Galatians 5:19-21 (HCSB)
"19
Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral
impurity, promiscuity,
20 idolatry,
sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions,
dissensions, factions,
21 envy,
drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in
advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not
inherit the kingdom of God."
Sounds like a great Saturday night, right?
Any...ANY problem that we face in our societal groupings has its genesis from some element on this list.
Sure, sorcery might not be a biggie for you. And you might ask the judge for a determination as to the meaning of drunkenness. "If your BAC is above or below _____?"
It's all flesh. We're all flesh. You or I may be tempted to feel superior to our fellow Mankinders if we miss a
few of the 'biggies' on the list, but
it. is. us.
Read through the list and you can see the cause of every War, every conflict the world has ever known.
But is that last bit fair? That 'not inherit the kingdom of God' part seems kind of harsh, since we all are imperfect shaved monkeys who just want to monkey around. "Here we come..."
Even people who do not believe in God kinda sorta know that, given a choice, they'd rather go to Heaven than hell. They'd rather be happy than sad. We'd rather live than die.
Galatians 5:22-25 (HCSB)
22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faith,
23
gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24 Now those who belong to Christ
Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow
the Spirit.
Sounds like a great Saturday night, right?
Here's the thing-this wonderful list contains the elements which have kept us from 'devolving' into chaos.
If not for this list, we would have wiped ourselves out thousands of years ago.
We all have spirit, we are all souls, but this list is from God's Spirit, not man's ignoble flesh-encased one.
So we ALL may love, have joy, live in peace...imperfectly. That flesh thing still kills us. Still not
good enough. Still 'will not inherit'.
A Christian who has been crucified with Christ, that is, born again to God's Spirit, can do what the flesh cannot: please and be at Peace with God.
We live by the Spirit; we must also follow the Spirit.
When we get to Heaven, we will no longer have a single iota of problem with the top list-but here and now
each one of us Christians struggles with the flesh while trying to live by the Spirit.
The outcome of this is that we fail and sin. Often.
Which humbles us. And makes us seek God's forgiveness. Often.
Thank God that God is in the forgiving business.
4 comments:
It truly is
"His Way or the highway".
John MacArthur made an interesting point about a well known Scripture:
"Matthew 7:13-14 (HCSB)
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it.
14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it."
I always assumed that those on the 'wide' road were simply going to hell-destruction.
MacArthur suggested that those traveling the wide road THOUGHT that they were heading for Heaven.
This would include all those in false religions who believe lies.
The only ones finding the narrow road and gate are those chosen by God. No one 'makes' him or herself a Christian. This only happens when God makes it happen.
If not for God, I would still be on the wide road.
That helps make the love, joy, peace list kick in.
Everyone struggles with the flesh. Christians don't have a corner on that.
Paul appears to be saying in this passage that Christians don't experience jealousy, anger, selfish ambition, or envy because they've "crucified the flesh." His list of "works of the flesh" lumps together actions with feelings. We can't control how we feel; we can control what we do about it.
"Lucia said...
Everyone struggles with the flesh."
Depends on what the struggle is about, Lu. Spiritual struggling with the flesh comes about when we know that our actions are displeasing to God-are sinful. That is what Paul is talking about.
I'm just guessing (and have been wrong before) but the struggle with the flesh you mean may be more in the "I know I shouldn't do this" or "I have to quit this" whatever 'this' is, because it is displeasing to the person doing it.
Addiction to alcohol may be an example-a Christian may struggle both because it is displeasing to God and destructive to a life.
Someone not a Christian won't care if it displeases God-they only care about how it affects them.
Both are indeed examples of struggling with the flesh, but they are worlds apart as to the reason that they are bad.
"Paul appears to be saying in this passage that Christians don't experience jealousy, anger, selfish ambition, or envy because they've "crucified the flesh."
Lets look at that.
"24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit."
It doesn't say:"we follow the Spirit" as if it happens automatically,as a Christian is impervious to the 'fruits of the flesh'.
"Must also". We must also follow the Spirit. That is the imperative from God through Paul which denotes our responsibility. We must combat against the flesh through the Spirit. Even though we are weak and often fail, that is what we are supposed to do.
You would think that after 30 years of being a Christian that I would have 'put to death' all the problems with the flesh.
Not even a little bit. We Christians struggle until we die. Any Christian who tries to tell you that they no longer sin is sinning by being a liar.
This is longer than you probably want to read, so I'll stop here.
Now the works of the flesh are obvious: ...jealousy... selfish ambitions... envy.... those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
It depends on what Paul means by practice (at times like this I wish I knew Greek). Because if he means anyone who ever feels a twinge of envy is irrevocably lost, St. Peter is going to be one very bored guy. If he means giving such feelings free rein, practicing them daily, will turn us away from the light, he has something there. If we let those feelings take us over, eventually we can't help acting on them. So while we can't help feeling envy, greed, and so on, we can keep them from taking over. Constant weeding is required.
Yes, being consumed with envy (or pride, anger, greed, etc.) displeases me, as it displeases anyone with a conscience. (Pride is the hardest because I don't always realize it at the time.) But then you have to ask, why should that displease anyone? If I don't have to answer to God, why shouldn't I covet anything that is my neighbor's, and why shouldn't I plot and scheme to steal it from her?
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