Galatians 5:22-23, The Fruit of The Spirit
The Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23
A. The Conflict
1. Flesh and the Spirit (vv. 16-17)
a. The Spirit-led life is a life of conflict
b. The flesh lusteth (sets its desire)--Paul personifies flesh as the active enemy of the Spirit and emphasizes that these two forces are locked in a constant struggle, a battle every believer experiences as part of their "normal" Christian life.
B. The Contrast (vv. 19-21)
The believer can know if they are controlled by the flesh or walking in the Spirit.
Works of the flesh are plainly visible readily apparent “the tree is known by its fruit," in this case "bad fruit.”
1. The flesh its works
a. “works” active evils Deeds (2041) (ergon from ergo = to work) refers to toil as an effort or occupation. This suggests my fallen diligently "works at" evil!
b. Flesh (4561) (sarx) is used here to refer not to the physical flesh but to that aspect in man which is orientated toward self (self-will, self-effort, selfish, etc.). The flesh then is our fallen nature, inherited from Adam, which is prone to commit sins, is opposed to God, and which incessantly seeks its own ends.
c. “Manifest” these works are open, evident, in plain sight for everyone to see
2. Its fruit (three divisions) a. Sexual sins (v. 19) 1. adultery
2. fornication Immorality (4202) (porneia from porneúo = commit fornication or any sexual sin) originally referred to any excessive behavior or lack of restraint, but eventually became associated with sexual excess and indulgence, of every kind of extramarital, unlawful, or unnatural sexual intercourse.
Our English word pornography is from porneia + graph = a writing and thus pornography (or colloquially "porn") is thus a writing (or picture) relating to sexual sin (missing the mark).
3. uncleanness “sexual impurity” sin of the mind impure thinking
4. lasciviousness “sexual excess” no restraint, shameless excess, and the absence of restrain
b. Spiritual sins (v. 20)
1. Idolatry--putting one’s chief affections on any object or person instead of God
2. witchcraft--Sorcery (5331) (pharmakeia from phamakeus = one who prepares or uses magical remedies; from pharmakon = a drug or spell giving potion, but also used of medicinal drugs; English--pharmacy, etc.) primarily signified the use of medicine, drugs, spells, then, poisoning, and finally sorcery. It was used to describe the use of magic which often involved the taking of drugs. Sorcery per se describes an occult practice in which the adherents claim to have supernatural powers and knowledge, including the ability to foretell the future and to summon evil spirits through charms and magical spells.
3. hatred
4. variance--Contention, strife, wrangling
5. emulations--Jealousy (2205) (zelos from zeo = to be hot, to boil [from the sound of bubbling water], figuratively to be fervent or show great enthusiasm; it describes a reaction which borders on extreme or fanatical.
6. wrath--Outbursts of anger (2372) (thumos from thúo = move impetuously, particularly as the air or wind, a violent motion or passion of the mind; move violently, rush along) describes passion (as if breathing hard) and so speaks of an agitated or "heated" anger that rushes along (impulse toward a thing). Thumos describes a tumultuous welling up of the whole spirit; a mighty emotion which seizes and moves the whole inner man.
7. strife--Disputes (2052) (eritheia) means self-seeking, strife, contentiousness, extreme selfishness, rivalry and those who seek only their own. It is the desire to be number one no matter the cost!
8. seditions--Dissensions (1370) (dichostasia from dicha = asunder, apart + stasis = a standing) means literally a standing apart which is a picture of dissension, discord, disunity, contention, division into opposing groups. The idea of dissension is disagreement which leads to discord. Dissension is strife that arises from a difference of opinion and stresses a division into factions (especially factions in the early church).
9. heresies--Factions “an opinion,” especially a self-willed opinion, which is substituted for submission to the power of truth and leads to division and the formation of sects . . . . such erroneous opinions are frequently the outcome of personal preference or the prospect of advantage.
c. social sins (v. 21)
1. Envyings--Envying (5355) (phthonos) describes pain felt and malignity conceived at the sight of excellence or happiness. It means not just wanting what another person has but also resenting that person for having it. It is an attitude of ill-will and jealousy that leads to division and strife and even murder. When we envy, we cannot bear to see the prosperity of others because we ourselves feel continually wretched.
2. Murders
3. Drunkenness
4. Revellings--Carousing (2970) (komos) originally referred to a band of friends who accompanied a victor in a military engagement or athletic contest on his way home, singing with rejoicing and praises to the victor. But the word "degenerated”: until it came to mean "carousal" or a noisy, nocturnal and riotous procession of half drunken revelers and frolicsome fellows who after supper paraded through the streets at night with torches and music in honor of Bacchus or some other deity, singing and playing before houses of male and female friends (and causing a major public disturbance). Hence komos generally refers to feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry.
3. Its harvest (v. 21) “and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
a. The person whose life is habitually characterized by the sins and vices of the following verses is not a Christian.