Works of the Flesh

The Apostle Paul has argued so forcefully in his letter that justification is by faith alone, apart from works, that he fears that some will pervert the truth that we have been liberated from the burden and demands of the law into a license for sin. So he warns the Galatian christians: 'Do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.' To make sure that the Galatians understand the sort of things Paul has in mind when he writes of the sins of the flesh, he lists some of them. They include 1) sexual sins 2) false worship or demon worship 3) sins of strife 4) sins related to alcohol.

The Christian life can be compared to a journey along a narrow land bridge. On the right is the swift moving Legalism River. If we fall into it, it will drive us backwards, and it will be hard to get back on shore. But on the other side of the path is the Cess Pool of License, which is every bit as dangerous as the river. Along the way, Paul warns us to beware of pharmacists!