Tag Archives: Works of the Flesh

Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 47: Repudiating the Works of the Flesh

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Class #47:  The works of the flesh are OBVIOUS–and thus St. Paul lists them for us.  Those who claim to be Christian, while at the same time perpetuating these obvious works of the flesh, are not Christian at all.  Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Even while St. Paul is pointing out fake Christians, he  is warning the true Christians to walk in the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the lust of the flesh.  The Holy Spirit leads Christians to love their neighbor.  Believers are not moved by the Law, but by the freedom of the Gospel.

St. Paul reminds us that we belong to Jesus Christ.  When we recognize the desires of the flesh to do these works, we repudiate them.  We do not consent to do them, nor do we resolve to live in them.  We avoid the works of the flesh.  If we find that we have done them, we confess them.

Overhead: Galatians Class 47 Overhead
Handout 1: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 16 thru 21
Handout 2: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 22 thru 26

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Galatians Bible Study, Pt. 46: Works of the Flesh

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Class #46:  Christians strive to avoid the works of the flesh, but we can’t avoid the desires which come from our sinful nature/flesh.  Therefore, the Christian life is a continual struggle against sin.  With our salvation secured through faith in Christ, we desire to please our Lord.  We walk by the Spirit when we confess those sinful thoughts and do not do the works of the flesh.  We also walk by the Spirit when after we find that we have sinned, we do not persist stubbornly in our sin.

In this study we begin to examine the works of the flesh described in Galatians 5:19-21.  St. Paul says, “just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  So Luther explains, “It is one thing to be aroused by the flesh and not to tolerate its desires any further, but to walk and to withstand by the Spirit; it is quite another thing to give in to the flesh and to do its works with a smug air, to persist in them…” (Luther’s Works, v.7, p.80).

Overhead: Overheads for Class 46
Handout 1: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 16 thru 21
Handout 2: Galatians Bible Study Chapter 5 22 thru 26
Handout 3: Chart for Flesh and Spirit

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