Galatians 5:19–21 (ESV) — 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

What we have here is a list of the works of the flesh (19). As a reminder, Paul has told us that two elements within Christians, the flesh and the Spirit, are at constant odds with each other. "The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh," he said (Gal. 5:17). So every Christian has a new nature that is alive to the Spirit, but also a flesh that is connected to the old nature. Because of this war within, Paul said it was important for us to walk in and be led by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 18). But Paul went on to describe both the works of the flesh, which we will consider today, and the fruit of the Spirit, which we will consider next week.

His list is not a total or complete list of the works of the flesh. We know this because after he listed fifteen different actions or attitudes, he said, "and things like these" (21). So there are more works of the flesh than these. But even though this list is not exhaustive, it does represent four major categories in which the flesh operates.

So why should we slow down and consider these works of the flesh? It is an unattractive list, one we might be excused for reading quickly and moving on from. Who wants to preach a sermon or spend much time at all meditating on such a list?

One reason reason we should slow down here is love for God. Love for God should put in us a willingness to hear and heed his voice. To love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, as Jesus said, we will respect him and his words (Matt. 22:37). As the band Boston sang, it's more than feeling. Love for God includes actions, and a list can help us form a view of how to live for him.

Another reason we should slow down here is concern for others. When you become a Christian, you enter into a community called the church. We are a spiritual family, likened to a body that has many different parts to play. This all means that each of our lives impacts everyone else in one way or another, and the works of the flesh are often used to destroy a church community. So to be conscious of what they are and to plan for their demise through the spiritual disciplines, is one of the most loving things we can do for others.

And one more reason we should slow down here is because of a healthy care for the self. This list is emblematic of what God is trying to rescue us from. Through the gospel, we are saved from the ultimate penalty of sin and transferred from its power, but this list helps us see what God will continually try to weed out of our lives. And he does so, not because he is a prudish being who is shocked by human desire, but because he is a good Father who knows what will hurt or help us. All the elements of this list will harm us, so God urges us to instead walk by the Spirit so that we can be delivered from the damaging effects of these works of the flesh. So, in a sense, one of the most self-respecting, health-producing, life-giving things we could do is slow down on a list like this one. Like an MRI searches for cancer, this list can detect destructive practices that harm us if left unchecked.

Before we look at the four categories Paul presents, I want to remind you that this is addressed to Christians. Paul framed the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit as pitted against each other in the believer's life. We are all susceptible to all the things found in this list.

But, you might ask, what about Paul's statement "that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (21)? Most translations use the word practice, which fits the text and context. If it were impossible for Christians to ever do the things in this list, Paul would not have to write about them. Instead, he means that people outside the kingdom of God live in and practice these elements. It is their persistent reality.

But believers are part of God's kingdom, so why would we practice these elements? And we are new creatures in God's sight, so we don't have to. It is always the New Testament way to encourage good behavior by reminding us who we are. If we are in the kingdom, why would we behave as if we aren't?

1. Sexual Misalignment (19)

The first category Paul mentions is found in the first three words: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (19). These words represent sexual misalignment and overlap in meaning and emphasis. Sexual immorality, the first word, comes from the Greek word porneia, and refers to sexual activity of many types between unmarried people. Impurity, the second word, refers broadly to moral uncleanness through sensual thoughts, words, and deeds outside the sacred confines of marriage. And sensuality, the third word, speaks to uncontrolled sexuality, an atmosphere that is sensual. By starting here, Paul addressed a significant issue in the Greek and Roman world, but our world as well.

There are many views of sex in circulation today. Some treat sex as a god that defines, gives life, and is worthy of devotion. Some treat sex as a mere facet of nature to be pursued for personal gratification. Some treat sex as the expected response to feelings of affection. And many within the church have embraced the idea that sex is an unholy activity, dirty and undesirable.

But the biblical view is that God invented sex—it is natural, enjoyable, and intimate. Sex is so powerful that it should only be used in the safe confines of covenantal marriage because it requires you to give yourself to another. Fire belongs in a fireplace. You wouldn't start a fire on your living room rug. In a similar way, sex is so potent that it is only meant for a marital relationship designed for the giving of one's entire self. If any part of a person is held back, sex is too weighty for that relationship.

So sex is meant to be natural, enjoyable, and powerful, so much so that God authored it for committed marriage between a man and woman. God said the two would become one in marital sexual activity. A husband cannot ghost his wife—he goes home to her every night. A wife cannot drive off to her apartment before her husband wakes up—they are sharing life together. A married couple cannot quickly ditch each other—the legal intertwining of their lives and finances, the presence of children, and their network of family and friendships all encourage and nudge them toward the very best of what God has planned for them—oneness with their spouse.

By starting his list with sexual misalignment, Paul addressed "the most open and shameless vice of the Greek and Roman world."[^1] Our world is swimming in this work of the flesh as well. It has found its way into so many facets of life. It's in our music. It's in our movies. It's in our curriculums. It's in our humor. It's in our advertising. It's everywhere, so we must remain vigilant against our own fleshly tendencies.

Allow me a moment to give you some tools to combat this area of the desires of the flesh. As Paul said to the Thessalonians, "This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality" (1 Th. 4:3). And it is entirely possible. And I want to give you some counsel on how to pursue holiness in this area of your life.

First, do not attempt to struggle alone. There is a reason this set of actions is listed first. The human impulse in this direction is strong, and many Christians are fighting to pursue sexual wholeness and holiness. Paul said:

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Bring your temptations or confusions or failures into the light with trusted believers (men if you are a man, women if you are a woman). Light is a powerful disinfectant. As James said:

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. (James 5:16)

Second, do not be shocked by others. So many of us have experienced overexposure to sexual content or have endured sexual trauma of some kind. Many of our views have been nurtured by people outside the faith. And others of us have been confused by people inside the church. This has generated all manner of sexual desire or lack of desire in many. Addictions and broken desires have taken root in so many of us. Have compassion. Our sexuality is important to God and society—and repentance and submission to God are vital—but it is also a discipleship and sanctification issue. In the generation we are in, we must give the requisite time for God's Spirit to help us see and submit to the biblical standard God has given.

And third, receive the grace of God for a fresh start in Christ. When a woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus, he said, "I do not condemn you; go—and from now on—sin no more" (John 8:11, paraphrase mine). He did not dismiss her action but told her to sin no more. But he did not ruin her with condemnation but told her he did not condemn her.

2. Spiritual Misalignment (20)

Next, Paul addressed two religious works of the flesh: idolatry and sorcery (20). Idolatry refers to actually making idols, substitutes for the true and living God. Sorcery includes magic and witchcraft but comes from the Greek word pharmakeia, which makes room for the medicinal or drug-induced ways people in the ancient world sought out religious experiences. To Paul, idolatry produced a weak imitation or substitute for God, while drug-induced sorcery faked the work of the Spirit.[^2] In Paul's mind, why would anyone want a cheap knock-off when, through the gospel, a real encounter with God is available?

These works of the flesh might seem very distant to us, but at their base level, we often fall into them. We often make gods out of things that are much less than the true God. We often try to control our false gods. And we often try to control our lives, which is the essence of sorcery. Magic is an attempt—at its core—to control something.

This type of spiritual misalignment says, "I don't need to trust God." Instead of leaning not on their own understanding and trusting him, the spiritually misaligned person grabs control for themselves (Prov. 3:4-6). This type of spiritual misalignment says, "I make my own rules for relating to God." Instead of looking to the trusted, reliable, outside source of God's word, the spiritually misaligned person creates their own ways of practicing spirituality.

One way to resist this work of the flesh is to worship God. So many of our problems in life stem from a worship problem. Who or what are we worshipping? When we worship relationships—our friendships, our community, our spouse, our children, or our grandchildren—we put pressure on them that they aren't made to handle, and we dry up because we will never get from them what God can give. When we worship success or experiences or image, we become enslaved to them, and they become a vicious cycle of expectations for more and more, better and better. When we give our worship to education, career, possessions, beauty, intelligence, current events, or any other thing, we stand to be disappointed. Only God can handle our devotion and worship.

Another way to resist this work of the flesh is to pursue spiritual depth with God. Don't tell yourself you can produce high-quality spiritual experiences without him. Turn to him in his word; press into the hard but biblical spiritual disciplines; engage with others in the church community who are seeking the same.

And one more way to resist this work of the flesh is to encourage one another. Hebrews says we should not neglect to meet together and should encourage one another (Heb. 10:25 paraphrase). And one area to encourage one another in is the age-old, time-tested worship practices of the Christian faith. The flesh is always looking for something new and exciting, accessible and easy, so we should encourage each other to lean into prayer, Bible study, fasting, silence, solitude, gratitude, fellowship, and other biblical Christian practices.

3. Societal Misalignment (20-21)

So we have covered sexual and spiritual misalignment. We might have supposed those categories would require the most definition, but Paul only used five words to cover both of them. In this next section, however, Paul used eight words, which is fascinating because it deals with societal misalignment. In other words, the community (or society) of the church was hurt greatly by these internal attitudes that produced schism and fracture among God's people.

Paul warned that the works of the flesh include enmity, which is hatred and an inward feeling of hostility towards another. He warned against strife, which is a type of discord the Galatian church was in danger of engaging in. He warned against jealousy of others—an obsession with what I don't possess. He warned against fits of anger, which are rage-filled outbursts. He warned against rivalries, which are fueled by selfish ambition and a "me, me, me" mentality. He warned against dissensions and divisions, which unnecessarily divide people, create walls between camps, and create factions. And he warned against envy, which is always an impure jealousy of others.

Remember, this list was meant for citizens within the church. Our flesh is alive and well, and we are capable of all these expressions of the old sinful nature. In fact, you could make a case that we are often most guilty or more tolerant of these sins within the church. We might get our hackles up about sexual or religious sins, but coexist with this barrage of attitudinal sins Paul drops on us here. But these expressions of the flesh are highly damaging.

These works of the flesh show up in long, raging text messages.
They show up in those who refuse to work things out face-to-face but instead hide behind a deluge of angry and one-sided words.
They show up in quiet slander and gossip about others, talking about them in disparaging ways when they aren't around.
They show up when we have a hard time celebrating wins and blessings in someone else's life.
They show up when we throw temper tantrums in the privacy of our homes when we are exasperated or at our wit's end.
They show up when we demean or bully someone because they don't agree with our perspectives.
They show up when we command attention because we need people to notice us.
They show up when we check out reactions to our latest witty social media post.
They show up when we form odd religious sects that over-emphasize one element of the faith over all others.
They show up when we bounce from church to church because we don't like the people at our last one.
They show up when we readily and quickly embrace voices that are clearly seeking a fight.

Attached to these forms of the flesh are various lies.

One lie is that the most damaging sins are all in the other categories in the list. But this list levels all of humanity.
Another lie is that "this is the real me" and "I have to be true to myself." As a Christian, the real you is like Jesus, and he is none of these elements, so it is important to walk with the Spirit in order to see a decrease in all of them.
And another lie is that we could never change from the sins mentioned here, but the power of God is at our disposal. Over time, as we walk with him by engaging in the means of grace he has supplied (the word, prayer, community, etc.) and directly bring our tendencies to him, we will change.

As a church, we would do well to remember that Jesus came to deliver us from these works of the flesh. We should not minimize God's rescue plan to only outward actions, but also inner attitudes of the heart. Otherwise, we might enter into the very legalism the Galatians were in danger of embracing by thinking the Christian faith only reforms the external person. Not at all—Jesus is after the heart.

4. Substance Misalignment (21)

I will call the final category of Paul's list of the works of the flesh the "substance misalignment" portion of his list. We've already dealt a bit with drug abuse in the pharmakeia (sorcery) found earlier in the list. But he concludes with drunkenness and orgies, which is likely a reference to "drinking parties (ragers).

Again, Paul is telling us what the works of the flesh look like. He is telling Christians in Galatia to watch out for the flesh. The old nature is a lurking predator who will pounce at the opportune time. It is a hibernating monster, looking to come awake at any moment. It is a disease that will spread without continual and proper treatment.

And, all too often, we believers let our guard down in this final area Paul describes. But then the pressures of life mount, and we find ourselves medicating with alcohol or substances that dull our edge. Or the successes of life mount, and we find ourselves passing the time with excess and indulgence. Soon, we are drunk or high rather than filled with the Spirit. Soon, we are turning to overindulgence as a way to feel alive again or numb our pains. Soon, we make embarrassing decisions or compromise our integrity.

We must not dismiss this manifestation of the flesh. We must encourage one another to sobriety and moderation. Many among us experienced God's radical deliverance in this area of life when we believed the gospel. But some of us, with time, slip back into private intoxication or public partying. Maybe the environment is now more yacht rock than punk rock, but it is all the same. The deeds of the flesh don't care about our season or station of life—teenage sins grow up into senior sins, so we must stay on guard.

One weapon at our disposal against this work of the flesh is to reach out to our brothers and sisters in Christ. It should be obvious that this particular struggle can be arresting. And, though you might be embarrassed to say you have gone a little (or a lot) further than you should, it is better than allowing this work of the flesh to quietly (and then loudly) destroy you.

Another weapon is connected to the first—a solid and supportive Christian community is a must. I'm not talking about highly permissive Christians who don't live according to Scripture. Nor am I talking about legalistic Christians who ban far more than the Bible does. We shouldn't make Christian obedience any more challenging than Scripture does. We should refuse to take the bait from those who say a Christian can never drink alcohol, for instance. That is great advice for those with addictive tendencies, those who have struggled with addiction in the past, or those who work with those coming out of addiction. The Bible flies in the face of a mandate like that, but it does condemn intoxication of any kind. And a godly and supportive Christian community can help you avoid substance misalignment.

I would also suggest that we engage in incarnational ministry in this area. Jesus became one of us, and then he took on the mess we created. And, if we are going to be the church, we are going to have to work hard to pick up the pieces that the works of the flesh leave behind. Broken families, bodies, and minds are in need of care because of the damaging effects of sin. But Christians are meant to be like Christ, jumping in to help rather than standing back to condemn. Like Jesus, we see the truth, so we don't need to act as if all is well. But like Jesus, we should be full of grace, so we can engage and serve.

Finally, for those of you who have a loved one steeped in addiction, I want to encourage you to regularly and faithfully pray for a very long time. I have seen firsthand amazing answers to prayers for God to release someone from their addictions, but it has always taken much longer than I wanted. And, as you pray, I advise you to pray for more than release from addictions but for a revelation of Christ.

Conclusion

In our next study of Galatians, we will think about how walking in the Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit. As God's Spirit transforms us to look more like Jesus, these works of the flesh are overcome. But my hope—and I think Paul's hope—is that we would see this passage today as insight into what God is in the continual process of rescuing us from. He does not reach us only to abandon us. He saves us and then sanctifies us. He rescues us by the cross and then reforms us by his Spirit.

Before young David went into battle against Goliath, he was doubted by King Saul. How could such an inexperienced young man expect to defeat the veteran warrior? David responded that he'd been forced to defeat fight lions and bears to protect his father's flocks, and Goliath's fate would be the same as theirs. David would win because, as he said, "The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine” (1 Sam. 17:37, NLT).

And I pray we can have the same attitude about the flesh. The same Lord who delivered us from sin and death through his cross will continue to fight for us. The same God who gave us positional victory through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ will give us practical victory as we engage the Spirit of Christ. And, just as our burdens, shame, and sins rolled away from us at the foot of the cross, so the temptations that plague us can lose their power as we walk in the Spirit. God has rescued, and he still rescues, conforming us evermore into the image of Christ, the perfect man.

[^1]: Barker, Kenneth L., and John R. Kohlenberger III. 2019. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary the Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Old & New Testaments. USA: Zondervan Academic. [^2]: Keller, Timothy. 2013. Galatians For You. New Malden, England: Good Book Company.