Living Under the Flesh | Galatians 5:19-21

The flesh is a cursed principle working unceasingly in every man to oppose the will of God. Its potency, powers, and passion are bent towards sin and Satan, and the fruit of its deeds are death and destruction. Unbelievers and believers alike have the flesh- unbelievers are completely and unknowingly under the flesh because they are spiritually dead, whereas the flesh is weakened, yet still active in believers. (Rom 8:8-9) As we examine why the deeds of the flesh are so deadly, we can gain a deeper understanding of why we must entrust our souls to God and walk by the Spirit daily.

The deeds of the flesh are evident. Sin is no secret- even though fallen man suppresses the truth of God’s existence, man knows his sin. (Rom 8:19) This is the basis of God’s final judgment . God sees every sin committed by man, and He can not forget or ignore it. (Lk 8:17) Every wrong is exposed to God, who perfectly knows even the thoughts and intentions of man’s heart. (Hos 7:2, Gen 6:5) This is why sin is deadly- every sin is accounted for by a just and holy God, who knows, sees, and  remembers every sin committed before Him. Furthermore, the deeds of the flesh are evident by our conscience, because we feel guilt when we sin. Our conscience is a gift from God. It is our innate ability to know what is wrong and right. As man lives in denial of truth in an attempt to suppress his guilt, he hardens his conscience, until his calloused conscience eventually feels altogether indifferent towards sin and righteousness. (Rom 1:18, 1 Tim 4:1-2)

What are the deeds of the flesh? Paul’s outline of the works of the flesh can be categorized into four groups- sexual, spiritual/religious, social, and physical.

– Sexual (immorality, impurity, sensuality) These sins include fornication, adultery, uncleanliness, evil thoughts, and unbridled sexual acts.

– Spiritual/Religious (idolatry, sorcery) No lordship of Christ, loving anything/anyone more than Christ; witchcraft, astrology, and drug use fall into this category of sins.

– Social (enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envy) hatred, harsh words, comparing yourself to others, sudden anger, wrath, selfish ambitions, disrupting peace, causing disunity, and jealousy leading to violence are deeds of the flesh.

– Physical (drunkenness, carousing) These sins refer to being drunk from alcohol, and losing all inhibitions as a result of being drunk.

These are the deeds of the flesh of which we are all guilty. They are warning signs of God’s sure judgment for those who practice them. (Mk 7:20-22, Rom 1:29-31)

God warns us of His sure judgment. God warns us of His judgment because His judgment is real and certain. We must not take God’s warnings lightly- as we recount what fell upon Adam and Eve, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the whole world during the Flood, we can know God’s judgment is severe and brutal. (Gal 6:7, 2 Pet 3:8-9) God warns us in order for His elect to be saved. Those who heed God’s warning can avoid calamity by repenting and placing their faith in Christ. Jesus is the only refuge from God’s impending judgment- by faith alone, you can abandon the deeds of the flesh and draw near to God as His reconciled child. (Heb 11:7)

The deeds of the flesh are detrimental to the hope of our salvation. If you are practicing the deeds of the flesh today, you are not saved. We must examine ourselves- salvation is present tense. If the impact of the gospel does not mark the pattern of your daily life, you may not have saving faith. Practicing the deeds of the flesh kills all hope of salvation- it steals all heavenly affections, renders you tasteless and worldly, and hinders all fellowship with the church. Sin will quench your passion for God, and will only increase your desire for the deeds of the flesh. How deadly are the deeds of the flesh! Believers must not simply deny the deeds of the flesh, but should bear fruit contrary to its works. We must therefore walk by the Spirit- as we walk in deep communion with God, meditating on His Word with our hearts fixed on Him, He will guide us into a path of righteousness that grows brighter and brighter until full day.