The Works of the Flesh We live in perilous times for Christians. Morals have degenerated to an extreme low. It is hard for many to determine today between a Christian and worldly people, those who are children of the devil. Notice Isa. 5:20, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” This is the problem in our society today, as it was in Israel in Isaiah’s generation. In Galatians 5:19-21, God lists a class of lifestyles that will not be acceptable for a home in Heaven. Their eternal destiny is a place called Hell.

Galatians 5:19-21 Gal. 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, 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. These lifestyles have no hope of Heaven, as compared by those who walk after the Spirit, vs. 22-26.

Galatians 5:22-26 Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. We see here a different outlook in lifestyles.

What is the Flesh? God used the term “flesh” in two different ways: 1. All animals, including mankind, Gen. 6:13, “And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” Also with male and female, “And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.” Gen. 7:15,16. Sometimes within the same kindred, Gen. 37:27, “Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.”

What is the Flesh? God used the term “flesh” in two different ways: 1. All animals, including mankind, Gen. 6:13, male and female- Gen. 7:15,16. Sometimes within the same kindred, Gen. 37:27. 2. A quality of a corrupted lifestyle, the use of body and mind, 1 Cor. 15:50, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” It is not just the physical body, but the capability of wrong, due to body and mind, Rom. 7:18; 8:1, 4-7.

Passages Rom. 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. Rom. 8:1 ¶ There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

What Does Paul Say? First, he said he didn’t know how to do good, not that he couldn’t. The problem is a matter of knowledge. Second, that knowledge comes from the Spirit, and man can do good by walking after the Spirit. Third, the problem comes from MY mind, in particular, what is the knowledge in it. The fact then becomes, the flesh is neither good or evil, but it is the substance of the knowledge we glean in our lives. Our world is full of things that give us knowledge, both good and evil.

Illustration Let me give an illustration of this point. You take a clean sponge and 2 glasses, one with black ink, and the other clean water. Take a clean bowl for the display. Dip the sponge into the water glass, and squeeze into the bowl. What do you get? Clean water (Man as created). Next, dip the sponge into the ink glass and squeeze into the bowl (Knowledge of good and evil), notice the clean water is now impure. The more times you dip into the ink glass and empty into the bowl, the darker it becomes. The more you dip into the clean water, the closer it will be to pure, but will remain impure none-the-less. But the sponge (flesh) was neither clean or dirty to start with. The point is, it depends which glass you dip from, as to the nature of the mixture in the bowl. Paul, within himself did not know how to do good, but could get the knowledge to do so, and did. Does the Bible support this?

Bible Support Gen. 1:31 God declared man as “GOOD”, so man does not inherit sin. Man learned knowledge of sin then became evil. We know this from Adam and Eve in the garden. They had been naked without guilt, but after eating the fruit from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they knew they were naked and clothed themselves. Gen. 3:6-12. A carnal mind is “enmity with God”. Rom. 8:7, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” It does not serve God, it can’t. (Black ink) The more carnal you take in your mind the farther you grow away from God.

Man Became Sinful Adam & Eve were enticed. Jms. 1:14-15, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” God defined sin in 1 Jn. 3:4, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” By nature we are neither carnal or spiritual minded, but we choose which way we want to go. Rom. 8:9, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” We still have a choice to make, to remain in sin or change, Col. 3:3-10.

Passage Col. 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5 ¶ Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8 ¶ But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Passage Col. 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. …. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Here lies the choice we must all make. To follow after the flesh or after the Spirit. Remember the water in the bowl, has it become darker with ink/sin, or clearer due to adding clean water/righteousness of God’s Will. We must stop the practice and support of sinful practices.

Conclusion Is crucifying the flesh an easy task? NO! It is a painful, but a necessary exercise. In order to subordinate our own will to God, there must be some suffering and self-denial, 1 Cor. 9:27; 2 Cor. 10:5. 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; Don’t be so involved with the affairs of this world, 2 Tim. 2:3-4. We create our war within ourselves. 3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Conclusion Is crucifying the flesh an easy task? NO! It is a painful, but necessary exercise. In order to subordinate our own will to God, there must be some suffering and self-denial, 1 Cor. 9:27; 2 Cor. 10:5. Don’t be so involved with the affairs of this world, 2 Tim. 2:3-4. We create our war within ourselves. Sin has always brought pain on those who chose to do right, 1 Pet. 4:1-2. 1 ¶ Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. Know that the pain of denial will bring joy and peace in the end! If we endure until the end, Heaven is waiting! God determines right and wrong– so obey His Will.