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We’ve been talking in this blogging space for the last few times about the works of the flesh. Last post was about relational sins of strife, enmity, etc. which seems particularly relevant recently given the violent shooting of congressman Scalise. Just a brief thought before proceeding to drunkenness and carousing: ideas and words do have consequences. Disagreements will occur between humans, but they needn’t devolve into either thoughts or words (the fancy term is rhetoric) of violence, the very language of hatred and evil. But on to the subjects at hand.

These last two works of the flesh have to do with, as some put it, “PAR-TAY”.

Drunkenness — While drunkenness is directly associated with alcohol, the principle extends to being inebriated or under the influence from any substance used “recreationally”, from marijuana to speed to barbiturates to opioids. Drunkenness of any sort dulls the mind’s ability to make good judgments, control the impulses, or even control the body. It loosens inhibitions, dissolves our “filters”, and tarnishes our influence. The Christian constantly lives in a spiritual battlefield, and he needs to have his mind fully functioning, to exercise good judgment, control the impulses, and conduct himself as true light and salt in a lost world.

In a darker way, there is another reason for drunkenness other than partying, dulling emotional pain. To address this fully would take too long here, but suffice it to say that dulling pain this way only makes thing worse, not better. How many families have been broken, how many careers have been ruined, how lives have been lost (in drunk driving and overdoses), and how many have suffered due to various kinds of substance abuse. To use a figure, it is better to deal with a wound with healing medicine than to just take painkillers, until the wound turns into gangrene. If you’re in pain, if you’re lonely, if you feel the weight of guilt, if you feel hopeless, if you feel powerless, if you feel shame; bring it to the Lord (the Great Physician with the healing medicine), not the bottle, the joint, or the “hit” (the painkillers).

Carousing — Here’s a word that speaks to what happens when one becomes drunken, when good judgment is gone, when decency is cast aside, when even the worst moral choices seem like good ideas. The Greek word is komos; and translators use “revelings”, “orgies”, “riotous feasting”, “disorderly dancing”, and even “rioting” to convey its meaning. Now, when we think of orgies, we think of the ancient Greeks and Romans, but this isn’t just an ancient problem; it persists even today. Carousings are where life changing deeds are often committed: embarrassments that follow us the rest of our days, deeds that effect our family life for the rest of our lives, crimes for which we must answer, and sometimes even deaths. How many lives have been ruined, how many souls have been lost, in a party that got “a bit” excessive? This is not to say, of course, that celebration and parties are sinful. God commanded certain annual celebrations among the children of Israel. Jesus Himself went to weddings and feasts. Such celebrations are good and healthy for the heart and soul. It is to say, however, that fun does have proper limits that the Christian must observe as he or she lives in the presence of the Lord. But carousing recognizes no such limits, and so it consequently sins against both God and man.

The Lord isn’t a “cosmic killjoy”; fun and celebration is definitely something that Christians can and should enjoy. But like many other good things that God has granted to men, it is possible to turn a blessing into a curse through crossing the boundaries God has given. Stay away from these and other works of the flesh, avoid their curses, and receive the blessings of walking in the Spirit.

In the last couple of posts we’ve been looking at the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit as Paul lays them out in Galatians 5:19-23. The first two installments were about the sins of improper sexual expression and paganism; the next few “works” also have something in common, sins that destroy relationships.

Enmities—The Greek word came from the same word as “enemy” and could also be translated quarrels, hostility, feud, or being “at odds”. It is used in Rom. 8:7 in which Paul says that “the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God.” In Eph. 2:14,16 it is used for the “us vs. them” mentality between the Jew and Gentile. So, when we’re told that enmities are works of the flesh, it incorporates a wide range of sins like prejudice (racial, economic, nationalistic, or political), grudges, bitterness, and animosity. These things don’t belong in the Christian’s heart or life.

Strife—Enmity is the state of the heart towards others, but strife is the real-life conflict and fighting that comes out of that state of mind. Interestingly enough, although the Greeks viewed strife as destructive and undesirable, they considered it as one of the fundamental, essential, and indestructible forces of the world. And from a completely worldly point of view, they were probably right; none of mankind’s attempts to banish war, violence, and strife have succeeded. Christianity is the only way that peace will ever get a chance.

Jealousy and Envying—Jealousy is a word that can be used in both a good and bad way, but here as we talk about the works of the flesh, we’ll speak of its bad sense. Jealousy sees something that someone else has and seeks to get it for himself. Envying is actually found at the end of this portion of the list that deals with relationship sins, but it is put together with jealousy for a reason; because while similar, it is a step more evil than jealousy. Envy sees a good thing that someone else has, but only wishes to see it taken away. And it is jealousy and envy that have prompted many a feud, many a harsh word, and many an enmity.

Outburst of Anger—It is certainly true that one can be angry and not sin, but the anger that most of us have shown and experienced is this “outburst of anger” we see in this list , an emotional explosion, like when we said those awful words, made those regretted threats, and perhaps even laid hands on someone. To anyone who has reflected on their lives for even a moment, it is clear why it is sometimes called “getting mad” (we get out of control) and such wrath truly is a sin.

Disputes—This word is often translated “selfish ambition” in the NT. This word in the Greek language is one that emphasizes the sin of being more concerned with who is right than what is right. Putting self or party above the unity of the church, above truth, above Christ is the essence of the problems, for example, in Corinth—where there were tons of disputes. The center of the universe for the Christian needs to be Christ and His church, not “what’s in it for me”.

Dissensions—The word in Greek literally means to “stand apart”. The mental picture of the word is when a brother takes a step back, folds his arms, and turns his back; division. While there is a proper time and place for division (1 Cor. 11:19), it is a grave matter to “stand apart” without a sound Christ-like reason.

Factions—The word here is the same one from which we get “heresy”, a teaching or religious party that is different from apostolic, NT truth and the Lord’s church. The modern word denomination is just a nicer way of expressing the very concept that Paul is pointing to here in this work of the flesh.

I’m in the process currently of discussing the Bible with someone, who believes that the divisions of the religious world are due primarily to “interpretation”. The truth (from the Bible itself) is simpler; division is less a matter of intellectual interpretive inability and more about our fleshly weaknesses.

Beloved, abandon these and other works of the flesh and watch the church swell in true unity.

In my last post I began a series on Galatians 5:19-23, the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. Last time we gave our focus to the sexual sins catalogued in this list. This post we’ll give attention to the pagan elements of these works of the flesh.

IDOLATRY

Idolatry is the worship of things in this created world rather than the Creator. Paul put it this way, “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.” Romans 1:22, 23. Man always seems to have chaffed at the idea of worshipping what he cannot see or touch, and this is the origin of idols.

Often idolatry is considered just another name for pagan worship, but this is not entirely true. While pagans use images, there were times in Israel’s history when they made the attempt at using golden calves to represent the true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These stories are told in Exodus 32 and 1 Kings 12. In both cases, as the golden calves were being utilized as objects of worship, they were identified as the God, “who brought you up from the land of Egypt” (Ex. 32:8 and 1 Kgs. 12:28). Not even the one true God is to be “image-ized”, an important warning even among modern folks who believe in Jesus.

But idolatry can also take another form, the looking to “saviors” other than God. This is why greed is called a form of idolatry (Eph. 5:5 and Col. 3:5). God alone is God. Wood, stone, images, money, things, armies, and science are frail and vain substitutes. Isaiah crystalized the folly of idolatry, when he wrote by God’s inspiration, “No one recalls, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, ‘I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals. I roast meat and eat it. Then I make the rest of it into an abomination, I fall down before a block of wood!’” Isaiah 44:19.

SORCERY

The Old Testament forbade the occult practices (sorcery) of witchcraft, divination, spiritism, and necromancy (see Deut. 18:9-14). Such information and powers were not from God, but from evil spirits (e.g., Acts 16:16-18). Instead, God’s people were to get all the information that they needed from God’s prophets (Deut. 18:15ff). Just as then, everything we need to know spiritually speaking from God’s word, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.

The original Greek word found in Galatians 5 is pharmakeia and it had to do with using drugs. We get the word pharmacy from it. Originally, it was used in a medical sense, but as time passed the word began to take on the meaning of misuse of drugs for poison—an interesting meaning given the recent spate of opioid deaths. Later still the word came to be associated with witchcraft, calling upon evil spirits to curse others, the casting of malevolent spells, and occult visions.

Today, witchcraft and the occult are on the rise in popular culture—interestingly enough, along with the use of drugs and neo-paganism. But God’s judgment about those who practice such things remains the same; the practice is sinful. Christians must look to the Lord alone both for what can be known about the future and the afterlife and for what power might be exercised beyond human control.

Idolatry and sorcery as works of the flesh are from the same rotten root that seeks to deliberately neglect or reject the one true God in favor of a god or outcomes of our own choosing. And they are not trivial matters; such practices will exclude men from inheriting the kingdom of God.