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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Scripture or Myth?, #9
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)
Is Paul saying to the believers in Galatia that they once had practiced such things and would not have inherited the Kingdom of God as a result?
Is he saying to the believers that they can still practice the works of the flesh and inherit the Kingdom of God by grace?
Is Paul saying they do not do these things any longer and will inherit the Kingdom on the basis that they are living a holy life?
We do not believe, from the context, that the Apostle Paul was doing anything other than warning the Galatian Christians that if they chose to walk in the lusts of the world and the flesh they would not inherit the Kingdom of God.
The Book of Galatians was written to inform the believers in Galatia that they no longer were under the statutes of the Law of Moses. Nevertheless this did not mean they could continue to sin, for if they did so they would not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Paul informed them that their flesh was weak and that if they lived in the flesh they would sin.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Galatians 5:17)
However, God has given us His Spirit so we can crucify our flesh with its lusts. As long as we are being led by the Spirit we do not have to worry about the regulations of the Law of Moses.
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. (Galatians 5:18)
The end of the matter is that we are to be crucified with Christ until He is living in us. When Christ is living in us we will not walk in sin. Circumcision is of little value and uncircumcision is of little value as far as the Kingdom of God is concerned. The Kingdom of God is the new creation that results from Christ being formed in us and dwelling in us. The new creation does not live according to the lusts of the adamic nature. The true Israel of God is the new creation. It is Christ in us, the hope of glory to come.
For in Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:15,16)
The warning remains in full force: "The believers in Christ who do not choose to follow the Spirit of God but who continue in a life of sinful behavior will not inherit the Kingdom of God." There is no immorality, no strife, no drunkenness in the Kingdom of God, and we are not permitted to bring immorality, strife, and drunkenness into the Kingdom of God by grace, mercy, faith, or any other mental attitude, belief, or legal device.
To be continued.