Word Study ("The Works of the Flesh")

From Faith and Victory Church's "A Word in Due Season" Newsletter
(March 1991)

A Word in Due Season - 03/91

  

This month we will be considering the Greek words used in the list of the "Works of the Flesh" in Galatians 5:19-21. We are not to be involved in the works of the flesh, but rather are to be bearing the "Fruit of the Spirit," which we will cover next month..

Remember, fruit grows in a Christians' life. As the saying goes, "A Christian is not perfect, just forgiven!" While we are forgiven, and are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (II Corinth. 5:17-21), as Christians, we are to not let the things listed below to be once named among us. (Eph. 5:3) That is, as believers we need to set a high standard for our lives and live as God desires us to live...holy, set apart to Him.

He told us, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." (I Peter 1:15) He would not tell us to do this if it were not possible! But lets keep in mind it is only possible through His power and strength (Phil. 4:13), not in our own!

Adultery: (moichia) "adultery, voluntary sexual intercourse between a married man and someone who is not his wife, or a married woman and someone who is not her husband."

Fornication: (porneia) "harlotry, from a word meaning, "to indulge in unlawful lust", also means, "sexual intercourse between unmarried people." This word is also the root word for the English word "pornography."

Uncleanness: (akatharsia) "impurity," from a word meaning "impure or lewd."
Lasciviousness: (aselgeia) "licentiousness, lacking legal or moral restraints, to disregard sexual restraints, to lack control."

Idolatry: (eidololatreia) "image-worship," that is, to worship anything other than God, as a god, especially in regard to physical things.

Witchcraft: (pharmakeia) "medication, drugs," only by extension does it mean "magic" as well, use of drugs to induce a non-natural, or altered mind state, often was used in Biblical times as a form of "magic." The English word "pharmacy" is derived from this word.

Hatred: (echthra) "hostility, opposition," the feminine form of "echthros," or, "to hate, hateful, odious, hostile, an adversary," especially used to describe satan!

Variance: (eris) "to quarrel, wrangling."

Emulations: (zelos) "zeal, jealousy, malice," from a word meaning "to glow hotly!"

Wrath: (thumos) "passion, as in breathing hard," comes from a word meaning "to kill in slaughter."

Strife: (eritheia) "intrigue, factions," from a word meaning, "to stimulate or provoke."

Seditions: (dichostasia) "disunion, dissension," from words meaning "to have two positions, to have an uprising."

Heresies: (hairesis) "to choose as a party or group, disunion." Comes from a word "to take for oneself (an opinion), to prefer."

Envyings: (phthoneo) "to be jealous of," from a word meaning, "ill will, Jealousy, spite."

Murders: (phonos) "to murder, to slay."

Drunkenness: (methe) "to be intoxicated." Drinking alcohol to the point that senses are effected. The word "methanol" is derived from this word.

Revellings: (komos) "carousal," that is, literally meaning, "letting loose!" Comes from a word meaning "to lie outstretched."

The Greek goes on to say that those that do ("prasso" in the Greek, meaning "practice, perform repeatedly, or habitually", therefore differing from "poieo", meaning "a single act") these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God! Next month we will see what kind of Fruit we should be bearing as believers!