“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.” (Galatians 5:19–21, ESV)
Recently I purchased a boat for a very good price. There were a couple things wrong with the boat, which was the reason for the deal. One of the things I decided to repair was the motor’s tachometer. So, I began the work of diagnosing the problem. As I got into the problem, the first thing that I checked was the wiring and discovered that the current tach was wired incorrectly. That was problem number on, but not the only flaw.
After sorting through the wiring, I discovered that the tachometer was bad. So, I purchased a new one and installed it. The initial results were good, but after running for just about fifteen minutes, the tach quit working. Well, I discovered a loose connection, but tightening it did not fix the problem.
Finally, I discovered that the regulator module was defective. After replacing it, everything worked fine. The point of this is that when there are problems with anything there can be multiple points that need to be investigated in order to correct the issue.
After writing to the Galatians about the need to be led by the Spirit so that believers would not be led by the flesh, Paul presents some examples of sins that the leadership of the flesh might produce. He indicated that these “works of the flesh are evident.” They are clearly understood by the one doing them and many may be seen by others.
The list that Paul wrote is not an exhaustive listing either. After listing many, he wrote, “and things like these. This list contained several examples which can be categorized. The first category dealt with sexual sins, “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality.” We do live in a sex driven world. This is not a new phenomenon as sexual immorality has plagued humanity throughout history. What characterizes sexual immorality? In general, it is anything outside of God’s plan for sexual relations in the boundaries of biblical marriage. Sexual immorality can range from entertaining in lustful thoughts, indulging in pornographic materials, to sex outside of marriage, and adultery.
The second category is that of religious sins. This can include idolatry, the occult, witchcraft, etc. Something seemingly innocent like using horoscopes, consulting a medium, holding to superstitions, and such would be included, not to mention practices of the occult. Idolatry, or the worship of false gods is another area in which people become entangled without even knowing it. if we are not careful, anything can steal our devotion to God and become an idol, even something as innocent as hobbies, sports, and the like.
The third category are the sins that involve our hearts interaction with others. Paul listed them as “enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy.” These are sins that well up in the heart of man and ultimately will spill out in bad behaviors. The list is self-explanatory and are not limited to external behaviors but the hidden attitudes of the heart.
The fourth and last category are associated with substance abuse and unrestrained social behavior the type generally associated with excessive alcohol consumption. Paul mentioned the sins of “drunkenness,” and “orgies.”
Again, this was just a short list to illustrate those sins that could result from the flesh.
Paul then wrote a very ominous warning. “I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Here there are two big thoughts to consider. First, that sin is a serious problem. So, one must examine their actions. Sin includes attitudes and conduct unbecoming of a believer.
Second, sin has dire consequences. We need to understand this verse correctly. When Paul wrote, “those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God,” what did he mean? The phrase, “who do,” is a translation of the present tense participle form of the Greek verb, prasso, meaning to practice, i.e. perform repeatedly, or habitually (Strong G4238). Those whose lives are characterized by fleshly things rather than Christ’s life need to urgently examine themselves regarding their eternal position.
So, take the test. Look at the examples of fleshly living that Paul gave. Consider the categories of fleshly sin. While all believers do on occasion sin, sin does not characterize their lives. The believer’s life is characterized by Jesus and their pursuit of righteousness. The unbelievers have no such pursuit and thus the flesh.
In the next devotion we will look at the blessed contrast brought into the believer by the power of God’s indwelling Spirit.
Renewing the Heart 