:2) For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Having the zeal for God is not a bad thing, but you must make sure to have proper zeal. Now let’s take a moment and look at some bad examples. (1Co 3:3) For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? The word ‘envying’ is what is rendered from the root ‘zelos’ and shows us that zeal can come to a point of envy. It can become so wrapped up in somebody or something that it becomes selfish and twisted.

We should be zealous for God, but we need to make sure that we are not zealous to the point of envy, which usually happens when we become zealous for ourselves. When that happens zeal loses its virtues and becomes envy. And envy we must avoid.

Next up is wrath. This word is pretty clear. In Greek it is thumos, and means wrath and indignation. It can also be rendered ‘passion’ as well. It is mainly referring to an anger that flares up quickly. This is the anger that leads to actions that escalate a situation. This is the kind of flare up that is associated with physical violence a lot of times as well. Obviously explosive tempers also are a demonstration of thumos.

We must be sure not to mix this anger up with righteous indignation that is properly controlled. We can witness this kind of righteous indignation in God in the Book of Romans 2:4-11. (Eph 4:26) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: here we see anger that is proper and not brought to sin. Anger in itself is not a bad thing, it is the blinding wrath that is a problem.

People will often explain away their explosive tempers by saying that’s ‘just the way they are’ and try to make an excuse for their sinful behavior, but that’s not going to fly. Oftentimes people blame their tempers on their heritage, when honestly we all are responsible for our own behavior.

But as Christians, we’re not to rely on our ‘human nature’ but are to be partakers of ‘divine nature’ as we see in (2Pe 1:3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (2Pe 1:4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Having an explosive temper is most decidedly not escaping the corruption that is in the world.

Next up is strife. This word in Greek is eritheia, and means apparently, in the NT a courting distinction, a desire to put one’s self forward, a partisan and fractious spirit which does not disdain low arts. In other words, being self centered.

Some examples are working solely for money, as in getting pleasurable things for yourself. This could also be applied to seeking power for power’s sake, as in running for political office just so that you can ‘do things your way’. This can also apply to those that do good works for charity and the Church with the sole intention of being recognized or gaining some form of earthly reward.

Seditions is up next, with the Greek word being dichostasia meaning division and sedition. It can also be rendered as literally ‘standing apart’. It is a situation where all fellowship and brotherhood is gone. We can see this condition at the Church at Corinth as we see in (1Co 3:3) For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? This church was suffering from all kinds of problems with the members! We are told to deal with people that insist on making problems thusly: (Rom 16:17) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Those that cause sedition and division need to be avoided. If they cannot be brought to understand the errors of their ways and insist on continually causing trouble, they should be handled accordingly.

What divisions can form that cause problems for the entire group of believers? Personal division can be one, where one member will not speak to another, forcing tension on those around either of them. There can be class division where one social class is either forced to be separate or separates themselves willingly from the rest of the group. There can be party division where believers have differing views on politics and divide down a political line. There can be racial division where one race is discriminated against or another is unequally elevated. Finally there can be theological divisions where squabbles over beliefs cause fracturing of the group.

This sin is committed when we confuse prejudice for principles, and stubbornness for resolution.

Next up is heresies, the Greek being hairesis and meaning properly a choice, that is, (specifically) a party or (abstractly) disunion. This is referring mainly to a group with a particular school of thought or action. For example (Act 5:17) Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation… the word sect here is rendered from hairesis.

Peter uses the word to describe false teachers who will bring in destructive divisions in (2Pe 2:1) But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. Thus this word is used to describe divisiveness and has come to mean a belief that is contrary to established belief or the truth.

So this brings heresies to mean false doctrines, teachings, or beliefs. These would by definition be lies, and we know where lies come from. (Joh 8:44) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Our next word is envyings which is from the Greek phthonos which means ill will (as detraction), that is, jealousy (spite): - envy. William Barclay offers the following distinction between phthonos and zelos: zelos is envy that gives begrudging looks, where phthonos is envy that has arrived at hostile deeds.

It could also be said that zelos is less bitter and less serious but when left alone it easily flares into phthonos. Zelos also has a good side, where phthonos is always bad.

(Mat 27:18) For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. It was phthonos that led the Jewish leaders to deliver Christ to Pilate.

Phthonos is also present in the list of sins in the Book of Romans. (Rom 1:28) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (Rom 1:29) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers…

Being full of envy is oftentimes part of the unbeliever’s life, and that is why it is so important that we shed this behavior after we’ve been saved. (Tit 3:3) For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. So we need to rise above these things, and the works of the flesh that we’re talking about.

Murders are up next, and there is little to explain. I think we all know why we need to avoid murder, and can see that it is clearly the result of hatred and is a complete destruction of the law of love. If you are having trouble understanding why you shouldn’t murder please seek professional help as quickly as possible.

Now we are going to deal with the word drunkenness. In the Greek it is methe, and means apparently a primary word; an intoxicant, that is, (by implication) intoxication: - drunkenness. So that’s pretty straightforward.

The Bible strongly condemns drunkenness as we see in (1Co 5:11) But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat. Also let’s look at (1Co 6:9) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, (1Co 6:10) Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Drunkenness is such a serious state that it will cost you entrance into the kingdom of God. That’s a pretty serious consequence, is it not?

(Pro 20:1) Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. How many people claim to be able to hold their liquor and end up passed out on the bathroom floor? Drunkenness will make a fool out of you quickly. (Pro 23:29) Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? (Pro 23:30) They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Don’t think drunkenness causes sorrow? Go turn on a classic country music channel, and you’ll hear all about the problems boozing can cause.

We, as Christians are also bound by the principle of influence. Should we engage in social drinking? This contributes to one of our huge drug problems in the country as even though you might only be ‘socially’ drinking, your friends might be putting a bender on, and running the risk of becoming alcoholics. What about the fact that while you might be socially drinking you or another with you may consume enough to impair your ability to drive leading to an alcohol related accident?

Our responsibility is clear: (Rom 14:21) It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Alcoholism is most decidedly a weakness, and causes people to stumble both figuratively and even literally. (1Co 10:31) Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1Co 10:32) Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: (1Co 10:33) Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

You’re not going to be leading anyone to the Lord drunk or even ‘buzzed’. (2Co 6:14) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? There is no reason to be associating ourselves with drunkenness! (1Th 5:22) Abstain from all appearance of evil. If drunkenness is sinful, then we should abstain from even appearing like we’re drunk! This would also tell us that we should avoid places where drunkenness is partaken in.

Revellings is up next, which in the Greek is komos. This basically means feasting and drinking parties late into the night that indulge in revelry. A great example of reveling where it is sinful is the party of Mardi Gras, especially in New Orleans along with Christmas parties, New Year parties and some music concerts. This is the kind of partying that is being condemned here.

It’s pretty obvious why this kind of activity is forbidden. It is so easy to get all messed up and carried away with the party and do something you shouldn’t do, like partake in some of the other sins we have discussed today. How many marriages and friendships have been destroyed by party-going that got out of hand? More than can be counted I would imagine.

This kind of behavior is most assuredly beneath how a Christian should behave.

Finally we have …and such like… which covers anything else that might need to be covered. This tells us that the list is not some master list that covers every last detail. Basically the list is given to show us a general idea of the things we need to be mindful of. We can use the Bible and some common sense to discern for ourselves what is right and what is wrong.

That has been the point of this discussion, to take some time to consider some of the things that are clearly wrong. We need to remember that (Gal 5:21b) they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (1Jn 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Until next time, God bless.

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