December 30
________________________________________
DEEDS OF THE FLESH
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, 20 idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. -Galatians 5:19-21
________________________________________
According to a commentary Paul apologizes for having to make this list, because the works of the flesh are evident. Yet, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he knows it is important to be specific, because we must know specifically how we walk in the flesh. We can’t see the flesh, but we can see what it does. Some have sought to organize this list in four categories: sensual sins, religious sins, interpersonal sins, and social sins. We shouldn’t regard this as an exhaustive list, but it adequately gives the idea of what the person who walks in the flesh does.
Sexual immorality or adultery, impurity, indecent behavior are all sensual sins, relating to sex.
Idolatry and witchcraft are religious sins. They are sins of worship, and remind us that it isn’t only tragic to worship the wrong god, or seek the wrong spiritual power – it is sinful as well. Idolatry is the worship of any god except the LORD God revealed to us by the Bible and in the person of Jesus Christ.
Hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envies… murders: These are each “people” sins. They are sins that primarily express themselves in how we treat others. God cares about our sexual and moral purity, and He cares about the purity of our religion and worship. But He also passionately cares about how we treat one another. The fact that Paul uses more words to describe these interpersonal sins shows how important our treatment of each other is to God.
Drunkenness… revelries: These can be thought of as social sins – sins that are often committed in the company of other people. The fact that Paul includes these two sins in his list shows that they were works of the flesh that the Galatian Christians had to be on guard against. Romans 13:12-13 lists drunkenness and revelries as part of the Christians’ past of darkness that now need to be cast off as we walk in the light.
The bible gives us a guide to watch over these sins that shows that we are in flesh.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What sins do you still struggle with from the list that Paul gave here?