The Works of the Flesh - Part 2: Uncleanness and Lasciviousness

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)

Through the word of God we know that 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 not only our sinful desires but fueled by the iniquity within us, Satan and the world. They are opposites of the qualities which the Holy Spirit wants to develop in your life in order to be in the image of Christ.

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.  The works of the flesh are:

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)

Apostle Paul lets us know that it is a daily thing that we war against the ungodly characteristics and desires of our flesh.

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.  1 Corinthians 9:27

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:

> UNCLEANNESS

Uncleanness is the opposite of being clean. In this passage on the works of the flesh, the word "uncleanness" means being spiritually or morally unclean.

God does not want His people to be unclean:

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints. (Ephesians 5:2)

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.  (1 Thessalonians 4:7)

It is our responsibility to mortify uncleanness and discipline our self to live a holy life; a lifestyle pleasing to God:

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  (Colossians 3:5)

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.  (1 Corinthians 7:1)

That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour (1 Thessalonians 4:4)

If you do not mortify uncleanness then you will yield to it:

I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh; for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. (Romans 6:19)

If you continue to yield to uncleanness you will eventually give yourself over to it:

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ.  (Ephesians 4:19-20)

If you continue to live in spiritual uncleanness [sin], God will give you over to it:

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: (Romans 1:24)

When a man is given over by God to something, his conscience ceases to function and he is totally controlled by it. He will perish in his sin unless he repents:

But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness...

these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption...            (2 Peter 2:10, 12)

Look at what happens when you connect the dots on the verses regarding uncleanness; a pattern emerges. You have the power within you to either mortify or yield to sin. If you mortify uncleanness, it will lead to holiness in your life. If you yield to it, you will eventually give yourself over to it. Finally, God will give you over to it and you will perish in your own corruption:

If YOU mortify uncleanness:  

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

(Colossians 3:5), 

it leads to holiness:  

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.  (1 Thessalonians 4:7)      

On the other hand, if YOU yield to uncleanness, it leads to: 

I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.  (Romans 6:19) 

which results in: 

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (Ephesians 4:19) 

If GOD gives you over to it: 

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: (Romans 1:24) 

which ends in utterly perishing in our own corruption:  

But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness...

these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption...              (2 Peter 2:10, 12)

> LASCIVIOUSNESS

Lasciviousness is the sin of lust, sinful emotions, and lewdness. It is filthy and shameless conduct.

Lasciviousness is one of the characteristics by which you can see this ungodly behavior:

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 4)

In times past you may have been lascivious. As a believer, you are no longer to continue this behavior:

That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:   (1 Peter 4:2-3)

The Bible teaches that if you continue to be lascivious, you will eventually give yourself over to it without conscience:

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work uncleanness with greediness. (Ephesians 4:19)

God desires that we live in and display His image.  And, it is a command of God that we live holy and clean lives characteristic of the fruit of the spirit - allowing our lights to shine so that others will come out of the darkness and into God's marvelous light.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  (Matthew 5:16)

(Biblical Studies)



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