"THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT"

Infractions Of The Law Of Love - III

INTRODUCTION
  1. In this study, we shall conclude our survey of those works of the flesh we have characterized as "Infractions Of The Law Of Love"
  2. As listed in Ga 5:19-21, they are eight in number and include such things as "hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy" (NKJV)
  3. We have already considered four of these eight...
    1. "hatred" (echthra) - hostility that one may harbor in one's heart toward another
    2. "contentions" (eris) - strife or quarreling that results from such hostility
    3. "jealousies" (zelos) - envy which casts grudging looks
    4. "envy" (phthonos) - envy which has arrived at hostile deeds
  4. As we consider the remaining four, we shall also summarize why these eight sins are properly included in a list that has such heinous sins as fornication, idolatry, sorcery, etc.

[Let's start by taking a closer look at...]

  1. THE FOUR REMAINING INFRACTIONS OF THE LAW OF LOVE
    1. THUMOS (outbursts of anger, wrath)
      1. This word describes...
        1. The blaze of temper which flares into violent words and deeds
        2. The explosive temper which is uncontrolled
      2. Not to be confused with...
        1. Righteous indignation, which is proper and controlled (e.g., the righteous indignation of God - Ro 2:4-11)
        2. Anger which is properly checked and not allowed to produce an occasion for sin - cf. Ep 4:26-27
      3. Some try to excuse their explosive tempers as simply hereditary...
        1. "That is just the way I am"
        2. "I am just a fiery Irishman, a hot Italian, etc."
        3. "It is human nature" ...but Christians, no matter what their "nature", are blessed to become partakers of "divine nature", and must therefore put away these things - cf. 2Pe 1:3-4; Ep 4:31-32; Col 3:8-11
    2. ERITHEIA (selfish ambitions, disputes, strife)
      1. This word describes a self-centered attitude in the doing of any work; for example...
        1. Working solely for money
        2. Seeking and holding political office purely for personal interests and ambition
        3. Doing the work of the Lord out of a desire for recognition, personal ambition, or rivalry
      2. It is used to describe those who were preaching Christ out of jealousy - cf. Php 1:17
      3. It is this word which describes those who create party divisions in the church...
        1. Who are acting out of vainglory and a desire to be first
        2. Rather than out of a true desire to stand for truth
      4. It is contrary to that "mind of Christ" described in Php 2:3-5
    3. DICHOSTASIA (dissensions, seditions)
      1. This word literally means "a standing apart"
      2. It describes a condition where all fellowship, all togetherness are gone
        1. This was the condition in the church at Corinth - cf. 1Co 3:3
        2. Paul taught we should mark those who cause such divisiveness - Ro 16:17
      3. Such dividedness may be due to:
        1. Personal division (where two people refuse to speak to each other)
        2. Class division (i.e., class warfare between the rich and poor)
        3. Party division (where devotion to party rises above devotion to principle)
        4. Racial division (e.g., Jew vs. Gentile, Greek vs. barbarian, white vs. black)
        5. Theological division (misusing labels and fixing them unfairly on others)
        6. Ecclesiastical division (church division, especially in the form of denominationalism)
      4. This sin is committed when we confuse...
        1. Prejudice with principle
        2. Unreasonable stubbornness with unwavering resolution
    4. HAIRESIS (heresies, factions)
      1. This word appears close in meaning to "dichostasia" (dissensions)
      2. As used in the NT, it most commonly denotes a body of people belonging to a particular school of thought or action
        1. Such as the "sect" of the Sadducees - Ac 5:17
        2. Or the "sect" of the Pharisees - Ac 15:5
      3. The early Christians were often accused of being a "sect" - Ac 24:5; 24:14; 28:22
      4. Peter used it to describe those false teachers who will bring in destructive divisions - 2Pe 2:1
      5. Thus it refers to divisiveness, especially that brought about by false teaching
      6. Only later in history did this word come to mean a belief or doctrine which is contrary to orthodoxy or the truth

      [Like the sins of "hatred, contentions, jealousies...envy", the four sins of "outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies" all contribute to disrupting the fellowship and unity that should be found in the body of Christ. That such is true may help us to appreciate...]

  2. WHY THESE SINS ARE INCLUDED IN THE WORKS OF THE FLESH
    1. BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS DID ON THE CROSS...
      1. It is true that He died to reconcile man back to God - 2Co 5:18-21
      2. But also to reconcile man back to man in one body! - Ep 2:13-16
    2. BECAUSE WE ARE TO PRESERVE THIS RECONCILIATION...
      1. Not only the "vertical" reconciliation we have with God, which we preserve by living holy lives (which is why we must avoid sins of moral impurity)
      2. But also the "horizontal" reconciliation we have with one another, which we preserve by maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the body of peace - cf. Ep 4:1-3
    3. THEREFORE, INFRACTIONS OF THE LAW OF LOVE...
      1. Undo the work of Christ on the cross!
        1. Dare we commit sins of moral impurity to jeopardize our reconciliation with God?
        2. Then neither should we violate the law of love and jeopardize our reconciliation with one another!
      2. Are in direct violation to:
        1. The will of Christ concerning unity - cf. Jn 17:20-23
        2. The command of Paul concerning division - cf. 1Co 1:10-13
CONCLUSION
  1. Indeed, these "Infractions Of The Law Of Love" are serious offenses...
    1. Not only because they undo the work of Christ on the cross
    2. But because they can keep us out of the kingdom of heaven! - Ga 5:21
  2. We are not only to avoid these sins ourselves, but those who persistently engage in them...
    1. As instructed by Paul - Ro 16:17-18
    2. One reason for avoiding such is found in Pr 23:24-25...
      "Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul."

How much better it would be to develop a friendship with Christ, to learn of His ways, and develop those qualities that constitute the fruit of the Spirit! - cf. Ga 5:22-23