Untitled Sermon (39)

5. Sorcery (witchcraft)

Definitions: 1. Use of drugs, spells, and incantations in appeals to oc- cult powers 2. use of

charms or amulets to protect from demons 3.

The use of “super natural” powers to influence or predict events.

Related passages:

Sorcery is from the Greek word “pharmakeia”, meaning “the use or the administering of drugs,

poisoning, magical arts.” Although, we get the word pharmacy from this root, the legitimate use of

medicine is not prohibited. Rather, the use of mind-altering and deceptive practices is here

condemned.

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Sorcery was condemned throughout the Old Testament, in part, be- cause it usually accompanied

idolatry as a means of fooling and ad- dicting people to the false God. Sorcerers were grouped with

astrolo- gers, mediums and soothsayers as sinning against God and his chosen prophets who worked

miracles and not illusions.

Philip the evangelist was able to convert one such magician in Sa- maria, who recognized genuine

miracles when he saw them. Simon had created quite a following when he obeyed the gospel and quit

his evil trade (Acts 8:9-13 ). When the gospel hit Ephesus, a good number of illusionists were

converted there also. They responded to the call to repentance by burning their magic books (Acts

19:18-20).

Questions To Stimulate Discussion

1. Sorcery continues to be a problem in our society. How?

2. What other sins and evils come with the belief in the occult?

3. The occult and the church have always done battle, as in Acts 19:17-20 . On what "fronts" must

the church fight today?

4. Sorcery feeds certain desires in the mind, such as the desire for power and control. What will

this lead to?

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5. How can we defend against sorcery and the occult in our lives to- day? What tactics and

strategies will be effective?

6. What should be the Christian's attitude toward all occult practices? What of horoscopes? Fortune

telling? Ouija boards? New Age crystal and pyramid power ideology? Superstition?

6. Enmity (hatred, hating people)

Definitions: 1. opposite of love 2. from same as “enemy” 3. A per- sistent feeling of hostility

to another or others. 4. animosity and an- tagonism

Related passages:

Hatred is one of the strongest emotions known to man. It results from or can lead to the other

works of the flesh Paul describes in the middle of Galatians 5:20 . Hatred is from the Greek word

“exthrai”, defined by Thayer as enmity, hostility and hatred. While the Bible commands us to hate

sin and wicked things, it demands that we never allow our- selves to hate people. Paul tells Titus

that hatred is a symptom of an unregenerated soul (3:3-5). No matter how great the temptation to

hate a person, we must fight it to save our souls.

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John had the most to say in the New Testament about hatred, using it to quote Jesus’ teaching and

to illustrate his own teaching (First John 2:9 ). Hatred can often lead to or result from

contentions. A contention is a situation in which two people or groups are each contending for

their own opinion with extreme boldness and inconsideration of the other.

Questions To Stimulate Discussion

1. How do we see hatred and strife in our world today?

2. What problems come from hatred and strife?

3. When is hatred permissible in Christians; under what circum- stances?

4. Where does John say a Christian is spiritually located if he hates his brother? What does this

mean?

5. What could possibly cause a Christian to hate his brother?

6. Whom does hatred hurt more, the hater or the hated? Why?

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7. Strife (contentions, variance, discord, quarrels, making trouble)

Definitions: 1. the expression of enmity 2. rivalry 3. A discussion, often heated, fights, rows,

disputes, clashes, squabbles, spats, alter- cations, unpleasantness, hassles, run-ins, tiffs.

Related Passages:

There were grave contentions in the early Corinthian church over hu- man preferences. The church

was splitting into factions based upon fa- vored teachers (First Corinthians 1:10-13 ). Paul

commanded them to eliminate their faulty reasoning and arguing over opinion and settle on carrying

out God’s will. Their contentions resulted completely from opinion. Even as he was writing his

third letter to them, he still feared the church would be crippled by contentious brethren (Second

Corin- thians 12:20). Such behavior was not to be found in the church (First Corinthians 1:16 ). The

Proverbs say much about contentious people.

They ruin marriages (21:9, 19; 25:24), stir up strife (26:21) and seem

unstoppable (27:15).

Questions To Stimulate Discussion

1. Contention and quarreling wreck havoc in a home quickly. Discuss what can happen.

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2. The church is not untouched by enmity and strife either. How do we see these works of the flesh

among brethren?

3. What is the real problem with the person who is contentious and hard to get along with? What

kind of excuses and rationalizations may he offer for his behavior?

4. Does this passage forbid debating Bible issues?

5. How can we insure that we are not party to enmity and strife, nor guilty of it?

6. If contentiousness is condemned, how can we earnestly contend for the faith?

8. Jealousy (emulations)

Definitions: 1. an emotion combining pride and envy when one's rights are infringed or when our

neighbor seems to be favorably treated at our expense. 2. from the same root as zeal, albeit mis-

guided. 3. Resentful or bitter in rivalry; envious. 4. Inclined to sus- pect rivalry.

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Related passages:

Jealousies are also prohibited by the Holy Spirit as a work of the flesh. From the Greek word

“zelos”, Thayer defines this as “an envious and contentious rivalry.” It is not wrong to be jealous

over something that exclusively belongs to you. God is jealous for our devotion and worship for

there are no other true gods who can share that. A husband is jealous for a wife’s romantic

affections, for it is not permissible to share with anyone else under heaven (James 4:1-4 ).

The jealousy Paul condemns is the rivalry two people feel for the same thing as they compete with

one another and sometimes come to ha- tred or to blows over it. The word envy is probably more

descriptive for envy is “rottenness to the bones” (Proverbs 14:30 ). Envy causes a person to wish

his brother would lose what he has. It also may cause him to wish he could take away what his

brother has earned.

Questions To Stimulate Discussion

1. Can jealousy be good? Note Isaiah 9:7 , Psalm 69:9 and John 2:17 .

2. Can envy be good? What is the difference in the way the scriptures uses the two terms?

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3. List some Bible examples of jealousy and envy at work:

4. What are people jealous or envious of today?

5. What can jealousy and envy lead to?

6. If a person becomes consumed with envy how would you expect it to affect his home life?

7. Is envy and jealousy one of the sources of church strife and prob- lems? Discuss how and why:

8. What is the jealous person focused on, and how will that continued focus affect him personally?

9. How can we defend against jealousy in our lives today?

9. Fits of Anger (outbursts of wrath, fits of rage, becoming too angry)

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Definitions: 1. hot anger 2. fury and rage

Related Passages:

Paul lists fits of anger as a work of the flesh. Thayer defines this as “anger boiling up and soon

subsiding again.” An outburst of wrath may include violence, profanity or angry words. Many things

may lead to this sinful expression of anger.

In the United States over 2 million wives are beaten every year, and over 1 million children are

physically abused. Further, over 50% of all homicides involve 2 people who know each other, and the

murder is usually preceded by an argument.

Questions To Stimulate Discussion

1. Why do people become angry?

2. Is it a sin to be angry? If so, why? If not, why not? Note Ephesians 4:26 and Mark 3:5 .

3. How can we tell if our anger is righteous or evil? What test would you employ?

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4. If a person has a quick temper what kind of home life would you expect him to have?

5. How would temper problems in a Christian's life affect the church?

6. How does a quick temper affect a person individually?

7. What are the common rationalizations offered by those who are quick tempered?

8. Are there wrong ways to deal with anger? Detail:

9. What can we do today to keep our temper in check?

10. Rivalries (selfish ambitions, brawling, selfishness, dis- putes)

Definitions: Concerned only with oneself

Related Passages:

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The Holy Spirit cautions us against maintaining rivalries. Thayer de- fines this term from the

Greek word, “eritheia”, meaning “intriguing for office, courting distinction, a desire to put one’s

self forward, a parti- san and factious spirit which does not disdain low arts.” A selfish ambi-

tion is one that seeks to elevate self at the expense, detriment or in- consideration of others.

Sometimes men and women have selfish am- bitions to become the rulers of local churches, intriguing

to attain high office or prominence by sordid means.

Zebedee’s sons, the apostles James and John, did just this with Jesus: “Grant us that we may sit,

one on your right hand and the other on your left, in your glory” (Mark 10:37 ). They were

intriguing for high positions in the Lord’s kingdom, but Jesus rebuked their selfish ambi- tion,

which negatively impacted their relationship with the other apos- tles as well.

No passage of scripture in the New Testament prohibits selfish ambi- tion more clearly than Paul’s

words to the Philippians in the second chapter of his letter to them: “Let nothing be done through

selfish am- bition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others bet- ter than

himself” (2:3). A man like Diotrephes is a prime example of a selfishly ambitious man (III John).

Questions To Stimulate Discussion

1. What did Christ do that gives us an example against selfish ambi- tion?

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2. Name some New Testament characters who were guilty of selfish ambition.

3. To what can selfish ambition lead?

4. How can selfish ambition infect a local church?

5. Is it necessarily selfish ambition to aspire to the eldership or to be a preacher?

6. What was the problem with Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15:36-41 ? When this crisis was solved what

was the net result for the work of God's kingdom?

7. Diotrephes created numerous problems for the church in 3 John 9 -

11. How does John want this conflict solved? What do we learn from this situation?

8. What terrible sin is behind most church problems (James 4:1 , 6 ).

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11. Dissensions (seditions, separations, making people angry with each other)

Definitions: 1. lit. a standing apart 2. causeless separations 3. in- citing discord

Related passages:

Dissensions is from the Greek word, “dixostasiai”. Thayer defines this and its root as “division,”

“to set at variance with, to cut into two parts, cleave asunder, dissever.” The writer of Proverbs

six included “one who sows discord among brethren“ among the seven abominable things that the Lord

hates (verse 16-19). Those who contribute to needless division among the saints are branded as

fleshly and dangerous to the body. “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and

offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned and avoid them” (Romans 16:16-17 ).

The Corinthian church was terribly fraught with dissensions, over communion, lawsuits, parties and

the like. Paul encouraged them to speak the same thing and prevent such division. So dangerous is a

di- visive attitude that the apostle told Titus to reject such a man after two admonitions

(3:9-11).

Questions To Stimulate Discussion

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1. Why do churches have conflicts? Is division ever right?

2. What do you learn from Jesus' handling of the Pharisees in Mark 3:1-6 ? Why didn't Jesus just

tell the man with the withered hand that He would meet him in the morning and heal him then?

3. Acts 15:1-35 contains an outstanding model of how church prob- lems should be resolved. Read

these verses and note specifics of how the early church dealt with its difficulties:

4. How must the church handle a man or woman who presents himself or herself as divisive?

5. Why is this language so strong?

6. Read Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 . Can matters of Christian lib- erty become points of

dissension? How should this be handled?

7. How should personality conflicts be handled?

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12. Divisions (heresies, party spirit, factions)

Definitions: 1. forming sects in religion 2. a self-willed choice or opinion that leads away from

the truth

Related passages:

Thayer defines divisions from the Greek word, “airesies”, as “dissen- sions arising from diversity

of opinions and aims” or “an opinion vary- ing from the true exposition of the Christian faith.”

Questions To Stimulate Discussion

1. To what can a single heresy lead?

2. What did Paul do when a heresy arose? Was he guilty of dissension?

3. Read Colossians 3:12-13 and note specifics about the heart that wants to get along with others:

4. Ephesians 4:15 tells us that speaking the truth is important, but must be coupled with an

attitude. Identify that attitude.

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5. II Timothy 2:24-26 give us both the motivation and the method for correcting others. Read these

verses and distinguish both of these vital points.

6. What kind of wrong attitudes in conflict do we find in 1 Corinthians 5:6 ?

7. How can we stop church conflict before it starts?

8. How should Christians act in the midst of controversy and strife?

13. Envy (all the same)

Definitions: 1. inward grieving at the happiness of others 2. Envy differs from jealousy in that

envy desires to deprive another of what he has; jealousy desires to have the same or the same sort

of thing for itself.

Related passages:

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This word is quite similar to the idea of jealousy. Envy is borne of a covetous spirit, the

attitude rebuked in the tenth commandment. God cautioned His people against envying his neighbor’s

possessions be- cause little good can come from such deep desire for the belongings of another. Was

it envy that moved Cain when he saw God preferred Abel’s offering? Were Joseph’s brothers not

envious and resentful when they conspired to sell their father’s favorite?

Envy can be a plague to a church. The saints in Corinth were boasting of and envying spiritual

gifts. It was this rivalry that led the apostle to remind the saints there that they were all

members of the same body and cause and that there should be no schism between them over such

matters (First Corinthians 12 ). From this platform, he issued his directive on love and the

expiration of miraculous gifts, arguing the former would outlast the latter. The controversy had

been taken to such an extreme that the worship of the church became confused as people jockeyed for

prominence in exercising their gifts publicly. Their envy had created confusion when such things

could be done decently and in order had they preferred one another (First Corinthians 14:33 , 41).

Questions To Stimulate Discussion

1. What kind of spirit often leads to envy? What did the tenth com- mandment specifically prohibit

(Exodus 20:17 )?

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2. What are some means a person might use to get the things he cov- ets?

3. What did Cain envy that made him want to kill his own brother (Gen. 4:1-8 )? How could Cain have

righteously attained what his brother possessed (Hebrews 11:4 )?

4. What did Joseph’s brother envy (Gen. 37 )? What did the coat of many colors represent to his

brothers?

5. What is present where envy and self-seeking exist (James 3 )? What source of envy is called the

root of all kinds of evil (First Timothy 6:10 )?

6. What caused the saints in Corinth to become envious of one an- other? How could this be

similarly repeated in a church today?

14. Drunkenness (getting drunk) Definitions: intoxicated with strong drink Related Passages:

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Drunkenness is from the Greek word “methai”, defined by Thayer as “intoxication, drunkenness”

Questions To Stimulate Discussion

1. What happened when Noah got drunk (Gen. 9:20-27 )? How could this have been easily prevented?

2. What happened when Lot got drunk (Gen. 19:30-38 )?

3. Why do people use intoxicating beverages and substances?

4. Should Christians be concerned with how they treat their bodies? Why?

5. Would a person ever become an alcoholic if he never took the first drink?

6. How do intoxicants affect our ability to make sound judgments? Proverbs 31:4-7

7. What other sins sometimes go hand in hand with drunkenness?

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8. What kind of affect can alcoholism have on the home?

9. How does this kind of living affect the church?

10. How does intoxicating drinking affect a person individually?

15. Orgies (revelries, carousing, having wild parties, lewd frol- ics)

Definitions: 1. the consequence of drunkenness 2. boisterous mer- rymaking

Related passages:

Revelries is from the Greek “komoi”, “a nocturnal and riotous proces- sion of half-drunken and

frolicsome fellows...used generally of feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at

night and indulge in revelry.” Peter, wrote: “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in ...

drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties” (First Peter 4:3 ).

Questions To Stimulate Discussion

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1. What kind of rationalizations are offered by those who want to drink and "party"?

2. Many do not set out to become drunk. But how do drinking parties contribute to the possibility?

3. Describe how the Christian can best avoid wild parties?

16. Things Like These (and the like, and such like)

Definitions: There are similar things to those mentioned in the above list, which ought to be

included, though they are not specified.

Related Passages:

It is obvious, buy Paul’s concluding statement concerning the list of fleshly works, that he is not

seeking to provide an exhaustive list, for he says there are others like the ones he has named.

Name a few that could have been included.

Questions To Stimulate Discussion

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1. As is evident from Peter’s commentary (First Peter 4:3 ), what might

Paul include in his phrase “and the like”?

2. Is this list in Galatians 5 comprehensive? Are these all the weapons

that Satan uses against us?

3. Are we being warned against other sins?

4. What kind of things might fit into this category?

5. What criteria could be used to decide whether an activity is from the

Spirit or the flesh?