Grace Vs. Law: Understanding Faith and Works in the Christian Life (9)

Galatians 5:16-18

• The command Paul gives is to "walk by the Spirit".
• The clarification that the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh.

I Peter 2:11

James 4:1

2 Corinthians 6:14

• If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

Galatians 5:19-21

• Immorality - Perverse behavior.
• Impurity - Morally or physically unclean.
• Idolatry - Anything that takes the place of God.
• Sorcery - Use or administration of drugs, also includes the idea of witchcraft and sorcery.
• To practice is to regularly, repeatedly or habitually commit or do such things.
• The fruit of the Spirit are those things that will bear Christlikeness.

Galatians 5:22-25

• One characteristic that depicts a regenerate person is Love.
• Agape love is love without strings, expectations and repayment; simply loving as a choice.

Galatians 5:26

Deeds of the Flesh

• Immorality = por-ni-ah – means harlotry, adultery, fornication
• Impurity = ak-ath-ar-see-ah – physically or morally unclean
• Sensuality = as-elg-i-a – unbridled lust, licentiousness
• Idolatry = i-do-lol-at-ri-ah – worship of false gods
• Sorcery = for-mak-i-ah – use or administering of drugs, sorcery magic arts, witchcraft
• Enmities = ech-thrah – discord, hostile enemies
• Strife = er-is – quarrel, contention
• Jealousy = zē-los – rivalry
• Outbursts of anger = thoo-mos – fierce passion, indignation, boiling up
• Disputes = er-ith-i-ah – factions, contentions
• Dissensions = dee-khas-tas-ee-ah – disunion, dissention, division
• Factions = hah-ee-res-is – storming the city, act of taking, heretical
• Envying = fthon-os – ill will
• Drunkenness = meth-ay – an intoxicant, drunkenness
• Carousing = ko-mos – rioting, revelry
• Thayers Greek Dictionary says – a nocturnal and riotous procession of half drunken and frolicsome fellows, who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honor of Bacchus or some other deity, and sing and play before houses of male and female friends, hence used generally of feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry.
• And things like these = similarly, in same manner as

In Galatians 5:21, to “practice” is to regularly or repeatedly or habitually, commit or do

• Those who “practice” deeds of the flesh will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

For further study on the deeds of the flesh you can go to Romans 1:28-32 as well as Romans 8.

Contrast with the Fruit of the Spirit

• Love = ag-ah-pay – affection, benevolence
• Joy = khar-ah – cheerfulness, calm delight
• Peace = i-rah-nay – to join, by implication prosperity, quietness
• Patience = mak-roth-oo-mee-ah – forbearance, longanimity, steadfastness, perseverance
• Kindness = khray-stot-ace – usefulness, moral excellence
• Goodness = agathōsynē – generosity, beneficence
• Faithfulness = pis-tis – moral conviction, reliance upon Christ, conviction of truth, trust
• Gentleness = prah-ootace – mildness, meek, humble
• Self-Control = eng-krat-i-ah – temperate

Warning in Galatians 5:26 – Let us (believers) not become…

• Boastful = ken-od-ox-os – vainly glorifying, self-conceited
• Challenging on another – to provoke, irritate
• Envying = fthon-eh-o – to be jealous of one another

It would appear the final warning is among those in Christ. Therefore, we are not to be boastful towards our brother, not to provoke our brother and not to be jealous or desire our brother’s possessions or status.

Remember, although we live in the world, most of Scripture is written to believers as a life guide.