Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The acts of the sinful nature are obviously a problem for any society, for they defile the foundations of the home and the state. Freedom in these areas of self-indulgence lead not to a cohesive society, but to a chaotic one. These actions are impossible to tolerate very long because they are so destructive to relationships within the family, community, and country. Such acts are defined as sin because their self-willed character is the opposite of God's nature of love, peace, and cooperation. We, as Christians, are to look out for the betterment of others, to be servants to the world, to seek peace in every situation: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9) The sons of God, the children of God, are peacemakers; they are not those who engage in achieving their own self-indulgent desires. They are not those who bring a thorn of self-will into every situation, but they are those who bring an olive branch to the problem, seeking to restore relationships and to resolve problems. Christians are those who reject the acts of the flesh and seek to obey the Holy Spirit, asking God to lead them on a better path, a more holy way. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth." (John 14:15-17)
Paul is writing this letter to believers in the church at Galatia, yet he finds himself compelled to list the acts of the sinful nature that Christians should know and avoid. It would seem obvious that those people to whom he is writing would already know these deeds of the flesh and the need to expel them from their lives, but Paul sees fit to provide a lengthy list of sinful acts. As fellow Christians, we must take heed to Paul's thinking, stop and consider his reasoning. Paul was considering the power of sin. He might have been thinking of the message he told to the church in Corinth when he wrote: So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12) None of us are strong in our own strength but in the power of the Lord. The psalmist wrote: The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. (Psalm 28:7-8) The Lord is our strength, and He is able to keep us strong in him. If we call upon him when we are tempted, He will deliver us from temptation and keep us strong in the power of his might. Many scriptures tell of his power and his might. But as James says, Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22) We must not simply hear the Word, we must do what it says. We live in an age when temptations assail us in many forms, especially in the media and in electronics. We must do what the Bible instructs and resist the devil, so he will flee from us. Many of us have read the Bible and have scripture in our hearts and minds. Most of us have heard countless scriptures. None of that will help us unless we allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us and free us from the tempter. This is why Paul warned the Christians at Galatia to avoid the acts of the sinful nature. We are as they were: We know those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
We do well to remember that we do have an inheritance: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5) This is our glorious hope, our eternal gift from the Father, through the Son, sealed by the Holy Spirit. Satan knows we have this inheritance, and he would like nothing better than to cause us to sink into a life of debauchery and degradation to the point that we want to turn away from our Lord and Savior. Therefore, we put on the full armor of God and we go forth as soldiers in the army of the Lord. As soldiers, we are fully aware of the works of the flesh, but we are full of the Holy Spirit with our eyes on Jesus. We stand shoulder to shoulder and declare with our brother, Paul: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14) If we are to fulfill the Lord's will, we must be sure of his calling. We must know that we have been purchased with a great price. When Jesus died on the cross to ransom us, He gave everything. How can we give less? When Jesus called his disciples, He said, "Come, follow me." That remains his message today. To those who are captives to sin, caught in the chains of the sinful deeds Paul listed for the Galatians, the Lord says, "Follow me, and I will set you free." If anyone reading this breakfast is struggling with sin in any area, reach out to Jesus, and He will set you free right now, this very moment. He understands, and He shed his blood for you. Come to Jesus, child of God. Come to Jesus!
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