“The Works of the Flesh”

Sunday, August 25, 2024

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

(Galatians 5.16-18)

Each of us has both a lower and a higher will, which struggle against each other.  Paul put it another way in a subsequent letter:

For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

(Romans 7.22-23)

With two opposing wills, we tend to bend toward whichever has the strongest desires; but that’s not what God wants!  He tells us to shun “the works of the flesh” (Ga 5.19).

Sexual Immorality

We could get rather uncomfortable here, with detailed definitions, but it’s really not that complicated.  God reserves sexual contact for married couples.

Impurity

We tend to think of impurity in sexual terms, too; but that’s just one application!  Impurity is the mixing of what belongs, with what does not.  If your behavior is good, but you introduce something inappropriate—even a bad motive—it has become impure.

Sensuality

This, likewise, is often seen in sexual terms, but there’s more!  It’s the undue pursuit of sensory gratification.  It’s good to enjoy the taste of a well-grilled steak or the smell of a magnolia blossom; but fixating on those and ignoring higher pursuits is fleshly and wrong!

Idolatry

Idolatry is more than bowing down before a golden image and venerating it as a god.  That’s a fair start, but it takes other forms.  Paul wrote in yet another letter that we must put away “covetousness, which is idolatry” (Co 3.5).  Anything you dedicate yourself to serving, in place of God, is an idol.

Sorcery

The Greek word is φαρμακεία-pharmakeia, from which we derive pharmacy; but while this points to the potions and drug cocktails used by sorcerers, and says something about modern attitudes toward healing drugs, we mustn’t let that problem distract us from the demonic realm sorcerers seek to harness.

Enmity

Enmity is simply the opposite of friendship, with hateful disposition and actions.  You can’t prevent others from acting as your enemies, but Jesus said, “love your enemies” (Mt 5.44), rather than harming them.

Strife

A little more specific than enmity, strife occurs when two individuals or groups both pursue disagreement for its own sake, and wish harm on their opponents.

Jealousy

ζῆλος-zēlos-“jealousy,” elsewhere translated “zeal,” can be a good quality (e.g. 2Co 11.2)!  But zeal can be directed toward evil, too—wanting for oneself what another possesses. 

Fits of Anger

This one is fairly self-explanatory.  Note that anger itself is not the problem, but rather fits of anger.  Anger inclines us to excess.  Letting our anger take control often feels righteous; but it’s just another sinful work of the flesh.

Rivalries

This one is the next natural step, after enmity and strife, combined with jealousy and anger.  The former two were focused on harming a neighbor; the latter two are more about satisfying oneself.  Rivalry, then, is about promoting oneself above one’s neighbor.

Dissensions

The next step is to entrench the rivalry and involve others in it, bringing about disunity where harmony existed before.

Divisions

The final step in the process that began with enmity is division.  This is more extreme than dissensions, which involved a still nominally cohesive group, the church.  But when each fleshly motivation is fulfilled, the church ends up fracturing into distinct groups, who can no longer dwell amicably with each other.

Envy

This one shifts the focus back to individuals’ conduct.  Envy is similar to jealousy, but while jealousy aims to get what someone else has, envy also aims to harm the one who has it.

Drunkenness

This one does what it says on the tin.

Orgies

We’re inclined to think this is about sexual depravity; but that’s a side point.  κῶμος-kōmos refers to a pagan ritual, originally for the god of wine, Dionysus.  It was pure sensuality, especially eating, drinking, and dancing with no inhibition or self-control.  When speaking of partying, this is generally what today’s world has in mind. 

…and things like these

This list is not exhaustive!  And what are the consequences of behaving like this?  “I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Ga 5.21).  So, if our lower and higher wills are in conflict, and if we know our own record of sins, how can we expect to inherit the kingdom of God?  Back in Romans 7, Paul asked this, too—then hinted at the answer!

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

(Romans 7.24-25)

Jeremy Nettles

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