The Sad Outcome of the "Law-approach" to Righteousness!

Galatians 5:19–21 (NIV),

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

This is not Paul's first reference to the flesh.  “Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh . . . You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love . . .  So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” (Galatians 3:3; 5:13 and 5:16–17, NIV)  

When the Galatians were trusting in keeping the Law they were living by the flesh.  Instead faith in Christ meant living by the Spirit.  The flesh and the Spirit war against one another.  Law-keeping for salvation is fleshly.  And we read here that fleshly behavior does not produce righteousness.  In fact it produces quite the opposite.  "“Flesh” sometimes refers to the physiological frame of man, as distinguished from the immaterial aspect of man, which is variously called “spirit” or “soul” (cf. Acts 2:17). More frequently the N.T. employs the term to designate the sinful tendencies that exist in man, most of which are related to bodily appetites and ambitions." [1] The interesting thing is that Paul says that these things are "obvious" or "plain".  He uses the word φανερός [fan·er·os/] which means to be plainly recognised or known. [2]

This is the irony: seeking to be justified by the Law actually produces more lawlessness. Paul wrote elsewhere: “But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.” (Romans 7:8–9, NIV). "Not only does the law reveal sin, but it provokes it as well. Law does not cause sin, but sin takes occasion by the commandment." [3]

"Paul doth not recite all the works of the flesh, but useth a certain number for a number uncertain . . . First, he reckoneth up the kinds of lusts, as adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness, &c . . . All the highest religions, the holiness and most fervent devotions of those which do reject Christ the Mediator, and worship God without his Word and commandment, are [nothing else but plain] idolatry . . . Paul reckoneth witchcraft among the works of the flesh, which notwithstanding, as all men know, is not a work of fleshly lust or lechery, but a kind of idolatry. For witchcraft covenanteth with the devils: superstition or idolatry covenanteth with God, albeit not with the true God, but with a counterfeit God . . . Heresies, that is to say, sects . . . Paul doth not say that to eat and drink be works of the flesh, but to be drunken and to surfeit . . .." [4]

“. . . and the like." Infers again, that this list is representative on exhaustive.   Then Paul goes on to warn:  I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:21, NIV).  "This is a very hard and a terrible saying, but yet very necessary against false Christians and careless hypocrites, which brag of the Gospel, of faith and of the Spirit, and yet in all security they perform the works of the flesh." [5]  "The present participle (Gk. prassontes, translated here as “do”) refers to those who “make a practice of doing” such things, as a pattern of life. Their outward conduct indicates their inward spiritual status: that they are not born of God, do not have the Holy Spirit within, and are not God’s true children." [6]

Father, the fact that these sins are obvious does not make this topic any more acceptable. What is not obvious is the deceitful and pervasive culture of my flesh.  My flesh actually loves to be law-abiding. I take such pride in that.  It makes me better than others.  Sadly, looking at these sins actually incites something in me that wants them.  I see that in such reality when I decided I do not want to eat something.  How I long for it even more.  Help me Father, today to apply what I know is true: to kill sin by the Spirit and not the Law.  The Law-approach to righteousness just produces more unrighteousness.  Your grace, through Your Spirit is my only hope.  Grant me the will and the ability to do Your good pleasure today, not by works of the law, but to live by the Spirit.  Amen!

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1.  Believer’s Study Bible. 1991 (W. A. Criswell, P. Patterson, E. R. Clendenen, D. L. Akin, M. Chamberlin, D. K. Patterson & J. Pogue, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (Ga 5:13). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

2. Strong, J. (2001). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

3. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2235). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

5. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 5:21). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. 

6. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2254). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.