Following the listing of the sexual sins
in verse 19 of Galatians 5, Paul then lists the works of the flesh that can be
classified into two groups. They are religious sins (idolatry and witchcraft)
and societal sins (hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition, and
heresies).
The religious sins, idolatry and
witchcraft, were very common in the first century and many, if not all, Gentile
converts would be touched by these sins. We may think these would not be relevant
today, but they are. Idolatry is more than the worship of pagan gods. It is
putting anything ahead of God and our service to others. One of the great idols
of our time is "sports" both professional and amateur. However, it can be
anything we pursue to the detriment of our service to God. Witchcraft is from
the Greek word "pharmakeia" which means the use of drugs. Our word "pharmacy" comes from this word. Witchcraft, then, is the use of drugs for a mind-altering
experience. If you do not believe these words apply today, then you must be
blind to our pursuit of entertainment, possessions, and drugs.
The societal sins: Hatred, which is the
opposite of love and is a quality that makes enemies, defies and challenges
others. Variance is the expression of hatred in our relationship with others.
Emulation is jealousy. It involves self-assertion derived from our being
self-centered. Wrath involves being carried away by our passions and rage. You
can see this exhibited on television and radio talk shows and in our political
arena. Strife is action that creates divisions through ambition and seeking our
own. Sedition is division and includes standing apart from the group either in
hostility, indifference, or not wanting to get involved. Finally, we come to heresies.
Heresies are very close to sedition and comes from the Greek word "haireseis" meaning to make a choice and often the wrong choice. In other words, instead of
receiving the whole word of God, we pick and choose what we believe and align
with those of a like mind.
Charles
Royal, Decatur AL
