Galatians 5:19 Commentary and Bible Study

The nature of the flesh is fixed and cannot change or be improved. Sanctification does not consist in training the flesh to behave better, but in putting it to death for this is the only way that its pernicious influence can be ended. It is characterised by everything that is hateful to God and against his holy law, and it is urged on and stirred up by the devil who regards it as his territory within us. It is constantly active and never rests in trying to bring us down and is implacably opposed to all the work of the Spirit in our souls. It is the only nature with which we possess when we come into the world and it begins to exert its influence from the earliest age. Its effect is progressive throughout life and does not immediately express its worst tendencies in our lives. God holds it in check by parental discipline and by law and order, but these restraints mainly have influence on the external behaviour. It creates deep rooted habits in human beings which are nearly impossible for man to break free from without the power of God working in him. Because all of us are born with a fleshly nature, we are all familiar with its influence, however the flesh is skilled at disguising its operation in us and justifying itself. For this reason, it is not till we start to oppose it that we detect the full force of its influence. The believer must have an ever increasing insight into his own heart. This is a painful experience but an absolutely necessary one. Many have said that rather than becoming conscious of leaving sin behind, the sanctified Christian learns ever more clearly the horror of what sin is capable of doing within him. That growing horror is itself evidence of progress in the fight against sin, for the unbeliever learns to be comfortable with what he is, as a man becomes used to the presence of a foul odour which he has to live with. By an examination of ourselves in the light of Paul’s two lists we may judge to what extent we are being led by the flesh and by the Spirit.These works of the flesh are grouped together. The first are all sensual sins: ‘adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness’. Adultery - sexual relations which involve the breaking by at least one party of their marriage vows. This is a sin particularly against God’s ordinance of marriage. There is no closer relationship on earth and God has declared it unbreakable except by death. To break it is to break trust, to deceive the one whom we should be most loyal to. ‘Fornication’ - this word may also include adultery (Matthew 5:32; 19:9) or be distinguished from it (as here and Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21). When distinguished from it, it means illicit sexual relations outside of marriage. God has made life long marriage the only legitimate realm in which we may be physically joined together. Fornication also sometimes includes all manner of sexual perversions which are against nature. But here these are distinguished by the word ‘uncleanness’ from a word which is the negative of the word meaning to purify. Proper sexual relations within marriage are pure, for the body itself is not evil but good. But our bodies are made unclean by using them for what God has forbidden. Uncleanness here comes from any sort of sexual contact which is contrary to nature. This includes, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, and other perversions. ‘Lasciviousness’ means wantonness, shameless conduct, excess, absence of restraint.