Gospel Bible Baptist Church

Gal. 5:19-20

Introduction

As we have learned last week, the flesh is still present after salvation. The Christian has two natures: flesh and Spirit. The flesh is an enemy within. God leaves the flesh within the Christian to teach us to walk by faith not by sight. The flesh is never eradicated in this life. There is no sinless perfection in the Christian life. Since a Christian has the same sinful nature he possessed before salvation, he may fall prey to the sins that nature produces if he does not live by means of the Spirit. Here are the works of the flesh. The following lessons speaks and describes what man is apart from God.

I. Sexual sins (Gal. 5:19)
A. Adultery

1. Adultery is sexual unfaithfulness to a husband or a wife. Noah Webster defines it as “violation of the marriage bed.” It is the wicked and vile behavior that is regularly practiced and even justified in our day. The Word of God prohibits it. Physical relationship between a man and a woman is lawful and honorable only within the bond of marriage. (Hebrews 13:4) The bed is undefiled only for those who are married.
2. The sin of adultery was a capital crime in the Old Testament indicating the seriousness with which God views the violation of the family unit. Adultery is a violation of intimacy.
3. Adultery does not have to be an outward physical act. It can also be a secret hidden sin of the heart. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matt. 5:27-28) Many who have not committed adultery physically have done so mentally. However, lets add that by God’s grace adultery is forgivable. The Samaritan adulteress was forgiven, saved, and used of God to reach a city for Christ (John 4). Jesus said to the woman taken in adultery, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. (John 8:11) It is without question that adultery, whether physically and outwardly or committed inwardly and secretly, is a work of the flesh and is a characteristic of an unsaved person. However, it is a sin that can still be committed even by Christians.

B. Fornication –

1. Fornication comes from the word, “porneia” and speaks of unlawful sexual activity. It describes sexual immorality in general. It includes sex outside of marriage, incest, sodomy, and lesbianism, premarital sex. Paul says that one who habitually practices this sin will not go to Heaven. Fornicators… shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor. 6:9). A child of God has no business involved in such sin. (1 Cor. 6:18, Eph. 5:3, Col. 3:5, 1 Thess. 4:3).
2. Fornication is a work of the flesh and absolutely forbidden by God. The Christian is commanded to stay clear of fornication.
3. The best and the biblical way for dealing with sexual sins is “flee.” This is not something we debate or dabble with. We must deal with them decisively. Don’t put yourself in a place where you will be tempted. 1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

C. “Uncleanness”

1. Uncleanness is moral defilement whether in the form of lust or profligate living. It is a state of moral impurity related to thought, action or speech, and can be sexual. (Rom. 1:24).

D. Lasciviousness

1. Lasciviousness is a term referring to immorality (Mk. 7:22; 2Cor. 12:21; Gal. 5:19; Eph. 4:19; 1Pet. 4:3; Jude 1:4). It especially refers to excess and lack of restraint, shameless conduct (Vine). It could be defined as “the stirring up of lustful desires which cannot be satisfied within God’s boundaries” (Bunnell). The Greek word (aselgeia) is also translated “filthy” (2Pet. 2:7) and “wantonness” (Rom. 13:13; 2 Pet. 2:18). In 2 Pet. 2:7 this word refers to the moral perversion of Sodom.

Illustration 1: Infidelity
Dear Ann Landers: You have printed many letters about extramarital affairs. Here are some things your readers should be aware of:
About half the men and a third of the women who are cheating say they are perfectly content and there is nothing wrong with their marriages.
Being religious does not prevent infidelity.
Women are as willing as men to have an affair.
Fewer than 10 percent of those having an affair will divorce their spouses to marry their lovers. A large percentage of those who do often have another divorce.
People who have affairs are more likely to be divorced, distressed and disappointed.
The chemistry that drives an affair lasts anywhere from a few weeks to three years before it cools down.
Infidelity can happen to anyone. Here are a few tips for your readers to affair-proof their marriages. I call them “the four P’s” for prevention:

Be protective of your marriage. Avoid risky situations such as long lunches with a co-worker or drinks for two after work. Most people do not plan to be unfaithful.
Be positive. Look for what is right in your spouse and tell him or her daily. People who have love affairs are often looking for appreciation and affirmation.
Be polite. Always talk to your spouse with respect. Be careful what you say to each other and how you say it. Show courtesy and caring in the way you treat one another.
Be playful, and make fun, sex, and humor a mainstay in your marriage. Schedule time to play with one another, and have a “date night” at least once a week.
Marriages can and do survive affairs, and many become stronger having weathered the crisis but not without pain and a genuine desire to recommit.

L.S., Ph.D., Seattle, Spokesman-Review, October 4, 1997

II. Religious Sins (Gal. 5:20)
A. Idolatry

1. Idolatry is the worship of something or someone other than the true God (1 Cor. 10:14; Col. 3:5; 1 Pet. 4:3). Pagans often sacrificed to demons (1 Cor. 10:19). Originally, a physical idol helped visualize the god it represented then later people worshipped the physical object itself (Rom. 1:19-23).
2. The New Testament uses idolatry four times both in the literal sense of bowing before a physical idol and in the metaphorical sense of worship of something other than God. The Bible views covetousness as idolatry.
3. Idolatry is the breaking of the first commandment (Ex. 20:3-5).
4. Idolatry originated with man’s sin and unthankfulness toward God (Rom. 1:21-23).
5. The phenomena which draw men to foolish idols are darkened hearts (Isa 44:18-20; Ro 1:21), demonic power (Deut. 32:17; 1 Cor. 10:20; 2 Cor. 4:3-4), and God’s curse (Isa. 44:17-18; Rom. 1:21-24).
6. Idolaters are religious but lost, and must hear the Gospel and be saved (Acts 17:23-31; Eph. 2:1-3,11-13; 1 Thess. 1:9-10).
7. The idolater will not inherit the kingdom of God unless he is converted in the name of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 6:9-11).
8. The salvation from idolatry is the preaching of the Gospel (Rom. 1:16; 1Thess. 1:9-10).
9. God repeatedly warns Christians of the danger of idolatry (1 Cor. 10:7; 2 Cor. 10:14; 6:16-17; 1 Jn. 5:21).
10. Idolatry is a cause for church discipline (1 Cor. 5:11).

Illustration 2: Other Gods
What other gods could we have besides the Lord? Plenty. For Israel there were the Canaanite Baals, those jolly nature gods whose worship was a rampage of gluttony, drunkenness, and ritual prostitution. For us there are still the great gods Sex, Shekels, and Stomach (an unholy trinity constituting one god: self), and the other enslaving trio, Pleasure, Possessions, and Position, whose worship is described as “The lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). Football, the Firm, and Family are also gods for some. Indeed, the list of other gods is endless, for anything that anyone allows to run his life becomes his god and the claimants for this prerogative are legion. In the matter of life’s basic loyalty, temptation is a many-headed monster.
Your Father Loves You by James Packer, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986, page for April 17

B. Witchcraft

1. Witchcraft is the translation of the Greek word pharmakeia
   from which the term “pharmacy” comes. In ancient times the worship of evil powers was accompanied by the use of drugs to create trances. This vice will also be prominent in the Tribulation period (cf. Rev 9:21; 18:23).
2. Sorcery; demonism; occultism (Ex. 22:18; Lev. 19:26,31; 20:6; Deut. 18:9-14; 1 Sam. 15:23; 2 Kings 9:22; 2 Chr. 33:6; Isa. 47:13-15; Jer. 27:9-10; Dan. 2:10; Mic. 5:12; Nah. 3:4; Acts. 19:19; Gal. 5:20; Eph. 5:11; 6:10-18; Rev. 21:8). The Bible makes no distinction between “white magic” and “black magic.” Every form of involvement in spiritism is strictly forbidden. The following are the terms used in the Bible to describe this practice:

a. Astrologer-one who observes the heavens, believing the heavenly bodies influence men’s lives (Isa. 47:13; Dan. 1:20; 2:2,10,27; 4:7; 5:7,11,15).
b. Charmer-those who cast spells; sorcery; incantations (De 18:10).
c. Consulter with familiar spirits-attempted communication with the dead whereby the consulter comes into contact with deceiving spirits; séances (Deut. 18:10).
d. Divination-fortune telling; future telling; divining into the unknown (Num. 22:7; 23:23; Deut. 18:10,14; 1 Sam. 6:2; 28:8; 2 Kings 17:17; Isa. 44:25; Jer. 14:14; 27:9; 29:8; Ezek. 13:6,9,23; 21:21-22,29; 22:28; Mic. 3:6-7,11; Zech. 10:2; Acts 16:16).
e. Enchanter-to use enchantments; spell casting; charms; communication with spirits (Ex. 7:11,22; 8:7,18; Lev. 19:26; Num. 23:23; 24:1; Deut. 18:10; 2 Kings 17:17; 21:6; 2 Chr. 33:6; Isa. 47:9,12; Jer. 27:9).
f. Familiar spirits-spirits involved with those attempting to communicate with the dead; deceiving spirits impersonating the dead; spirits participating in witchcraft and those who are in communication with them (Lev. 19:31; 20:6,27; Deut. 18:11; 1 Sam. 28:3-9; 2 Sam. 21:6; 23:24; 1 Chr. 10:13; 2 Chr. 33:6; Isa 8:19; 19:3; 29:4).
g. Necromancy-the art of revealing future events by pretending communication with the dead (Deut. 18:11).
h. Observer of times-one who consults the stars; who believes the heavenly bodies have a ruling influence over the physical and moral world (Deut. 18:10; Isa. 47:13; Dan. 1:20; 2:2).
i. Prognosticator-one who consults the stars in an attempt to predict the events of men’s lives (Isa. 47:13).
j. Soothsaying-one who divines, consults the stars; predicts the future; fortune telling (Jos. 13:22; Isa. 2:6; Dan. 2:27; 4:7; 5:7,11; Mic. 5:12; Acts 16:16).
k. Sorcery-the practice of witchcraft; wizardry; magic; divination; enchanting (Ex. 7:11; Isa. 47:9,12; 57:3; Jer. 27:9; Dan. 2:2; Mal. 3:5; Acts 8:9,11; 13:6,8; Rev. 9:21; 18:23; 21:8; 22:15). (WOLE)

III. Conclusion:
In this message we have seen the works of the flesh which included sexual sins and religious sins. We will continue this next week.