Galatians Chapter 5:16-26/Commentary

Galatians Chapter 5:16-26

How to Have Success Against the Flesh Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” “Walk”: “Habitual conduct'” (Vincent p. 164). “To pursue one's daily course, to accomplish one's usual tasks” (Erdman p. 118). “By the Spirit”: “Let your steps be guided by” (TCNT). “Lead the life of the Spirit” (Mof). “Live your whole life in the Spirit” (Phi). The expression by the Spirit' does not refer to some mysterious inner prompting or guidance of the Spirit. Carefully note that the influence or guidance of the Spirit is something that Christians can resist and reject (Galatians 5:18 “if”).

Therefore this guidance must be understandable, clear, plain and objective. I must be able to clearly perceive it and then either accept it or reject it. Now the only objective guidance that the Holy Spirit offers is found in the message that He revealed through the Apostles (John 14:26; 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:9-13; Ephesians 3:3-5). Walking by the Spirit is far more than just reading the Bible or listening to it.

It involves allowing the message to have free course in one’s life (John 8:37), and allowing the message to richly dwell within one (Colossians 3:16).

“Ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”: “Shall not carry out the desire of the flesh” (NASV). “Each time Paul writes of liberty he adds a warning that it can very easily be lost. Some relapse from liberty into bondage (5:1); others turn their liberty into license (5:13)” (Stott p. 145). The battle against sin is always won or lost in our minds and hearts (Romans 6:6). As long as the "old self" still has a majority vote or the power of the "veto" in our life, then we will find ourselves failing against temptation and being a very frustrated Christian.

Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the 1

flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would” “For”: The continual need to practice 5:16. “Lusteth”: “The desire of the flesh fights against the Spirit” (Con). “The Flesh says, ‘Gratify yourself!’. The Spirit says, ‘Love others’” (Boles p. 137).

Flesh

Spirit

Blame others

Accept responsibility for our own actions I owe others Forgive, seek restoration Maturity I have been treated better than I deserve

The world owes me Retaliate Self-pity Why did God let this happen to me?

“For these are contrary the one to the other”: Selfishness and Christianity can never be harmonized. How foolish to try to accommodate the gospel to the whims of society. The flesh will always yearn for the exaltation of the individual. The Spirit will always teach the exaltation of God and service to others. No matter, how much time will transpire, or how many cultures will come and go, the flesh will always take the same position, self first. “That ye may not do the things that ye would”:”That you may not do the things that you please” (NASV). “That in the Spirit-flesh conflict it is impossible for the believer to remain neutral: he either serves the flesh or follows the Spirit” (Fung p. 251). “The present tense indicates that the two forces are constantly opposed to each other” (Willis p. 253). This struggle between flesh and Spirit in the Christian never ceases. Note: Conversion does not stop this struggle. “Therefore a Christian is not to suppose that he can escape from the conflict because he has been ‘born after the Spirit’. The old appetites remain even in the heart of a true child of God. One who holds any other belief is in imminent moral peril” (Erdman pp. 119-120). “Some teachers maintain that the Christian has no inner conflict no civil war within himself, because (they say) his flesh has been eradicated and his old nature is dead. The passage contradicts such a view” (Stott p.

146). The Christian can be successful against selfishness, that is he can kept it from shaping his conduct and attitudes, yet there will always be the fight to keep it caged or in Paul's language, “nailed to the cross” (5:24). Fighting temptation does not 2

mean that one is spiritually weak. I like what Erdman said, “The very fact that he is so conscious of temptation and of struggle is a proof that the Spirit of God is seeking to control his will. The greatest saints have the highest ideals and are most sensible of the struggle between flesh and Spirit” (p. 120). It is the person who perceives themselves as Invinceable to temptation that is in danger (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Galatians 5:18 But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

“Led by the Spirit”: The same as "walking by the Spirit" (5:16). “Led”: “Letting the Spirit lead you” (Knox). “This conditional sentence clearly shows that Paul does not regard the believer as a helpless spectator or an unwilling pawn in the fierce battle between the flesh and the Spirit; the assumption is rather that the Christian can overcome the flesh by siding with the Spirit. The active leading of the Holy Spirit does not signify the believer's being, so to speak, led by the nose willy-nilly, on the contrary, he must let himself be lead, that is actively choose to stand on the side of the Spirit” (Fung p. 251). The Holy Spirit does not move, direct and mysterious guide people against their will. He does not "drive" Christians like cattle. The Christian must instead make a decisive and conscious choice to "get inline with the Spirit", that is, get in step and follow His directions. “Ye are not under the Law”: Not under the Law of Moses but under the law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21).

The accusation made by the Judaizers was that moral laxity would be the result if it was taught that the Law of Moses was not longer binding upon Christians. Paul has proven that such is wrong. This verse may also be along the lines of Romans 6:14.

Since the Christian is not under the demands of flawless law-keeping the incentive to succeed against sin, always should remain high. That is, since the Christian has access to forgiveness (via repentance and confession) when one fails, giving up, lapsing back into habitual sin is inexcusable.

The Works of the Flesh “To illustrate the state of opposition between the flesh and the Spirit, Paul provides representative lists of their respective activities” (Fung p. 253). “It is well and good to speak in broad generalities about good and evil but there is a practical necessity to be specific” (Boles p. 138).

Galatians 5:19 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: 3

fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness” “Works”: “A plural term, may be used to indicate the chaos or riotous vices which are produced by the uncontrolled flesh” (Erdman p. 121). “Manifest”: “Unmistakeable” (TCNT). “Quite obvious” (Mof). “Anyone can see” (NEB). “One does not need to speculate in regard to the flesh. When a Christian gives way to his flesh he will head for some of these works. Works betray and advertise their source” (Lenski p. 284). How blunt! Selfish living and self-centeredness is plain to see.

Sexual Sins The New Testament often condemns sins that were the perversion of the sexual desire. Fornication is often the very first sin listed in many "sin lists" (1 Corinthians 6:9; Colossians 3:5) and not forgotten in others (1 Timothy 1:10; Revelation 21:8).

“Fornication”: The general word that encompasses all sexual sins, including incest (1 Corinthians 5:1), premarital sexual relations (1 Corinthians 7:1), adultery (Matthew 19:9) and homosexuality. Thus any and all perversions of sexual desire.

“With only a bit of exaggeration Seneca concluded that ‘chastity is simply a proof of ugliness’. William Barclay even suggests that ‘chastity was the one completely new virtue which Christianity introduced into the pagan world'. Society had come to accept sexual immorality as routine” (Boles pp. 139-140). Barlcay makes an excellent comment about the meaning of the word "fornication". “Porneia is prostitution, and porne is a prostitute. Essentially porneia (fornication) is the love which is bought or sold--which is not love at all. The great and basic error of this is that the person with whom such love is gratified is not really considered as a person at all, but as a thing. Porneia describes the relationship in which one of the parties can be purchased as a thing is purchased and discarded as a thing is discarded” (Flesh and Spirit. p. 24). Therefore, as Christians we cannot be deceived into thinking that somehow or in some circumstances fornication is an act of love (Romans 13:8-10).

“Uncleanness”: “Is broader and includes not only the other sexual aberrations but also all that leads to them--the whole mass of filth” (Lenski p. 285). “Impurity” (TCNT). “Moral impurity” (Robertson p. 312). “It is the quality of that which is soiled and dirty. There is a kind of mind which is itself soiled and which soils everything which passes through it” (Flesh and Spirit. Barclay p. 30).

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“Lasciviousness”: “Unbridled lust, excess, shamelessness such as filthy words, indecent bodily movements (why this word condemns modern dancing), unchaste handling of males and females (making out--sin happens long before the actual sexual act)” (Willis-in quoting Thayer, p. 258). “It is defined as meaning ‘readiness to indulge in any pleasure’--sin so open and blatant that is has ceased to have any regard for what anyone may think or feel or say. The terrible thing about aselgeia is that it is the act of a character which has lost that which ought to be its greatest defense--its self-respect, and its sense of shame” (Flesh and Spirit pp. 32-33).

Sins of Perverted Religious Desires Galatians 5:20 “idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties” “Idolatry”: Placing anything and anyone before God, including money (Colossians 3:5). Idolatry is placed right after sexual sins, because in the ancient (and modern world) often the two went hand in hand. “It is important to see that idolatry is as much a work of the flesh as immorality” (Stott p. 147). “A man's God may rightly be said to be that to which he dedicates his time, his substance and his talents, that to which he gives himself” (Flesh and Spirit p. 34). Paul also points out in Romans 1:2023, that idolatry is rooted in human pride. “Sorcery”: “Witchcraft” (KJV).

“Pharmakeia originally meant the medical use of drugs; but it came to mean the abuse of drugs for poisoning instead of healing, finally taking on the sense of ‘witchcraft’” (Fung p. 256).

While our modern society often finds the occult and various idolatrous practices to be either interesting, different, curious or cute, God says that they are acts of selfishness and sinful.

The Breakdown of Personal Relationships “The next eight items can be grouped together as sins of the conceited ego, sins spelled with a big ‘I’” (Boles p. 141).

“Enmities”: “Hatred” (KJV). “Perhaps best reflected by our word ‘hostilities’. It is 5

the spirit that looks with evil suspicion on anyone of a different race, tongue, nation” (Boles p. 141). “Private feuds” (Erdman p. 121). “Strife”: Wrangling, contention. “A contentious temper” (NEB). “Jealousies”: Zeal out of control. When zeal is motivated by selfishness rather than love for God. Bitter and envious resentment.

“A self-centered zeal with resents the good which another enjoys” (Fung p. 258).

“Maybe it is true to say that there is no better test of a man that his reaction to the greatness and to the success of some one else” (Flesh and Spirit p. 49). On a practical level this includes being a “poor loser”. “Wraths”: The wrath condemned here, is not long cherish anger (which is wrong also); it is “the blaze of temper which flares into violent words and deeds, and just as quickly dies” (Flesh and Spirit p. 52).

“Outbursts of anger” (NASV). “Temper tantrums” (Stott p. 148). Often people who explode, try to excuse their fits of temper has simply part of their personality, and that people should simply get used to it. “Unfortunately, they usually forget about the people whom they hurt during their outburst of angry passion” (Willis p. 260).

“Factions”: Intrigue. “Selfish ambitions” (NEB). “Canvassing for office which is prompted by such ambitions. From the meaning of a ‘hired servant’, that is, labor for hire—it is applied to those who serve for hire or for other selfish purposes and in order to gain their ends, promote party spirit for faction” (Vincent p. 165). “This word indicates mercenary motives” (Lenski p. 287). “Divisions”: “Splits in two” (Robertson p. 312). “Parties”: “Sectarian parties” (Con). “Party intrigues” (NEB).

Religious groups built around human opinion or human preferences, therefore all denominations are condemned by this verse.

“Envyings”:Trying to undermine the influence of those who succeed. “Feelings of ill-will” (Robertson p. 312). Tearing people down, fault-finding and petty nit-picking, so you don't feel so bad about yourself. “It is ‘pain at another's good’” (Boles p.

144).

Galatians 5:21 “envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” “Drunkenness”: Intoxication. Remember, intoxication is a progressive condition (Ephesians 5:18). Alcoholism does lead to disease, but the cause of drunkenness is not some physical ailment, rather drunkenness is rooted in selfishness. “While wine was an everyday drink in the Mediterranean world, even pagan Romans and Greeks normally diluted the wine with water to avoid intoxication. A common ratio was one 6

part wine to three parts water. Anything was strong as a 1:1 ratio was called ‘strong wine’” (Boles pp. 144-145). “Revellings”: carousal, rioting. Drinking parties in the honor a victorious athlete or pagan deity (1 Peter 4:3). Willis makes a good point when he says, “Please notice from this verse (and 1 Peter 4:3) that drinking in addition to drunkenness is condemned” (p. 262). “And such like”: “Like, similar, resembling” (Willis p. 263). This is God's loophole plug. much like the statement found in 1 Timothy 1:10 “and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching” (NASV).

Thus any attitude or behavior that fits into one of the above categories is sinful as well.

“I forewarn you”: People cannot plead ignorance, we have been warned. These things will still be wrong at the last day (Revelation 21:8), right and wrong do not change with time and culture, rather the works of the flesh have always been sinful.

The reason for this is that such things are not rooted in time or a particular culture, rather they are rooted in self. “Even as I did forewarn you”: He had preached these truths while among them. God feels that "morality" needs to be emphasized, even to Christians (2 Peter 1:12-13).

“Practice such things”: Whether habitual or occasional practice. If I sin, I need to repent (1 John 1:8-10). Committing fornication once a year will still condemn one if one does not repent. “Shall not”: Black and white, absolute, no doubt about it. God will not change His mind about such things.

“Inherit the kingdom of God”: Compare with 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and Ephesians 5:5.

Walking by the Spirit Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” “Fruit”: Because all these qualities are inter-related and connected and they form one complete package. For example, one cannot be loving without equally being self-controlled, patient and kind (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). This is the natural product of a life controlled by the Spirit, and the true harvest of real Christianity. Unfortunately, some Christians are under the impression that you can work on these qualities one at a time. “Of the Spirit”: These qualities are not produced in some mysterious way, apart from the cooperation and hard work of the Christian (2 Peter 1:5-11).

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The following are the natural results or what happens in the life of a person when they fall in love with God and all that God stands for.

“Love”: The best definition of genuine love is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. “Joy”: Which is not merely worldly happiness, because this type of joy is not inherently tied to external circumstances (Philippians 2:17; Acts 5:41; Hebrews 10:34; James 1:2). Rather, this joy is rooted in God and His blessings (Philippians 3:1; 4:4). This is a joy rooted in the conviction that God is always in control, and that all may not be right with the world, but all is right between God and myself. “Peace”: The person who has made peace with God, on God's terms (Luke 15:18). The attitude that desires to seek reconciliation, at all cost, except at the expense of truth (Matthew 5:9, 23-24; Romans 12:18). Peace of mind is impossible to find while one is in rebellion to God, and people who live by the flesh, only have a superficial peace (Philippians 4:6-7). This peace is not found in detachment, self-isolation, apathy, not getting your hopes us or insulation against life. Neither is true peace found in financial independence and good health. This peace does not come easily. Peace between Christians must be worked at and continually guarded (1 Peter 3:11; Ephesians 4:1-3; Romans 14:19). Harmony in human relationships, is one of the marks of a true Christian.

“Longsuffering”: “The attitude to people which never loses patience. It expresses the attitude to events which never admits defeat, and which never loses its hope and its faith. The power to see things through” (Flesh and Spirit pp. 91-92). “It may be that the hardest lesson to learn is how to wait, how to wait when nothing seems to be happening, and when all the circumstances seem calculated to bring nothing but discouragement. It may well be that this is the hardest task of all for an age which has made a god of speed” (Flesh and Spirit p. 96).

“Kindness”: “It indicates a desire for the welfare even of those who are continually taxing our patience” (Erdman p. 123). This is a kindness which is useful. To treat others in the same manner in which God has treated us (Ephesians 4:32; Luke 6:35).

This is more than just a sweet disposition, when a person is all that God wants them to be, then they are decent, reliable, gentle and kind, that is, truly humane.

“Goodness”: Generosity that springs from kindness and doing good to others.

“Goodness is an attitude of generous kindness to others, which is happy to do far more than is required by mere justice” (Fung p. 268). Compare with Romans 5:7.

“Faithfulness”: Loyalty and trustworthiness in one’s dealings with others (2 Timothy 8

2:2). “The quality of heart which is ever conscious of its own integrity, honesty and sincerity” (Erdman p. 123). “The man who is faithful would rather lose his life than his honor” (Flesh and Spirit p. 110). See Revelation 2:10 and 3:14.

Galatians 5:23 “meekness, self-control; against such there is no law” “Meekness”: “Is the character which is at once passionate and gentle in the highest degree. In which strength and gentleness are perfectly combined, it is the spirit in which to learn (James 1:21), in which a man knows his own ignorance, and is humble enough to know that he does not know, which can open the mind to truth.

It is when we have meekness that we treat all men with perfect courtesy, that we can rebuke without rancor, that we can face the truth without resentment, and we can be angry and yet sin not” (Flesh and Spirit pp. 114-121). Meekness is not a lack of spirit or courage, rather it is where one’s spirit, energy, courage, passion has all be channeled in a spiritual aim. Meekness does get angry at sin, but that anger is channeled into constructive outlets (Matthew 11:29). “Self-control”: “The strength of soul by which a man takes hold of himself, takes a grip on himself, is in full control and possession of himself. That quality which makes him able to live and to walk in the world, and yet to keep his garments unspotted from the world” (Flesh and Spirit pp. 123,127). See James 1:27.

“What shall we make of the fact that even pagans admire the virtues on our list, and a limited degree of attainment can be found in their lives. The answer lies in the fact that all men are created in the image of God” (Boles p. 154). Even sinners admire many of these qualities and even sinners can have some limited success in attaining some of these things, which demonstrates that God has not given Christians an impossible standard to follow.

“Against such”: Against such qualities just mentioned. “There is no law”: No law condemns such virtues, no law can bring a charge against any of them. “For the function of law is to curb, to restrain, to deter, and no deterrent is needed here” (Stott p. 149).

Galatians 5:24 “And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and lusts therefore” “They that are of Christ Jesus”: That is, Christians (3:26-29). “Have crucified the 9

flesh”: This is the same as “laying aside the old self” (Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 4:22); or considering oneself dead to sin (Romans 6:11), and being crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6). “Every follower of Christ is to behave like a condemned criminal and carry his cross to the place of execution. We must not only take up our cross (Mark 8:34) and walk with it, but actually see that the execution takes place.

We are actually to take the flesh, our willful and wayward self, and (metaphorically speaking) nail it to the cross. First, a Christian’s rejection of his old nature is to be pitiless. Crucifixion in the Roman world was not a pleasant form of execution, nor was it administered by nice or refined people. It was reserved for the worst criminals. It, therefore, we are to crucify the flesh, it is plain that the flesh is not something respectable to be treated with courtesy and deference, but something so evil that it deserves no better fate than to be crucified. Secondly, our rejection of the old nature will be painful. Thirdly, the rejection of our old nature is to be decisive. Although death by crucifixion was a lingering death, it was a certain death.

Criminals who were nailed to a cross did not survive, so Paul says, if we crucified the flesh, we must leave it there to die. We must renew every day this attitude towards sins and of ruthless and uncompromising rejection (Luke 9:23). The first great secret of holiness lies in the degree and the decisiveness of our repentance. If besetting sins personally plague us, it is either because we have never truly repented, or because, having repented, we have not maintained our repentance. It is as if, having nailed our old nature to the cross, we keep wistfully returning to the scene of its execution. We begin to fondle it, to caress it, to long for its release, even to try to take it down again from the cross. We need to learn to leave it there” (Stott pp.

150-152). This equally means that we need to realize that there is nothing honorable, romantic or loving in the behavior mentioned in 5:19-21. These are shameful, disgraceful attitudes and actions that are worthy of death.

“With the passions and lusts therefore”: It is not enough to merely stop the outward sinful act, we must equally crucify the sinful and selfish desires that lead to this act. Wrong motives, wrong feelings and selfishness must die as well (2 Corinthians 10:3ff).

Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk” “If”: The Christian still has a choice, being led by the Spirit is not an irresistible path.

“Live by the Spirit”: Living in accordance with the Spirit’s teachings, that is, we are claiming to be Christians, then let us live the lifestyle. “By the Spirit let us also 10

walk”: “The Spirit does the leading, but we do the walking” (Stott p. 152). “Walk”: The term here refers “literally to people being drawn up in line. Therefore it means to walk in line or be in line with (Romans 4:12; Philippians 3:16; Galatians 6:16)” (Stott p. 153). “To march in rank and file” (Lenski p. 295). Notice that the Holy Spirit leads all Christians in the same moral and doctrinal line, the Holy Spirit does not reveal 100 different religions moral standards.

Galatians 5:26 “Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another” “Let us not become”: “Let us cease becoming” (Robertson p. 313). “Vainglorious”: Conceited and cherishing inflated illusions of oneself. “Provoking one another”: Challenging each other and stirring up strife. “This is a very instructive verse because it shows that our conduct to others is determined by our opinion of ourselves. It is when we have self-conceit that we provoke and envy other people. Now, when we are conceited, our relationships with other people are bound to be poisoned” (Stott p. 156). Pride does lead to envy, for when one is all wrapped up in self it is very difficult to handle the success of other people.

Closing Comments “The victory is within reach of every Christian. Our task is to take time each day to remember these truths about ourselves, and live accordingly. We have crucified the flesh, then we must leave it securely nailed to the cross, where it deserves to be. So when the tempter comes with evil insinuations, we must round on him savagely, and say to him: ‘I belong to Christ. I have crucified the flesh. It is altogether out of the question that I should even dream of taking it down from the cross” (Stott p. 154).

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