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Word Study ("Works of the Flesh")
From Faith and Victory Church's "A Word in Due
Season" Newsletter
(March 1991)
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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!
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