Galatians 5:19-21
“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
I can still recall pastor Chuck teaching on this passage. He contrasted it with the fruit of the Spirit which is adjacent to this passage. He described fruit as that which naturally comes from the tree. As we are growing in Christ, it comes from us. Whereas the works of the flesh has the sound of a pollution generating factory.
In a similar sense the works of the flesh naturally come from the natural person. We have to implement discipline to stop these things. Even though we are believers, these traits can be present. That was the point of Romans 7. We need not feel guilty for the tendency of these impulses. Paul says at the end of that chapter, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the onehand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin." Once the believer has this realisation, there is much peace.
Today's passage is a dark, dark list. Any of us has the potential to fall into any of those traps. Someone may have walked with Christ for decades, but a quick turn can drag them (or us) immediately down. Paul's advise in 2 Corinthians 10:5 is "We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ".
On occasion we will fall in one of these areas. We aren't to wallow in our guilt. I John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The enemy is involved in much of this. He may have brought the temptation to get us off track. He also brings guilt and shame. Instead of returning to the Lord and His path, he wants us to feel horrible. We also think we should as well. Like a penance.
I think of Jesus' words to Peter, "But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail, once you have returned, strengthen your brothers", (Luke 22:32). Jesus wanted the relationship restored and Peter back to helping others.
This doesn't mean there is no thought of the wrong. It says we are to confess our sin. That is admitting the wrong and yielding to the Lord. Doing so is an acknowledgement that we will avoid those things that triggered our fall.
It becomes more complicated if we hurt or involve another. That would include confessing to that person, along with describing the resolve to avoid that. Sometimes it might have been the other person that was the instigator. At times it may be the right thing to break with that person. They have a corrupting influence on us.
If we were the one dragging others into sin, then more work needs to be done. It's unloving to cause another to stumble. We have a responsibility to be good to others. Jesus said in Luke 17:2, "It is better for him if a millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea, than that he may cause one of these little ones to sin."
Paul spends several chapter in his letters referring to matters of conscience. In I Corinthians 10:23 he says, "All things are lawful, but not all things edify". But this is in reference to himself. In the same book Paul says this, "Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to sin." He chooses to limit his freedoms to aide others.
The contrasting passage about the fruit of the Spirit begins like this, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh" (5:13). Following Christ and yielding to His Spirt is the best antidote to sin. He has us busy with following Him and being good to others. This is walking by the Spirit.
We will be exposed to temptation even though we are walking in His way. Sometimes we fall, sometimes not. This is different than carrying out the desire of the flesh. That refers to the maturation of evil, not just a stumble. It seems to refer to a plan and the execution of it. Walking by the Spirit interrupts that.
Lord, thank You allowing us to walk with You. Thank You for interrupting our evil designs and replacing them with Your designs. That whole list of the works of the flesh would have involved us, if You hadn't rescued us. Thank You!