Galatians 5:19-21 19Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21envy, 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.
Paul now gives vivid examples of living by the flesh. He uses the same word for works here as he does for “works of the law” in 2:16. This may be intentional to show the Galatians that their efforts to be righteous by following certain rituals or interpretations of the law, such as circumcision, puts them in the same category as all the works of the flesh he lists here in these verses. These activities somehow flow out of human effort to find meaning, peace, and joy. They are distortions of the fruit the Spirit produces. They further trap people into unhealthy habits and practices that often lead to self-destruction. They keep believers from being effective in their calling and, more significantly, keeps them from growing into Christlikeness. They are direct opposite of the key activity described in 2:20: being crucified with Christ and living by faith.
The flesh (Greek sarx) is an important concept in Paul’s thinking. It represents the life lived without God’s power. It is living to please one’s own desires, which have become distorted and deceived by the world and the god of this world, Satan. The word “flesh” creates a vivid pictures of living in our human bodies in a creation that is decaying and crying out for redemption (Romans 8:20-21). We are fooled into thinking that this life is all that matters, and we are the center of it. The flesh is distorted by the depraved self. God has given our bodies natural instincts and needs. Our fallen, sinful self attempts to satisfy these with actions and attitudes that enhance our pride or satisfy our lusts. This is a deep problem that can only be remedied by God’s grace available through faith in Jesus Christ and experienced in obedience to the Holy Spirit.
The list Paul gives is not exhaustive but illustrative of the deep human problem. Sexual immorality was a widespread problem in the first century and is consuming people and cultures today. Pornography is instantly available at the click of a mouse or a touch of the screen. This may only be a secret sin but will lead to the break down of relationships and take our eyes off of God and God’s plan for marriage. Impurity can result or lead to the immorality. It recalls the stain of sin that ruins our lives and puts a barrier between us and other people. Sensuality drives the immorality and impurity. People are caught up in what feels good. But what feels good at first usually does not feel so good after a time. Anything outside of God’s plan for us will bring pain and sorrow.
Idolatry was also a widespread problem that really gets to the heart of sin. We look for meaning in something other than God. The claim to innocence because of culture is not adequate because there is evidence of a creator all around us. People from developed countries replace idols with materialism, which is a ferocious monster that can never be satisfied. Sorcery is present everywhere and takes the form of good luck charms, horoscopes, and lotteries. Enmity is having an unfriendly disposition and being a hard person to be around. We do not want to be the problem person in any organization, because such negative people can pull down a whole group. Strife is when people push their own agendas and pick fights or do things to hurt others in manipulation in order to get their way. Jealousy results when we do not get what we want and we see others who have more than us. We live in a competitive world. If a person does not fight hard, he or she will never prosper. When others get ahead, it creates negative feelings that may send us down the path of discouragement and even to the point of acting out to hurt the other people. Fits of anger are an emotional response when things do not go our way. Anger is a natural reaction to a threat, but when this is fueled by a distorted flesh, it can go out of control and lead to yelling at others. Rivalries are fed by the jealousy that comes from selfishness. People are not satisfied with what they have, and so they do what they can to get ahead out of selfish ambitions. Everyone else is only an object to be used for selfish purposes. Many of these acts of the fleshly nature can lead to dissensions and divisions with other people. Satisfying the flesh often gets in the way of relationships and often ends up hurting others.
Envy is similar to jealousy and comes from wanting something that does not belong to us. We may envy material things, positions or titles, activities, and many other things that other people have or experience. Drunkenness shows how one’s life can get out of control. Drinking too much indicates a certain selfishness that does not care what happens but only desires the buzz that comes from the drink. Orgies are the wild parties that come with peer pressure and that distort the purity God intends for sexuality and relationships. Paul ends his list with a catch-all and things like these. The list is not complete. People are very creative in how they sin and satisfy the flesh.
Paul’s final warning in this list should be taken seriously and should wake up the Galatians to the dangers of living outside of grace. He does not mention often the kingdom of God in his letters. This kingdom is what life in Christ is all about. It is the salvation and eternal life that begins in this life and lasts for eternity through resurrection. It is God’s purpose and plan for us. Following the way of the flesh is incompatible with life in the kingdom. A person cannot live by the flesh and also be part of the kingdom. Something radical must take place with the old self controlled by sin. The following verses show what must happen in order to be part of God’s kingdom and thus have eternal life.
For older posts, click here.