The Works of the Flesh

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"Ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."

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"The flesh lusteth against [rushes against, strives against] the Spirit."

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"The Spirit [lusteth] against the flesh."

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"These are contrary the one to the other."

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"Ye can not do the things that ye would."

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"Ye are not under the law."

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"The works of the flesh are manifest."

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"That they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

1. Note the deadly opposition between the flesh and the Spirit. So long as there is any compromise with the flesh on the part of any professed Christians, "ye can not do the things that ye would." "They that are in the flesh can not please God." Now recall chapter 3:3 and see that just this practical instruction is the subject of the epistle all the way through. The Galatians were not apostates; they had not deliberately turned their backs on God and righteousness, but were still striving to do right. But they were striving to perfect themselves by the flesh. They were substituting their own power for the power of God. This thing is attempted in these days as much as it was then, and the danger is the same. That is why the Lord had this epistle preserved for us. There is absolutely no hope of righteousness through the flesh. No matter how good one's desires, or how earnest the resolves, it is impossible for them to be fulfilled by means of the flesh.

2. "If ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law." Note the context very carefully. Let all this portion of Scripture be indelibly fixed in your mind, and there will not be the slightest difficulty in seeing that to be "under the law" is identical with fulfilling the lust of the flesh. It was from this state that Christ died to redeem us. Chapter 4:4, 5. In verse 13 we see that the flesh is in sharp contrast with love, which is the fulfilling of the law. The law is love, but the flesh is hate and strife. The law forbids hatred; therefore all who are in the flesh are under the law.

3. The works of the flesh can not be hid; they are manifest. Enumerate them, and study each word carefully. Take the word "divisions." How many think it a very serious matter to get up a division, and to form opposing parties in society, and even in the church? But it is one of the works of the flesh, and "they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." It is of the same class as fornication, idolatry, sorcery, "and such like." The student will notice that the list differs somewhat in the Revision from that given in the common version. That is because some of the Greek words may be rendered by several words which are quite similar. Indeed, the text itself shows that all the things named are of one class, and the object is not to give a complete list of the works of the flesh, but simply to show their nature.

4. "The works of the flesh are manifest." They consist in externals. All that the flesh does, even when it assumes to keep the law, is for outward show; but this profits nothing, for God desires truth in the inward parts, and the flesh itself is sin. There is no hope except in "the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible" (1 Peter 3:4), and the destruction of the flesh, with all its works.

5. The person who cherishes enmity or jealousy, who makes divisions, or who is swayed by a spirit of emulation, desiring to get ahead of somebody else, may be considered a very "moral" man as compared with the drunkard, the adulterer, the murderer, the sorcerer, etc., but he is one of them, and has no more prospect of inheriting God's kingdom than they have.

6. All these are "the works of the flesh." They are common to all human flesh. Whenever we hear of a gross crime, we may truly say, "That is what I should be doing if it were not for the grace of God." Read Mark 7:21-23. If any unconverted person has not openly committed all the sins mentioned here, it is simply because of education, surroundings, freedom from temptation, lack of opportunity, or from cowardice—fear of consequences. The evil is in all human flesh, and no person can boast over another.

7. But while there is no hope that anybody can be saved while still in the flesh, there is the clearest hope that any may be saved from the flesh. The Spirit is stronger than the flesh, and Christ has power over all flesh, and if yielded to, will free us from all iniquity. He "is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." Jude 24.