#DailyDevotion There Are Still Just Two Paths, The Flesh & The Spirit
Gal. 5:19-24 19Now, you know the works of the flesh. They are: sexual sin, uncleanness, wild living, 20worshiping of idols, witchcraft, hate, wrangling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, quarreling, divisions, 21envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, those who do such things will have no share in God’s kingdom. 22But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace. He makes us patient, kindly, good, faithful, 23gentle, and gives us self-control. There’s no law against such things. 24But if we belong to Christ Jesus, we have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Well I don’t know if we know the works of the flesh anymore. Most of them are fairly well idolized in my country and you are called a hater if you say anything about them. Even people in churches will tell you are are being judgy if you say anything to anyone about it.
Well thanks be to God we at least have God’s Word on our side if we are going to discuss it. So what are the works of the flesh. Mind you these works are often spurred on by sin in our flesh being told not to do them. Well there is sexual sin, uncleanness and wild living. I group these together because well they often go together. Sexual sin is all sexual activity outside the bound of marriage between a man and a woman. Uncleanness is probably all other sexual activity. Wild living is related to partying as we know it with alcohol and the activities of drunkenness.
Worshiping of idols and witchcraft are condemned. This would be the worship of false gods, and worship of false gods is looking to anyone or anything else in creation to do for you the things you would expect God the Father to do for you. Witchcraft is the manipulation of creation through spells, charms and potions, often focused on moon worship but also worship of creation. You will often hear of balance and they try to manipulate things by creating an imbalance in one thing and letting nature bring it back to balance through another.
Hate, wrangling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, quarreling and divisions are fairly obvious. Drunkenness, carousing and the like are also easily identifiable. The “and the like” is probably not just attached to those first too but an “etc.”. Paul says those who do such things will not enter the kingdom of God. A hefty warning indeed. For the Christian these are not just one offs but a life that is defined by these these. If and when we do them, we recognize our sin, repent and turn to Jesus for forgiveness and a changed life. If these things are how you live and you see nothing wrong with them, the Spirit of God is not with you.
What is a life marked by the Spirit of God dwelling within us, a life focused on the free gift of the forgiveness of sins in Christ Jesus? That life “ produces love, joy, peace. He makes us patient, kindly, good, faithful, 23gentle, and gives us self-control.” If your life isn’t marked by these things, you need more Gospel in your life. You may need a bit more law to realized how great the Gospel is for you. If you find yourselves lacking in these things, go to confession with your pastor and examine your life honestly. Receive from him the forgiveness Christ won from you. Examine yourselves before worship more diligently so the comfort of the general absolution penetrates your life and the LORD’s Supper may do its work on you.
Heavenly Father, grant that I may rightfully identify my sinfulness so I may more boldly confess my sins to you and even more boldly receive forgiveness so I may live according to your will producing the fruits of the Spirit. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.