“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness” (Galatians 5:19).
It does not take a great deal of spiritual insight to recognize that “…the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident…” in our world today. (1) While it may have been easier for previous generations to subscribe to the illusory belief that human beings are naturally good, it is now almost impossible for any thinking person to realistically do so. The reason is simple: with the advent of late 20th century internet technology, the depth of human depravity is now displayed for all to see on a near-instantaneous basis.
This reality goes far beyond those news outlets that are desperate to attract audiences with the latest “shocking revelations,” clickbait headlines, and hot takes from those who believe it is more important to be first than right. It also encompasses various forms of social media, cell phone videos from citizen journalists, and online comments from those who take pleasure in provoking, offending, and irritating others.
Unfortunately, this is more than just an isolated opinion. You see, a recent online search for the social media website Twitter and the word “cesspool” returned over a million results where those two words appeared within the same source. (2) So it seems clear that a problem exists, one that is acknowledged by those who spiritual and those who are not.
In Galatians 5:19-21, the Apostle Paul will catalogue a list of negative behaviors that are reflective of unregenerate human nature when it is left unrestrained. While this inventory will prove extensive, it is certainly not exhaustive. Paul will recognize that unfortunate reality by adding the phrase “…other things like these” (GNB) to the end of this list in verse twenty-one.
In fact, Paul was so concerned about the danger associated with a flesh-oriented life that he included two similar lists of identifying behaviors in his letters to the churches at Rome (Romans 1:28-32) and Corinth (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). One source provides us with some additional insight into this concept of “the works of the flesh” with the following observation…
“The apostle here lists seventeen typical sins of the ‘flesh.’ …These include sexual sins, religious sins, moral sins, violent sins, mental sins—everything which violates the laws of God and man. It seems anomalous that teaching that salvation depends on obedience to the works of the law would actually lead to law-breaking, but it often does just that. Our sinful human nature somehow makes that which is prohibited more desirable.” (3)
We’ll take a closer look at these behaviors and see what we can learn from them over the few studies.
(1) Amplified Bible Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+5%3A19&version=AMP
(2) Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?&q=twitter+%2B+cesspool 06 April 2019.
(3) Institute for Creation Research, New Defender’s Study Bible Notes Galatians 2:11 https://www.icr.org/bible/Gal/5/19