“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these … idolatry, witchcraft ….” Galatians 5:19-20

After 4 sensual sins, sexual sins … Paul’s list adds 2 (a pair) sins that deal with the supernatural, that function in the area of worship. “Theological sins,” one might term them! And certainly “idolatry” qualities as such.

But, what is “witchcraft?”

The Greek noun is “pharmakeia.” And at its very base (albeit often in the ancient world often associated with idols and demons) the word means “the use or the administering of drugs.” (Our word “pharmacy” is inherent in “pharmakeia,” obviously. In fact, originally “pharmakeia” was simply the practice of medicine, no harm intended.)

Yet in some Biblical expository literature (mainstream commentaries), teachers like John Stott (quoting Lightfoot) defines “pharmakeia” as “the secret tampering with the powers of evil.” 

So both ideas must be admitted; drug use (first noble and then ultimately illicit) … but often leading into the world of the paranormal, the realm of “devils.” 

If you will remember when Paul first preached to the Ephesians (and they began getting saved by God’s Grace) a number of them gathered, built a bonfire, and burned their “magic” books! That hints at sorcery, demon worship, “pharmakeia.” The exact verse, Acts 19:19 … “Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.”

And if the Galatians (back when they were lost) practiced some kind of astrology, a “star cult” one expert called it, the words “idolatry and witchcraft” would have been particularly pertinent to them! “Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.” Galatians 4:10, perhaps star gazing! (Then again, perhaps putting themselves under the Jewish “calendar,” as in Leviticus 23.)

One scholar definitely says, “For Paul witchcraft simply meant meddling with demons.” 

And lest you think I am wasting time and space today, “witchcraft” is still practiced in the world, even now. Not just in some foreign land, either!

By the way, another scholar (Barclay) says that the practice of (malignant) sorcery (“pharmakeia”) included the development of poisons .. with which to harm (even kill) people!

Wow!

Yes, as the Roman Empire deteriorated more and more rapidly .. the use of sorcery grew exponentially. So say the historians! 

A “fleshly” world honoring demons, for sure!

And a lifestyle diametrically opposed to Spirit filled Christianity! Where Jesus is reverently held to be “preeminent!”

The devil “hates” and “destroys.”

Jesus “loves” and “heals!”

Wow, no choice, seems to me.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

My quoting certain authors today does NOT include a blanket endorsement of all they write or believe. I merely am using their expertise in the area of etymology, word study.

Tomorrow morning, the Lord willing, we begin to see Paul’s list segue into a number of “social’ sins,” actions (sadly) closer to home for American Christianity I suspect.

 

Yes, there is some order to Paul’s “list,” those nefarious works of the flesh. Even though one normally thinks of the activities of the world/flesh/devil to be rather chaotic! However, I suspect Paul’s mind (what a masterpiece it was) could analyze and categorize just about anything! Plus we know this, God the Holy Spirit (the Real Author of Galatians) does everything “decently and in order!” A Trait we are to emulate! “Let all things be done decently and in order.” Paul’s advice (command) to the Corinthian Church, in 1st Corinthians 14:40.

Anyway, this 17 “sins-to-avoid” list began with 4 activities (all forbidden to the true Christian) that pertain to the body, to one’s sensual desires. Desires which the Holy Spirit curbs, controls and redirects! (“Husbands, love your wives!” One man, one woman, one lifetime, Ephesians 5:25, repeated in Colossians 3:19.)

But now today we come to the fifth anomaly (in the Holy Spirit’s Eyes) on the agenda. The sin of “idolatry.” I will capitalize it, to show its position in the Text …

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, IDOLATRY, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21, and yes, looks like we will be here for a few more days!

In Greek the word is “eidololatria,” appearing quite similar to its definition, “idolatry.” To Paul an “eidolon” was an idol, a “false god” made of wood or stone or something, man-made that is!

Then the verb “latreia” is attached (to “eidololatria”), as a suffix. And this word means “to serve someone (here to serve something) for pay, for hire!”

Doing obeisance to an “idol,” believing he or she will “pay” you handsomely for your labor! This is idolatry’s literal (grammatical) definition, folks!

It’s the age-old devilish idea that if one’s god (in our case God) does not reward generously enough … you “ditch” him or her and find a better “provider!”

That’s exactly what the devil believed (or at least said) about Old Testament Job (what a godly man) long ago! “Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?” Job 1:9, but there’s more to Satan’s logic. That Liar is still talking, to God in fact: “But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.” Job 1:11, “Take away his many blessings … see how he quickly will forsake you!”

Wow!

God Himself was exasperated at the backslidden priests of Malachi’s time, again long ago. They no longer would do their jobs, conduct worship in Israel … without pay! “Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? Neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 1:10, doing nothing for God “free!”

Israel, when far away from God, actually thought (being so deluded by the Devil) that the “Baal” worship of their heathen neighbors (“Baal” being the god of weather, of the crops, of abundant harvests) was the only assured way of farming with guaranteed results! So the Jews “joined” the idolaters!

Imagine how this attitude “offended, hurt, (even) angered” Almighty God! 

The rank sinners who worship these idols may have been (knowingly or unknowingly) associating with a “demon,” an evil spirit who stood behind that idol, who was represented by that silly chunk of wood or metal or stone!

The flesh loves that stuff, that “magic,” that depraved line of thought. The flesh loves man-defined “reward” way too much! 

But a Holy Spirit filled Christian will serve God … even in the bad times! Regardless of the “pay-scale!” By the way, ultimately the Christian’s true rewards are “out-of-this-world!”

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

The Greek noun translated (in Galatians 5:19) “lasciviousness” is spelled “aselgeia.”

It means “sensuality” for sure, but to the point of absolute “indecency!”

It is illicit sexuality (approving everything God disapproves) on steroids! Hyper sensuality! Over the top!

Some Greek scholars see these first four sins in our list (“adultery, fornication, uncleanness and lasciviousness,” all centering on sexuality) as ascending or intensifying in degree! Particularly in order of rebellion against Almighty God! Each one “worse” in God’s Eyes than its predecessor!

Wow!

Then lasciviousness is the “king!”

The lascivious man “pushes the envelope” of public acceptance! He wants to go further than most people will allow, in his intensity of sinning!

Here is a sampling of the word’s use in the New Testament.

I can only find it 9 times.

“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts,, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, LASCIVIOUSNESS, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” Jesus in Mark 7:21-23, describing natural (fallen) man!

Then Paul: “Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and WANTONESS, not in strife and envying.” Here (Romans 13:13) “aselgeia” is translated “wantoness.” Its twin word (as one would expect), “chambering” refers to “cohabitation,” exceedingly sinful orgies of some kind.

I think Ephesians 4:19 illustrates the word quite well, its connotation. “Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto LASCIVIOUSNESS, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” “Being past feeling?” Having their consciences that seared! Calloused!

Other Texts exist, but surely these 3 will suffice.

Oh, how we should thank God for His amazing Grace!

His saving Grace!

His delivering Grace!

His sanctifying Grace!

We’re not that way any more, not “lascivious!”

To His Glory … we now try to live pure lives, motivated (incited) not by the flesh, but by the Holy Spirit of God!

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

The first four “sins” in Paul’s “works of the flesh” list pertain to sensuality, sexuality. Which was really the “blight” of the Roman world.

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; ADULTERY, FORNICATION, UNCLEANNESS, LASCIVIOUSNESS, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21, those first four are capitalized on purpose, for emphasis.

Today in our Lesson we think about “uncleanness.” In Greek it is spelled “akatharsia.” See the English word, borrowed from Greek (hence called a “loan word”), “catharsis,” here shown in its Anglicized spelling. Meaning “to cleanse, to purify.” But in our Text the “a” in front of “kathairo” negates it! NOT PURGED!

And “akatharsia” perfectly illustrates the gradual shifts of meaning (over many years) a word can experience.

Originally it means “dirt” on the floor of your house! Something needing to be swept and discarded! Physical dirt.

Next it acquired a ritual meaning, used in religion. These would be things that disqualify a person from coming to worship the Lord! Impurities that had to be address, if one was going to the Temple! Ceremonial dirt!

As such, the scholars say the word’s Hebrew equivalent, “tumah,” occurs 36 times in the Old Testament! As in Leviticus 22:5 … “Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing (a forbidden insect), whereby he may be made unclean,” that man cannot come to the Temple (the Tabernacle) to worship God … not without being cleansed!

Wow!

Then thirdly, “uncleanness” came to mean “sexual impurity.” And that is the definition Paul is emphasizing here in our Galatians Paragraph. Sins in this area that are so blatant men and women around the offender are repulsed by him, by his deeds!

So “akatharsia” has then journeyed (evolved) from the physical world (dirt) to the ritual world (religious impurity, violating a “taboo”) to the moral world (sexual impropriety, brashly so)!

Interesting!

Outside of one single time when Jesus used the word (“uncleanness”), it is exclusively Pauline (found 9 more times) in the New Testament.

Here are some (Bible) examples. They help define the word about as well as any method I have discovered. Letting the Holy Spirit be our grammar Teacher!

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all UNCLEANNESS.” Jesus in Matthew 23:27.

“Wherefore God also gave them up to UNCLEANNESS through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.” Paul in Romans 1:24, what preaching!

The Power of the Gospel to change us! “I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have (when you were unsaved) yielded your members servants to UNCLEANNESS and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now (having been saved) yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.” Romans 6:19, praise the Lord!

Here our word is (again) linked with sexual deviation. “And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the UNCLEANNESS and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.” 2 Corinthians 12:21

“But fornication, and all UNCLEANNESS, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints.” An order, Ephesians 5:3, “all” uncleanness must go! Not a single episode of it should reoccur!

One more example, and just a short one at that. “For God hath not called us unto UNCLEANNESS, but unto holiness.” 1 Thessalonians 4:7

Enough!

The Greek language, what a blessing!

The language God chose to bring us the New Testament!

Largely, I think, due to its preciseness, its specificity in meaning.

Thank You, Lord.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

The Greek word is “porneia.” And it is in Galatians 5:19 translated “fornication.” The normal Greek word for a prostitute is “porne,” to give you an idea of the “spirit” behind the term Paul has used here.

As in: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, FORNICATION, uncleanness, lasciviousness …”

It is believed our word today (“porneia”) is directly linked to a Greek verb spelled “pernumi,” which means “to sell!” Indicating a person whose very body is “for sale,” for purposes of illicit pleasure!

Wow!

It is said that the average citizenry of the Greek/Roman world in which Paul and these Galatians lived had lost all sense of “shame,” nothing was consider wrong!

Folks, in God’s Eyes “sex” is not a commodity, to be bought or sold. It is far too holy for such, being a meaningful (I want to say holy) gift of God to humanity.

A Roman philosopher (Demosthenes) once said: “We keep mistresses for pleasure, concubines for the day-to-day needs of the body, and wives to produce our legitimate children!” 

Yes, the sin of fornication was that rampant throughout the vast Roman empire, and virtually no one stood against it! That is, until Christianity began to grow!

I read earlier this morning, “Chastity was the one completely new virtue which Christianity introduced into the pagan world!” 

The flesh loved (and still does) such sensuality.

Every major (famous) person from the first century that I can locate, had a mistress (or mistresses) as a normal part of his life!

They had even “figured” ways of introducing “prostitution” into their defiled worship practices! Yes, in many pagan religions sensuality equaled spirituality!

So Paul tells his converts, newly born again Christians, to flee that stuff, fornication and the like! Genuine love (“agape” love) is too sacred to sell!

“FLEE fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” 1st Corinthians 6:18

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should ABSTAIN from fornication.” 1st Thessalonians 4:3, pretty clear!

“MORTIFY (put to death, kill) therefore your members which are upon the earth; FORNICATION (“porneia”) , uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:5

“Now the body is NOT for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.” 1st Corinthians 6:13, distinctive preaching!

Preach it, Paul!

Christianity was truly revolutionary back then, no doubt. But today (I fear) it is becoming contemporary, watered-down, too loose, particularly in the area of sexual behavior.

Oh, how we need Revival.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell