5:19-21 How are these works of the flesh actually defined?

Adultery is defined as the act of unfaithfulness in marriage when one of the marriage partners engages in sexual intercourse with a person of the opposite sex other than the marriage partner.

Adultery violates the marriage union and brings disgrace upon those involved, which will always be with them. It can never be wiped away (cp Pr 6:27-35).

Adultery of course can be forgiven and the offenders restored to grace (cp 1Jn 1:9).

Fornication refers to any kind of sexual immorality including illicit sexual activity between unmarried persons, adultery, homosexuality, incest, prostitution etc. (cp Mk 7:21-22; Ro 1:29; 1Cor 5:1; 6:9-10, 13-18; 7:2; 2Cor 12:21; Eph 5:3; Col 3:5; 1Th 4:3-7; Jude 7; Rev 9:21).

If an unmarried man has sex with a married woman he would be guilty of fornication while she would be committing adultery.

Fornication is the only ground for divorce sanctioned by Jesus (cp Mt 5:31-32).

Uncleanness here means any moral uncleanness including sodomy, homosexuality, lesbianism, pederasty, bestiality, and all other forms of sexual perversion (cp Ro 1:24-32; 6:19; 2Cor 12:21; Eph 4:19; 5:3; Col 3:5; 1Th 4:7).

Lasciviousness is shameless immorality, licentiousness, wantonness, lustfulness, lewdness, sexual excess, insatiable desire for pleasure, debauchery and perversion in general (cp Mk 7:21-22; Ro 13:13; 2Cor 12:21; Eph 4:19; 1Pe 4:3; 2Pe 2:7, 18; Jude 4).

Lasciviousness is the involvement in that which incites sex sins and lust. That is why Christians must take no pleasure in anything that is sexually explicit, including pornography and such like.

Idolatry is giving pre-eminence to anything other than God. In the Old Testament it referred to the worship of graven images, but for New Testament Christians it could be a person, one's business or job, wealth, power, social status, sport, hobby, even a Christian's ministry etc.

Covetousness is idolatry in the New Testament (cp Eph 5:5; Col 3:5).

Covetousness expresses the inordinate desire to make something other than God central in life (cp Lk 12:15-34 with Mt 6:19-21, 24 and Lk 16:13-15).

Idolatry manifests itself in many forms, but whatever form it takes it involves the worship of demons (cp 1Cor 10:14-22). Anyone involved in any form of idolatry is communing with demons, and that is what Paul is warning Christians against here.

While New Testament Christians would not worship an idol made out of wood or stone, if they give pre-eminence to anything other than God they are worshipping the demons behind idolatry.

Christians must constantly be on guard against making something other than God central in life because God is totally opposed to idolatry and will not let it go unpunished (cp 1Cor 10:22 with Deut 32:16-17, 21; Jer 25:5-6; 1 Cor 6:9-10; 1Jn 5:21; Rev 21:7-8; 22:15).

Witchcraft is the practice of sorcery, black magic and spiritism. It revolves around the occult and drugs, and involves casting spells, the use of incantations, and the invocation of spirits, which in reality are demons (cp 1Sam 28:7-19).

This was not the spirit of Samuel the witch of Endor invoked here, but a demon - a familiar spirit - impersonating Samuel in appearance, knowledge, and prophetically (cp 1Chr 10:13-14). Witchcraft is strictly forbidden in scripture. Yet many Christians today participate in seances.

They do not see seances as serious witchcraft, but lighthearted fun. But that is not correct. Seances are serious witchcraft because those who participate in them are communing with demons and God will not tolerate it (cp Lev 19:31; 20:6; Deut 18:9-14 with 1Cor 10:21-22; Rev 21:7-8; 22:15).

Hatred is bitter dislike or enmity, illwill, intense hostility toward someone; the tendency to hold grudges or be angry at someone.

Those who harbour such tendencies will forfeit their place in God's eternal kingdom (cp 1Jn 2:9-11; 4:7-9, 11-12, 16-21).

Variance means causing strife (cp Ro 13:13; 1Cor 3:3; Php 1:15; 1Ti 6:3-4); contention (cp 1Cor 1:11-14; Tit 3:9); debate (cp 2Cor 12:20).

It does not mean disputing for truth (cp 1Th 5:21; Jude 3). Variance has to do with allowing differences of opinion to lead to animosity.

Christians do not have to agree on every issue in the church, but they do have to love one another, and where they do have different points of view, then they must agree to disagree in love (cp Jn 13:34-35, 15:12-17; 1Cor 13:1-7 with He 12:14-15).

Emulations are jealousies, envies and uncurbed rivalries in both spiritual and temporal matters. It is an attitude that will not cooperate with others unless it gets its own way (cp Ac 13:45; Ro 13:13; Jas 3:13-18).

Wrath means a violent motion or passion of the mind; a sudden unrestrained outburst of hostility (cp Col 3:8).

Strife is used here of those who seek only their own. It represents a motive of self interest (cp Ro 13:13; Php 1:16; 2:3-8; Jas 3:13-16).

Seditions are factions or divisions in the church (cp Ro 16:17; 1Cor 3:3).

Heresies in this context are unsound doctrines promoted in the church which are at variance with the pure teachings of scripture (cp 1Cor 11:18-19; 2Pe 2:1).

Envyings are the most base of all degrading and disgraceful passions. They are feelings of ill will and jealousy toward someone else for possessing something which they desire (cp Pr 14:30 with Ac 7:9; 17:5; Ro 1:29; 1Cor 13:4; Ga 5:26; Tit 3:3; 1Pe 2:1).

Murder is the intentional taking of human life (cp Ex 20:13). The KJV calls it "kill" here, but it should be murder. The verse should read, "thou shalt do no murder". (cp Mt 19:18). God does not prohibit killing in time of war, or as capital punishment sanctioned by governments for serious crimes.

These are justifiable, but not murder (cp Gen 9:6; Ro 13:1-5 with Ro 1:29; 1Jn 3:15; Rev 9:21).

Drunkenness is the excessive use of alcohol whereby one becomes a slave to drink, a drunkard (cp Lu 21:34-35; Ro 13:12-14; 1Th 5:6-8).

Revellings refer to wild parties and riotious conduct; feastings and drunkeness with impurity and obscenity of the grossest kind; drunken orgies (cp Ro 13:13; 1Pe 4:3).

There are some in the church who teach that Paul is not referring in Ga 5:19-21 to Christians as the ones involved in these sins, but unbelievers.

But that is not correct. Inheriting the kingdom of God is not an option for unbelievers, only believers. Unbelievers will not forfeit the kingdom because they commit these sins, but because they do not believe on Jesus (cp Jn 3:3, 5, 18, 36; 5:24; 6:40, 47; 20:31; Ro 1:16-17).

Furthermore, unbelievers cannot distinguish between walking in the spirit or obeying the lusts of the flesh - only believers can, which Paul had just called upon them to do (cp Ga 5:16-18 with Ro 8;1).

Paul's warning against the sins of Ga 5:19-21 is directed to believers, not unbelievers, and it is a warning to all Christians in all ages who do such things, as it is throughout scripture (cp 1Cor 5:1-12; 6:18-20; Eph 4:20-33; 5:1-8; Col 3:1-10; 1Th 4:1-7; 5:22; He 12:14-16; 1Pe 2:11).

See also comments on Ro 1:18, 1:24-28, 1:29-31; 1Cor 6:9-10.

Galatians: