The Works of the Flesh: What Are They and Why Should I avoid Them?
Lesson 1 -- Fruit of the Spirit
(Bite-Sized Bible Course)

You might be thinking, “I signed up for a study on the Fruit of the Spirit. Why are we starting with the works of the flesh?”

That's a great question. We'll tackle it in just a moment.

But first, let's go over a few things about Lesson 1 and other lessons in the Fruit of the Spirit Bite-Sized Bible Course. Each lesson has a quiz. This one is no different. Make sure to take the quiz to help crystalize the information you learn.

It's important to test yourself in everything. Even God uses this method. The quizzes are for just that. They help you remember what you've learned.

We'll also stash a few charts and tables along the way. Make sure to use this for reference. It won't give you the answers to the quiz. Only the lessons can do that.

So let's get into the lesson!

Why Study the Works of the Flesh?

So before we start, let's get this question out of the way. It may seem odd to start with something so distasteful to introduce something as yummy as fruit.

Why?

Well, the obvious answer is that Paul started his discussion of the fruit of the Spirit with this. The ugly stuff that leaves a bad taste in our mouths. It's necessary.

But why?

The answer is simple. Because God doesn’t just garnish our lives with a little extra fruit. He rescues us from something first (Romans 6:6–7; Colossians 1:13–14). That something is the sin that plagues each on of us.

The works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19–21 are exactly what Christ died to save us from. They are what the Spirit is now fighting in us day by day (Romans 8:3–4; Galatians 5:24–25). They are something we should find distasteful enough to throw in the garbage.

When you finally get to the fruit list, things start to look even more delicious. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control in Galatians 5:22–23 give us an appetite for godly things. We no longer should crave the disgusting things that sat on our table before we knew Jesus. We're meant to taste that sharp contrast between a life ruled by the flesh and a life led by the Spirit (Romans 8:5–9).

So before we feast on the fruit, we need to look honestly at the rotting food the world offers. We need to view our old “flesh” nature as it really is (Ephesians 2:1–3).

What Are the “Works of the Flesh”?

If you notice, Paul doesn’t drop that beautiful fruit list onto our table before he say something important first. He serves it right after a very ugly list in Galatians 5:19–21.

But what is flesh? Is it our bodies or something more?

In the Bible, “flesh” isn’t just our skin. It's our old, sinful nature. It's the part of us that wants to live like God isn’t in charge (Romans 7:18; Romans 8:7–8). It’s us, left to ourselves, running on our own desires, instincts, and impulses (James 1:14–15). It's what human beings look like before they meet God face-to-face.

Paul makes it clear how obvious these sins are, so clear we can't ignore how "evident" they are (Galatians 5:19). In other words, when the flesh is in the driver’s seat, we should be able to recognize it and its disgusting delights.

How can we recognize the flesh? It shows up in visible works. We can see it in attitudes, words, habits, and lifestyles that line up with this list in Galatians 5:19–21. On the flip side, it looks nothing like the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23.

In other words, the works of the flesh are just rotting fruit no one should eat. Yuck!

This first lesson is like turning on the lights. If we want to see how the Fruit of the Spirit grows in us, we also need to see what it looks like when we’re not walking by the Spirit at all (Galatians 5:16–18).

Flesh vs. Spirit: The Big Conflict

Let's push aside the food analogy for a moment to see what's really going on. Paul has more of a violent picture in mind. Surprised? Incredulous? Ready on.

Galatians 5 says there’s a war going on inside every believer. Paul speaks of the flesh and the Spirit slugging it out with each other, trying to gain dominance (Galatians 5:17). Two powers, two desires, pulling in opposite directions, just like Paul describes elsewhere (c.f. Romans 7:15–25).

Paul really gives us a simple fork in the road:

• Walk by the Spirit so that you can avoid participating in the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
• Or follow the flesh and show those nasty works listed in Galatians 5:19–21.

The second has severe consequences. In fact, Paul warns us all in no uncertain terms. Those who engage in the works of the flesh "will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:21).

What does this mean in simple terms? It means those who love the flesh so much they revel in its works aren't going to heaven. They will miss it and go straight to hell.

Yikes. That seems harsh. What does it mean?

Does this mean some people who are saved by grace will lose their salvation? Do they forfeit everything to go back to the world?

It's true that those who dine at the table of the flesh won't feast at any table of the Kingdom. But that doesn't mean those who engage in this are believers who forfeit their salvation. The text makes that clear.

The contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit makes a point. It shows the difference between believers and unbelievers. It doesn't show what believers lose. It proves what unbelievers are missing out on.

That's why Paul says that those who engage in the works of the flesh miss heaven. They don't know any better. They don't know what they're missing!

Those of us gripped by the Spirit will produce the fruit of the Spirit. The very next verse states that by saying "the fruit of the Spirit are..." (Galatians 5:22). It's a reality, not a suggestion.

The opposite is also true. Those who remain in the way of the flesh are always directed by the flesh. This is a reality as well.

To put it bluntly, Paul uses this list to expose a lifestyle that does *not* line up with a true salvation experience (Galatians 5:21; c.f. 1 Corinthians 6:9–11).

The Reality of Works and Fruit

The fact is, there's no neutral ground. If I’m not walking by the Spirit, I *will* drift toward the flesh (Romans 8:12–13). If I *am* gripped by the grace of God by the Spirit, the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23 will start to show, slowly but surely (Philippians 1:6).

In other words, the fruit reveals the root.

That’s why this list of sins matters. It’s not just “really bad things other people do.” It’s a diagnostic tool. It shows what it looks like when the flesh is winning and the Spirit is being resisted (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19).

But doesn't this all mean that we will never sin again? I mean, after all, the works of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit are so different. We become perfect, right?

Absolutely not! We are saved by grace. But we are still SINNERS saved by grace. This side of eternity, we will have occasional lapses and fall into sin (c.f. 1 John 1:8: 1 John 2:1).

The idea is that we will sin, but not live in sin. That's the difference that Paul is showcasing here and elsewhere (c.f. Romans 7:14–25; 1 John 2:3–4).

The Most Important Question

The question is, where do we stand? Do we engage in the works of the flesh without taking a moment to think whether this is bad or good? If so, we will surely miss the Kingdom.

Then again, if we continue to love God and the things of God, desiring the Spirit's leading, we know God and will see Him (c.f. 1 John 2:6; Matthew 5:8).

Do you love God so much that you can't stand to grieve Him? Do you occasionally fall to the flesh, only to hate it so much that you beg God's mercy? Do you want the Spirit to guide you more than the world?

That is the fruit of the Spirit and the opposite of the works of the flesh.

If not, put your faith in Jesus Christ. You will then know the Spirit and the fruit He produces.

God bless.

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