The 17 Works Of The Flesh
Paul in Galatians 5 pointed out seventeen works of the flesh as exhibited by people in his day. Times have not changed much in that these same, evil works of the flesh are very much observable wherever you turn. Anyone who loves God ought to hate the one thing that caused the death of Jesus Christ – sin. These seventeen evil attributes are all the product of sin in the lives of sinners.
Gal. 5:19-21 lists these evil works of the flesh as the following:
(1) Adultery – This is certainly a work of the flesh. In the Bible any deviation from the path of righteousness is also called adultery.
(2) Fornication – It is fornication that leads to adultery.
(3) Uncleanness – Uncleanness is anything that is unholy.
(4) Lasciviousness – This is another word for covetousness or even lust. Lust is the mother of adultery. Matt. 5:28 says to lust after someone in your mind is to commit adultery as well.
(5) Idolatry – The very first two commandments in Exodus 20 are against idolatry. This was the same sin that Israel committed at the very moment that Moses was receiving God’s Ten Commandmentswritten with God’s own finger!
(6) Witchcraft – So great is God’s hatred for witchcraft that He told Israel to give those that practised this the death penalty.
(7) Hatred – In the New Testament we are told that hatred is like murder! See Matt. 5:21,22.
(8) Variance – This is one of the sins that fall in the category of seven sins that God hates. See Prov. 6:19.
(9) Emulations -
(10) Wrath See #7.
(11) Strife – See #8.
(12) Seditions – 2 Peter 2:10 names despising government as one of the effects of walking after the flesh.
(13) Heresies – 2 Tim. 4:3 names this sin as a result of walking after lustsd.
(14) Envyings – The tenth commandment lists coveting and envying takes it a step further.
(15) Murders – The sixth commandments speaks against this evil.
(16) Drunkenness – Many blame the drunk alone. We need to also blame the drink that the drunk drank!
(17) Revellings – We ought to be righteous not riotous!
Gal. 5 does not end on a negative note. We are told what God requires and what course to persue. We are told that if we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. We are then shown that we need to develop, with God’s help, the fruit of the Spirit.
Gal. 5:22, 23 says:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Which side are you on? The side with the works of the flesh that ends in eternal death or the fruit in the Spirit that leads to eternal life? Ask God to help you the power to choose the latter. He will give you the will and the power. With God all things are possible.
See 7 Characteristics Of Lazy People In The Bible
24 Characteristics of a Fool from the Wisest Man Solomon (Part One)
24 Characteristics Of Fools From The Wisest Man Solomon (Part Two)
Gal. 5:19-21 lists these evil works of the flesh as the following:
(1) Adultery – This is certainly a work of the flesh. In the Bible any deviation from the path of righteousness is also called adultery.
(2) Fornication – It is fornication that leads to adultery.
(3) Uncleanness – Uncleanness is anything that is unholy.
(4) Lasciviousness – This is another word for covetousness or even lust. Lust is the mother of adultery. Matt. 5:28 says to lust after someone in your mind is to commit adultery as well.
(5) Idolatry – The very first two commandments in Exodus 20 are against idolatry. This was the same sin that Israel committed at the very moment that Moses was receiving God’s Ten Commandmentswritten with God’s own finger!
(6) Witchcraft – So great is God’s hatred for witchcraft that He told Israel to give those that practised this the death penalty.
(7) Hatred – In the New Testament we are told that hatred is like murder! See Matt. 5:21,22.
(8) Variance – This is one of the sins that fall in the category of seven sins that God hates. See Prov. 6:19.
(9) Emulations -
(10) Wrath See #7.
(11) Strife – See #8.
(12) Seditions – 2 Peter 2:10 names despising government as one of the effects of walking after the flesh.
(13) Heresies – 2 Tim. 4:3 names this sin as a result of walking after lustsd.
(14) Envyings – The tenth commandment lists coveting and envying takes it a step further.
(15) Murders – The sixth commandments speaks against this evil.
(16) Drunkenness – Many blame the drunk alone. We need to also blame the drink that the drunk drank!
(17) Revellings – We ought to be righteous not riotous!
Gal. 5 does not end on a negative note. We are told what God requires and what course to persue. We are told that if we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. We are then shown that we need to develop, with God’s help, the fruit of the Spirit.
Gal. 5:22, 23 says:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Which side are you on? The side with the works of the flesh that ends in eternal death or the fruit in the Spirit that leads to eternal life? Ask God to help you the power to choose the latter. He will give you the will and the power. With God all things are possible.
See 7 Characteristics Of Lazy People In The Bible
24 Characteristics of a Fool from the Wisest Man Solomon (Part One)
24 Characteristics Of Fools From The Wisest Man Solomon (Part Two)