The Battle of Holiness
The Battle for the Soul: Living in the Spirit's Power
Bible Passage: Galatians 5:13–26
1. Choose Christlike Community
These are former Gentiles/pagans, so Christian liberty could easily be corrupted to become libertinism and used as an excuse to “indulge the flesh.”
The word “flesh” (sarx) in Paul is a complex term meaning various things depending on the context in which it is used. Elsewhere in Galatians Paul used the word “flesh” to refer to human life in its material dimension, our physical body, or to that which is merely human as opposed to spiritual or divine (2:20; 4:29). However, throughout
It is used in an ethical sense. It is that element of man’s nature which is opposed to goodness and makes for evil [ICC, WBC]. It is our fallen human nature [BST]. It is that self-regarding element in human nature which has been corrupted at the source and which if unchecked produces the ‘works of the flesh’ [NIGTC]. Throughout
Both here and in
The point is that freedom in Christ is the very basis for Christian conduct. This freedom has both a negative side (freedom from the powers of evil) and a positive side (freedom to live for God in the Spirit). Negative freedom includes freedom from the law, which enslaves us under the control of sin (4:1–3). Paul primarily centers here on the positive side, the outworking of Christian liberty in a community characterized by love. In Christ we are all called to live out our freedom in community relationships.
pres. act. indic. of δάκνω (LN 20.26) (BAGD 2. p. 170): ‘to bite’ [BAGD, BNTC, Herm, Mor, WBC; KJV, NASB, NET, NIV, NLT, NRSV], ‘to harm’ [LN], ‘to criticize’ [SSA; GW], ‘to hurt’ [NCV, TEV], ‘to fight’ [REB], not explicit [CEV].
b. pres. act. indic. of κατεσθίω (LN 20.45) (BAGD 2. p. 422): ‘to devour’ [LN, Mor; KJV, NASB, NET, NIV, NLT, NRSV], ‘to consume completely, to destroy utterly’ [LN], ‘to tear to pieces’ [BAGD, Herm, WBC], ‘to tear at’ [BNTC], ‘to tear apart’ [NCV], ‘to discredit’ [SSA], ‘to attack’ [CEV, GW], ‘to harm’ [TEV], not explicit [REB].
2. Cultivate Spirit-Conscious Living
3. Confront Carnal Conduct
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness (πορνεία [Receptus, μοιχεία, πορνεία], ἀκαθαρσία, ἀσέλγεια). This is the first group, consisting of offences against chastity—sins against which the Church has to contend in all ages and in all countries; but which idolatry, especially such idolatry as that of Cybele in Galatia, has generally much fostered.
Sexual immorality (porneia) is the general term for sexual sin
Impurity (akatharsia) considers sexual sins from the perspective of Jewish purity laws, meaning that in God’s eyes this behavior renders one “unclean.
“Lasciviousness,” or “wantonness,” is scarcely an adequate rendering of ἀσέλγεια in this connection; it appears to point to reckless shamelessness in unclean indulgences.
Debauchery (aselgeia) is overt sensuality, a complete absence of restraint and decency, both in appearance and in lifestyle behavior. The debauched are party people, binge drinkers, potheads—those who openly flaunt their wild living and even live to offend others.
Idolatry, witchcraft (εἱδωλολατρεία, φαρμακεία); idolatry, sorcery. These two form a second group—sins of irreligion; and such as would be likely greatly to beset new converts from idolatry.
Idolatry (eidōlolatria) refers to the worship of the false gods of the pagans and can be extended to include anything that takes priority over God in our lives (“no other gods before me,”
Witchcraft (pharakeia) is sorcery, which consists of practices that try to manipulate natural forces through supernatural means for selfish ends.
The word φαρμακεία originally denoting the use of drugs
Hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies (ἔχθραι, ἔρις [Receptus, ἔρεις, ζῆλοι, θυμοί, ἐριθεῖαι, διχοστασίαι, αἱρέσεις); enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, heresies (or, parties). This third group, to which belongs also the envyings (φθόνοι), together with the probably not genuine murders (φόνοι) of the next verse, is bound together by the common characteristic of malignity.
Hatred (echthrai) is that enmity between people that destroys relationships. It is the first of eight terms describing sins that bring conflict and disrupt the social cohesion of the church.
Discord (eris) is the result of the previous item, hatred, and refers to strife or quarreling between parties, leading to division in the church
Jealousy (zēlos) is often translated “zeal” when it has a positive thrust, but in vice lists like this it refers to a self-centered passion that stems from wanting what others have and feeling more deserving of it than they are.
Fits of rage (thymoi) is one of the two primary terms for anger (with orgē) and as a plural refers here to outbursts of wrath that bring strife to the church.
Selfish ambition (eritheia) is presented as one of the basic sins of dissension that divided the Philippian church in
Dissensions (dichostasiai) are actions that cause infighting and bring discord and divisions to the group (
Factions (hairesis), the Greek term from which “heresy” is derived, refers to the divisiveness that causes warring parties to form groups, such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes among the Jews or the conflicting parties named in Corinth (
Envy (phthonoi), often connected to “jealousy” (
Drunkenness, revellings (μέθαι, κῶμοι); drunkennesses, revellings. We have the same two plural nouns in
Drunkenness (methai) is the first of two words for a depraved lifestyle. It does not refer just to those who drink too much but describes wild parties involving binge drinking and carousing.
Orgies (kōmoi) describes the debauchery and the drinking bouts, above, combined into wild and raucous partying. The term was often used of religious festivals in honor of the pagan gods but came to be used of any excessive party in which the carousing got out of hand.
4. Cultivate Christlike Character
Love (agapē) is the apex of the virtues. Of faith, hope, and love “the greatest of these is love” (
Joy (chara) is that highly elusive quality for which every human being is searching in this life.
Peace (eirēnē), closely linked with joy in
Forbearance (makrothymia) refers to that patience or long-suffering shown by God toward sinners (
Kindness (chrēstotēs), or graciousness and generosity, stems from God’s own kindness and grace in bringing sinners to repentance and then to salvation (
Goodness (agathōsynē), at times translated “generosity,” denotes much the same quality as the previous term: a gracious, kind, and good spirit shown to others (
Faithfulness (pistis) results from faith in God and refers to a person on whom others can depend, one who sticks by others in their time of need.
Gentleness (praütēs) stems from a humble spirit and is exemplified best by Jesus, who is “gentle and humble in heart” (
Self-control (enkrateia) is a quality manifested by those who lead disciplined lives (
