Gal 5;19-21
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
On any given day I and most Christians known to me are guilty of at least one of the above acts of the flesh. Especially “and the like”....
If we back up a few verses and read: 13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
We see that the Paul is preaching to “brothers and sisters” and he assumes that they can use freedom to indulge the flesh. He is calling us Christians away from indulging the flesh and replacing this with serving one another humbly in love.
I see scripture and my experience as demonstrating that a Christian is in a constant state of process from indulging the flesh toward serving others as Christ serves. Some Christians may make this process happen in an instant. I think most Christians experience this process over time.
I think not at all that he is assuming they have freedom to indulge the flesh, as one might think from much current and popular neo-evangelical thought. No, he is pointing out that they have freedom to choose to abandon* (1 Jn 1:9) the works of the flesh -- a freedom which worldlings do not have! Those unsaved are forever in the snare of the Wicked One!
* abandon = apheeaymi - to leave behind with no future claims nor interest in it
These are the works commonly practiced by the disobedient children of the god of this world, and here the Holy Ghost, through Paul, is commanding the brethren to immediately cease and desist -- as those today standing at the Sacred Desk ought also to speak and teach (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1). When the Galatians were thus admonished, they had their orders. And they were told of the results:
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a (hu)man soweth**, that shall he/(she) also reap. For he/(she) that soweth* to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he/(she) that soweth* to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
** soweth - present tense = persistently, continually sows
Paul, presenting The Inspired Word of The God, seems to me to be pointing out that:
(1) he is addressing brothers and sisters of the congregation, yes; but not all of the constituents are regenerated believer-disciples, for some are preaching a gospel of works, which he also is reproving; and
(2) he is pointing out that some present who are still practicing works of the flesh as a life-style, and sowing their final corruption, are not saved, no matter what they claim. They are not "backsliders" (an unscriptural term) -- they are still children of the god of this world trying to deceive others (see text) that they are holy, sanctified. Yes, they may claim to be "believers" -- but they are unregenerate believers, much as exist very predominantly in many churches today.
I see scripture and my experience as demonstrating that a Christian is in a constant state of process from indulging the flesh toward serving others as Christ serves. Some Christians may make this process happen in an instant. I think most Christians experience this process over time.
Each regenerated believer experiences a primary, instant sanctification upon evidence to The God, in His foreknowledge, that his belief and attitude, learned through trust in The Faith of The Christ will persist to a heaven-bound destination. That is the first condition of reconciliation/justification by his trust in The Faithfulness of The Savior Jesus Christ. No matter what their psychological/reasoning advancement has been in life, the person at this stage is a spiritual newborn babe (1 Pet. 2:1-3). Though willing to abandon the works of the flesh, he/she has begun a maturation venture, a stage of progressive sanctification which, accomplished under further Biblical instruction under a trained discipler(s) and congregating with other believers who observe Christ's ordinances. Moving through the spiritual stages of newborn (brephos) --> infant (naypios) --> child (paidion) --> young adult (have overcome the Wicked One)(neaniskos) --> fathers (pateros). (Heb. 5:13, 1 Jn 2:12-14)
In this journey, the carnality of the old fleshly person will be overcome by more and more fearing The God, and walking, together with his/her discipler, in The God's ways, walking as the new spiritual being. Under Scriptural discipling, the beneficial ways of The God will be taught, practiced, and bear fruit (personal traits and more disciples). However, if one attends an assembly composed only of communicants but not encouraging Scriptural and consistent discipling, that person might only slowly, or perhaps never, come to the maturity God expects. I will tell you, this does not happen in an instant, and expertise in the natural ways of the world will not produce an instantly effective Christian. One must start at the beginning, as did The Twelve.
Capisce?
Respectfully --