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Works of the Flesh #1
Galatians 5:16-21
"But l say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil
the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not
do the things that ye would, but if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under
the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies,
wraths, factions, divisions, parties, envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and
such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forwarn you that they who
practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Gal 5: l 6-2
l).
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these..
Manifest: made known, thus conspicuous before the eyes of men so that all can
see for themselves.
Which are these..
That is, these in the list belong to the class called the flesh. It seems that
the sins here mentioned fall into four groups: (1) Sensuality - fornication,
uncleanness,
lasciviousness; (2) Unlawful things in the spiritual realm - Idolatry, sorcery;
(3) Forms of discord - enmities, strife, jealousies, wraiths, factions,
divisions, parties,
envyings; (4) Intemperate excesses - drunkenness, reveling; and perhaps a fifth
- and such like things. It should be obvious that this long list falls short of
the
infinite varieties of sin.
Fornication:
The word "fornication" refers to sexual immorality in general. It is defined in
the lexicons as, "prostitution, unchastity, fornication, of every kind of
unlawful sexual
intercourse." - Arndt and Gingrich, pp. 699-700. " . . . properly of illicit
sexual intercourse in general." - Thayer, pp. 531-532. "Moulton and Milligan say
of the
first century meaning of porneia as used in the papyri literature: 'porneia
which is rare in classical Greek originally meant 'prostitution,' 'fornication,'
but came
to be applied to unlawful sexual intercourse generally." Maurice W. Lusk, III,
Your Marriage Can Be Great, p 105.
From the above definitions - a person is guilty of fornication when he/she
engages in pre-marital sex (1 Cor 7:2-5). Adultery (illicit sex in which one
party is the
spouse of another) is a specific form of sexual immorality included in the term
fornication. The participation in sex by deviant sex practitioners and lesbians would fall
under the term fornication. Incest also is fornication. The person who puts away
his or her spouse for a cause other than fornication and marries another commits
fornication. The person who marries the put away spouse (the one put away for a
cause other than fornication) commits fornication. So also is he/she held guilty
who puts away his/ her spouse for a cause other than fornication, because he/she
is the cause of the guilt of the put away spouse when he/she remarries. (Matt
5:32).
Uncleanness:
In this word "uncleanness" there are perhaps three ideas expressed: (1) Physical
and material dirt. The word is used to describe the condition that an outgoing
tenant is to leave the house free from, that is, free from uncleanness. (2) In
the Greek Old Testament the word is used to denote physical, ritual and
ceremonial impurity.
When a person became unclean either in the physical, ritual or ceremonial sense,
he could not approach God. He could not enter the temple, or share in its
worship. (3) It also indicates moral impurity which is inconsistent with
personal purity. Embraced in the word is whatever is defiling, contaminating or
impure in look, in gesture, in dress, in thought or sentiment. When the heathen
of Romans one became vain in their imaginations, "God gave them up in the lusts
of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among
themselves," (Rom. 1:24). It is used to indicate the lewdness of Gomer, the
immoral wife of Hosea (see Hosea 2:10).
The New Testament informs us that no unclean person "hath any inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and of God" (Eph. 5: 5). Also, "The Lord knoweth how to
deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of
judgement to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust
of uncleanness." (2 Pet. 2:9-10). No Christian should forget that, "God hath not
called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." (I Thess. 4:7).
Lasciviousness:
The word translated "lasciviousness" is defined as "unbridled lust, excess,
licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantoness, outrageousness, shamelessness,
insolence ....
lasciviousness: 2 Cor. 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Eph. 4:19; 2 Pet. 2:7 plur.
'wanton (acts or) manners' as filthy words, indecent bodily movements, unchaste
handling of male and females, etc." Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon. "Lewd,
lustful, that which is intending to produce lewd emotions; suiting or proceeding
from unlawful sexual desire." - Webster's New International Dictionary.
It seems that Lasciviousness has to do with: (1 ) wanton and undisciplined
action - the action of a man who is at the mercy of his passions and his
impulses and emotions, and in whom the voice of calm reason has been silenced by
the storm of self will; (2) shameless conduct - an act of a character which has
lost its self-respect, and its sense of shame in that it is indifferent to
public opinion and to public decency; (3) activities and/or conduct that tends
to excite lustful desires; (4) vulgar acts or manners or filthy words, indecent
bodily movements, unchaste handling of the body.
The word "Lasciviousness" is found nine times in the New Testament. It is
usually used in connection with sexual sins or activities of a lustful nature.
In the text before us (Gal 5:19-21) it is coupled with fornication and
uncleanness. In 1 Peter 4:1-6 it is used to describe the course of life followed
by the Gentiles before their
conversion to Christ. In 2 Peter 2:7 it is used to describe the kind of life
being lived in Sodom before its destruction by God for unrighteousness. In Rom.
13:13-14
it is listed among such activities as reveling, drunkenness, chambering (most
likely referring to prostitution), and wantonness. 2 Peter 2:18 speaks of it as
the means used by some to entice newly born Christians to return to living in
error. Jude 4 speaks of some, who of old turned the grace of our God into
lasciviousness as being ungodly men under condemnation. In Eph. 4:18-19 those
who gave themselves up to lasciviousness did so because of their ignorance and
hardness of heart which
resulted in their working all uncleanness and greediness or covetousness. In 2
Cor. 12:21 lasciviousness is joined with fornication and uncleanness as sins
which are to be repented of and Paul mourned because of those who sinned and had
not repented.
As a footnote to this brief analysis of lasciviousness we should note that
dancing as it is engaged in today, is without doubt, lasciviousness. It contains
indecent bodily
movements, provides for the unchaste handling of males and females ("I will say
that I do believe a woman cannot waltz virtuously and waltz well, for she must
yield her person completely to her partner." - Professor Harry Stribes, renowned
champion dancer), and tends toward that which is lewd, producing lustful
thoughts and evil desires. ". . . there is left but one reason for the
popularity of the dance, and that is sex appeal. I hasten to assure you that I
do not believe the dancers are always conscious that this is the reason they
enjoy this position and the steps that go with it. But this lack of
consciousness is merely an added factor of danger."
Professor J. Louis Guyon, a former owner and operator of one of Chicago's
largest dance halls.
Idolatry:
Idol is defined as, "An image, likeness . . . the image of a heathen god . . . a
false god," Thayer, p.174.
W.E. Vine defines Idol as, "an image to represent a false god . . . the false
god worshipped in an image," p.583. Idolatry denotes the worship of deity in a
visible form, whether the images to which homage is paid are symbolical
representation of the true God (Ex. 20:3-5), or of the false divinities which
have been made the objects of worship in his stead. In Old Testament times the
neighbors of Israel, GodŐs chosen people, all had their idols. The Philistines
had Dagon. The Ekronites had Baalzebub. The Moabites had Chemosh. The Ammonites
had Molech or Milcom. The Phoenicians had Astarte. The Canaanites had Baal and
Astoreth. Idolatry was also a problem continually with Israel from the golden
calf of Aaron (Ex. 32), the practice of idolatry by Solomon (I Kings l1 :1-8),
Jereboam's two calves of gold (I Kings 12:28-29) which all the kings of the
northern kingdom condoned and continued, to the final carrying away of Israel by
the Assryians because of her sins, of which idolatry was one. In Judah there
were the bad kings which introduced and practiced idolatry. The reforms of the
good kings of the southern
kingdom always included the destruction of idolatry. However, it seems that
Judah learned her lesson, for when she returned from the 70 years of Babylonian
captivity, idolatry was not characteristic of her sins. However, the Gentiles
continued the practice during the early days of the church. Paul spoke to them
saying: "Forasmuch then as we are the off-spring of God, we ought not to think
that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's
device" (Acts I 7:29).
Idolatry may also be defined as anything that comes between man and God. Or
better yet, anything that occupies the place in the heart of man that God should
occupy. It was for this reason that Paul said that covetousness was idolatry
(Eph. 5:5). Today, few would bow to an image of stone, or steel wrought by man's
device. But many do practice idolatry by letting other things occupy the place
God should occupy in the heart. How many bow to strong drink, sinful pleasures,
drugs, etc. These are inherently wrong and sinful. The"tree out of the forest"
that Jeremiah spoke of was not inherently sinful, yet when it became the
Astoreth and men bowed before the works of their hands it became sinful. Fishing
poles, golf clubs, boats, camping, etc. are not inherently sinful, but when they
come between an individual and his/her service to God, they are as sinful as
Baal. Baal could not deliver any from the wrath to come, neither can
covetousness or any other idol of today.
Sorcery:
The original word from which sorcery or witchcraft (KJV) is translated is "pharmakeia"
It is also the word from which our word "pharmacy" is derived. It is defined as:
"primarily signified the use of medicine, drugs, spells; then, poisoning; then,
sorcery, Gal.5:20. . .In sorcery, the use of drugs, whether simple or potent,
was generally accompanied by incantations and appeals to occult powers, with the
provision of various charms, amulet, etc., professedly designed to keep the
applicant or patient from the attention and power of demons, but actually to
impress the applicant with the mysterious resources and powers of the sorcerer."
- W. F.. Vine.
It seems that there are three stages to the meaning of pharmakeia (1) for the
medical use of drugs for healing as prescribed by a physician; (2) the misuse of
drugs to
poison and not to cure; (3) a vicious and malignant dealing in witchcraft and
sorcery.
Witchcraft, sorcery and its related activities may be identified as:
Magic - We do not have in mind the stage magician who seeks to entertain an
audience by slight of hand or other tricks. We do have in mind one who by the
use of secret incantations, charms amulets, drugs, special exercises or by other
means tries to tap supernatural beings or non physical forces to influence them
for his benefit. The use of white magic to help someone, black magic to hurt;
the evil eye or protection from it. Some Bible references to magic are Gen.
41:8,16,24,25,28; Ex. 7:11,22, 8:7, 18-19; 2 Kings 9:22; Dan.
2:2,10-11,12,27-30; 5:11-12; Nah. 3:4; Acts 8:9; 13:8 as well as the text under
consideration. The magicians in contrast to Moses had limited success in the
beginning but subsequently were exposed as outstanding failures. In the book of
Daniel, when put to the test over
and over again they failed at every test. The New Testament mentions magicians
without once giving credibility to their claims.
Necromancy - consultation with the dead for the purpose of receiving
information. The supposed occurrence takes various forms: The deceased may
appear; the spirit of the dead may possess a living person; the dead may speak
through a medium, the sorcerer; or in various other ways limited only by the
imagination of the sorcerer and the credulity of the seeker. This is spoken of
in Lev. 19:31; 20:6,27; Deut. 18:11; 1 Sam. 28:7; 1 Chron. 10:13-14; and Isa.
8:19. This forbidden practice is useless a source of information. (See also,
Eccl. 9:1-6).
Astrology - "The pseudo science which treats of the influences of the stars upon
human affairs, and of foretelling terrestrial events by their positions and
aspects." - Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. The astrologer then would be one
who seeks information about an individual's decisions, plans, future and
fortunes by charting the stars and planets in connection with the moment of
birth and life. Not only is this forbidden, it is useless as a source of
council. Some passages are: Deut.17:2-5, Isa. 47:12-14; and Jer. 10:2.
Divining: The effort to tap some power or spirit so as to discover hidden
knowledge, especially to be able to foretell the future or to obtain some
special information.
Observing times, or interpreting omens, portents, and chance events belong under
divining. Ezekiel pictures them as consulting images and looking into the liver
to
discover the hidden knowledge. Sometimes spirits are called, arrows shot, or
special divining rods used. Some passages are: Lev.19:2; Deut. 18:10,14; 1 Sam.
28:8; 2 Kings 21 :6; Isa. 2:6; 44:25; Jer. 27:9; 29:8-9; Ezek. 21:21-22; Dan.
2:27; 4:7; 5:7,11; Hos. 4:12; Mic. 5:12; Acts I6:16.
God's instruction to Israel as they were about to enter the promised land
included, "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his
daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of
times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar
spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an
abomination unto the Lord, " Deut.18:10-12.
-- Continued Next Month.
Scanned from The Preceptor - July 1992
By Danny Brown
From Expository Files 3.3; March 1996
