Works of the Flesh - Part 4 - Hatred, Variance, Emulations, and Wrath

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)

  

Review

The works of the flesh are sinful qualities which contrast the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The works of the flesh are characteristics of the sinful nature of man caused by lust [sinful desire]. They are opposites of the qualities which the Holy Spirit wants to develop in your life.

There is a constant spiritual battle going on in the life of a believer. The works of the flesh are trying to destroy the fruit of the Holy Spirit:

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 

(Galatians 5:17)

The fleshly desires of natural man are contrary to the nature of the Holy Spirit.  

Although the results of these sins are visible in wrong actions, the cause is not visible. The cause is sinful desires [lusts] of the heart:

And He saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him...

And He said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.  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;And these evil things come from within, and defile the man.  (Mark 7:18, 20-23)

The sins listed in Galatians 5:19-21 are not all of the sins identified in the Bible. They are a group of sins called "works of the flesh" which contrast the fruit of the Spirit. Today we are continuing with:

>        HATRED

Hatred is the opposite of love. It is an emotion of intense dislike. It is evil feelings towards things others.

The Bible says that hatred stirs up strife:

Hatred stirreth up strife; but love covereth all sins. (Proverbs 10:12)

It is better to be where love is than with those who are filled with hatred:

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith. 

(Proverbs 15:17)

Hatred covered by deceit will be revealed by God:

Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. (Proverbs 26:26)

Deceit here means pretending to like someone when in reality you hate them.

>        VARIANCE

Variance is disagreement, disharmony, and dissension. It is similar to strife.

This word is used only one other place in the Bible; when Jesus speaks of "variance" in the family as a sign of the last days of time:

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. (Matthew 10:35)

>        EMULATIONS

Emulation is the desire to copy others and to equal or excel them. It is a spirit of rivalry and a form of jealousy. The passage in Galatians 5 is the only reference in the Bible where the word is used in this manner.  

Joshua was chided for his criticism of the 2 elders who prophesied in the camp:

 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!  Numbers 11:29

>        WRATH

Wrath is violent anger, an angry act, rage.

The Bible says wrath is cruel:

Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy. 

(Proverbs 27:4)

A man of great wrath will suffer because of it:

A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment; for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again. (Proverbs 19:19)

Wise men will turn away from wrath:

Scornful men bring a city into a snare:Wise men turn away wrath. (Proverbs 29:8)

As an unbeliever you were a child of wrath:

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 2:3)

Wrath should not operate in your life:

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice... (Ephesians 4:31)

You are to put off wrath:

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. (Colossians 3:8)

You are to forsake wrath:

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. (Psalms 37:8)

You are to be slow to wrath:

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.   (James 1:19-20)

He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding; but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. (Proverbs 14:29)

There is a relation between wrath and the next work of the flesh, which is strife. The Bible describes this relationship:

A wrathful man stirreth up strife; but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. 

(Proverbs 15:18)

Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife. (Proverbs 30:33)

Forsake all negative feelings that may lead to or cause wrath:

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.  Psalms 37:8,

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?  1 Corinthians 3:3,

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.  James 3:14, 16

(Biblical Studies)

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