CONQUERING THE FLESH BY WALKING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
READ Galatians 5:16-21
Our next two morning passages are critical passages for the believer's walk. They deal with walking in the Spirit of God and conquering the flesh.
Verses 16-18 give the answer to conquering the lusts of the flesh: The Holy Spirit is that answer. "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."
The Holy Spirit dwells in every believer and is the author of the new spiritual nature within us. The believer has two natures; the old (Adam's nature), and the new (the Spirit's nature). If we live daily walking in the Spirit, we will impede the old nature—the flesh. All sin in the Christian life emanates from the flesh. If we, with the power of the Holy Spirit, can so order our lives that we live in the new nature, we will have victory over sin. Herein lies one of the secrets of the Christian life.
Verse 17 acknowledges an ongoing conflict between the old sinful nature with which we are born and the new nature given to us by the Holy Spirit. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." As in Romans 7:15-25, there is a continual battle between the corrupt, selfish, Adamic nature and the holy new one (given to us by the Spirit). They are mortal enemies within. The flesh will prevent us from doing as we ought. Contrariwise, the new nature (the Spirit) will prevent us from doing what we want. The key is to walk in the Spirit. That is accomplished through continual exposure to the Word of God, submission to the Holy Spirit, the crucifixion of the flesh, and a determination to live in the new nature. Paul reverts momentarily to the doctrinal discussion again, tying principle and practice together. "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." As we are led by the new nature within, we will not succumb to violations of the law. To live in the new nature will grant victory over sin, carnality, and its attachment to the law. We thus are not under the judgment of the law. Once again, a major key to the Christian life and the essence of grace is at hand. The new nature created the moment we are born again by the Holy Spirit, is not only the solution to the problem of law but is the key to victory in day-to-day Christian living.
Verses 19-21 contain a list of actions or deeds which originate in our fleshly Adamic nature. "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like..." This is not a complete list, but it is one that is sufficient in identifying those sins which find their origin in our old nature. Seventeen forms of sin are noted. All are of the old nature, the flesh. Moreover, all are rooted in self. Let us look briefly at each sin.
Adultery - illicit sexual activity between a married person and one, not his or her spouse.
Fornication - the word so translated is the Greek word "porneia" and refers to illicit sexual activity of any kind.
Uncleanness - This refers to moral impurity in general: dirty jokes, dirty literature, dirty thoughts.
Lasciviousness - This is a frame of mind of impure, lustful thinking, unbridled lust, and impure sex. These first four works of the flesh are all sexual in nature. They are the essence of immorality. Though bringing momentary pleasure, they all ultimately bring trouble.
Idolatry - The thought is of anything coming between man and God whether a physical idol or the more subtle things in life we place ahead of God.
Witchcraft - The word thus translated (pharmakeia) refers to occult practices. However, it is the base from which the English word pharmacy derives. In the ancient world, hallucinogenic or narcotic drugs were frequently a part of the occult and its practices.
Hatred - The root sense of the word is hostility toward another.
Variance - This word refers to being contentious or causing strife. The practical outworking of it is being argumentative or having a wrangling spirit.
Emulations - The thought is of being envious, jealous, or bitter.
Wrath - The word refers to losing one’s temper or of anger boiling over.
Strife - This word refers to bickering. It literally referred to the nastiness of a political campaign and its dirty tricks. The common thought, however, is of a nasty spirit.
Seditions - Though one might think this has to do with treason or crimes against the state, it is far more generic and garden-variety. The word literally refers to being divisive or causing dissension. This undoubtedly was part of the problem in some of the Galatian churches.
Heresies - It might be thought that Paul is referring to doctrinal error. It has the sense of being opinionated, stubborn, or bullheaded. It is closely related to pride.
Envyings - Deep-rooted feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, or qualities.
Murders - This is the purposeful act of taking the life of another by killing them.
Drunkenness - The word so translated (methe) can also refer to simple intoxication. For those who would condone social drinking for Christians, the thought of intoxication of any degree is here called a work of the flesh.
Revellings - This word refers to carousing or wild partying. It touches upon the entertainment, party-mentality of the world so prevalent today.
These last six works of the flesh are the root of many marriages and church problems. They, like the sexual sin mentioned before, are all self-oriented and self-directed. Self is the root of the flesh. These certainly are more pervasive among Christians than the sexual sins described above.
The latter portion of verse 21 warns of the judgment of those who live a life bound by the flesh. "...they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Most people just think that God will accept them. This attitude comes from a false concept of God, a concept that looks upon God as a father who is indulgent and who gives his children the license to do some wrong. There are always consequences for our sin. A Christian cannot lose his salvation or fall from grace, but those who consistently live a life dominated by the sins of flesh give evidence they are not truly born again.
Your Friend and HIS,
Pastor Abbott
MEDITATIONS
1. Do you think it is possible to control the power of the flesh in your life without God's help? What kind of help does God offer you?
2. Which one of these works of the flesh has the greatest influence in your life? What can be done to free you from its power over you?
3. Why does God want you to be aware of the works of the flesh?
4. Why do some believers take their salvation lightly?
5. What are some specific things you can do to keep your relationship with the Lord alive?
6. What inheritance are you expecting to receive from the Lord? On what basis do you make these claims?
7. For what will we be judged when we face the Lord?