Works of the Flesh: part 13 : Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Lasciviousness, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Envyings,..."

ENVYINGS

Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words states: “envy is the feeling of displeasure produced by witnessing or hearing of the advantage or prosperity of others.” The feelings of envy can lead to other evil works such as jealousy and covetousness. Since self is supposed to be crucified in the child of God, envy has no place in the life of the sanctified believer.

“For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that! shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisper­ings, swellings, tumults” (2 Cor. 12:20).

The Bible records numerous instances of envy motivating the actions recorded in several passages in the Word of God. Stephen, in his message in the seventh chapter of Acts, reminds the Jews that the patriarchs were moved by envy when they sold their brother, Joseph, into Egyptian captivity. Joseph’s brothers believed that their father, Jacob, favored Joseph over them. They were displeased with the rela­tionship which seemed to exist between Jacob and Joseph. Motivated by feelings of envy, Joseph’s brothers desired to be rid of him permanently.

“And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs, And the patri­archs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him” (Acts 7:8, 9).

The scriptures describe envying as the lust of the flesh. Paul, in Romans chapter 13, exhorts believers to put on Christ and make no allowance for the flesh. Those who belong to Christ will not walk in the works of the flesh. Instead of envying others for their possessions, positions, or favor with others, Christians should rejoice with others in their good fortune. Walking honestly as a Christian means to avoid envying and the other works of the flesh.

“Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Rom. 13:13, 14).

The Word of God teaches us to flee envying by being content with our present circumstance. Our joy and inspiration cannot depend on the material possessions we have in comparison to others. We have the greatest possession man can have when we have Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour. As Christians, we must learn how to be abased and how to abound. The Christian cannot let himself fall into a situation where his spiritual wellbeing is dependent on how well God enables him to “keep up with the Joneses.”

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content” (1 Tim 6:6-8).

Our confidence in God should cause us to rejoice because God loves us and will provide for all of our needs. We belong to Him because He has paid a supreme price for us; therefore, we can be assured He will provide for us everything that is necessary for our welfare. We have no need to envy anyone when Christ is our pro­vider. The scriptures teach us that He knows our needs and will supply them as any parent will provide for the needs of their children. Christians must not compete against one another; they must esteem one another above themselves. This is the opposite of vain glory, or envying one another.

 “Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another” (Gal 5:26).

Every local church that has a problem with the fleshly work of envying being widespread among its members will be filled with confusion. Strife usually develops from an infection of envy among members. Envying is an indication of the human nature of those involved that is absent of the “dying daily” process, and it is a witness to the lack of grace and spirituality. Displeasure over what is perceived as someone else’s advantage, will usually generate bitter feelings toward that person or persons by the one filled with jealousy.

“But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:14-16).

If you have never accepted or if you have fallen away from Jesus Christ here are three steps you need to take to be saved:

You must admit you are a sinner, confess your sin to Jesus, repent (turn from all you know is wrong), ask Jesus to come in your heart, and begin to follow Jesus by reading and obeying his word and go to a bible believing church that teaches his word. And tell someone what Christ Jesus Has Done For You (Rev 12:10)  

May God through Christ bless you!

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If you have a prayer request or have questions that need clarification please contact me at: neverstoppraying8@gmail.com

What About Divorce and Remarriage is it Evil?

What About DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE is it  EVIL?

A. Marriage Instituted by God. Marriage is the joining together of a single man and a single woman in holy matrimony by the ordinance of God. After God had made the woman as an help meet for Adam, He brought them together, and Adam recognized the woman as “one flesh” with himself The first “marriage covenant” (Gen 2:23, 24) was administered by God Himself. The mouth was Adam’s but the content was God’s.

B. The One Flesh Mystery: The “one flesh” relationship is predominant-“flesh of my flesh”-“they shall be one flesh.” It is God’s doing, and man is forbidden to disregard it (Matt. 19:6). He does so at his own peril!

Paul presents this “one flesh” relationship as “a great mystery” (Eph. 5:31b, 32a). Too often this is overlooked as a reference to marriage since Paul uses the analogy to show the sacredness of the church covenant (Exo 19:1-8). The “mystery” lies in the supernatural element by which God makes the man and the woman one flesh. (The mystery of the church has been revealed—Ephesians 3:3-10.) Paul did not say that God made the two one, which obviously He did not; but He made the twain “one flesh.” This is certainly “a great mystery”-one to stand in awe of! If a couple does not want this indissoluble mystery in their marriage, they should not present themselves “before God and these witnesses” for the ceremony. God takes them at their word, and He makes the union final.

 “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication [the kind that relates to an adulterous married state], let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband” (1 Cor. 7:2).

Matthew 19:3-9

3.The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

4.  And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

5. And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

6. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

7. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

8. He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

9. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Mal 2:14-15

14. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

15. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

1 Cor. 7:10-11

10. And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

11. But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

I. DIVORCE (Matt. 19:3-9; Mal. 2:15; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11)

A. Divorce Forbidden in Legitimate Marriages: When the Pharisees tempted Jesus on the ground of Moses having given “a writing of divorcement,” He simply took them back to “the beginning” and stood on what God had done: (1) He “made them male and female”; (2) He administered the binding covenant, making them one flesh; and (3) He forbade man to put asunder (divorce) what He had joined together. This alone should settle the issue forever. But “man will be meddling”!

The Prophet Malachi reproved Israel for what was obviously divorcement of “the wife of thy covenant,” or “the wife of thy youth,” saying that the Lord hates “putting away,” or divorce (Mal. 2:11-16). If it be argued that this meant “spiritual adultery,” or idolatry, either may be used as an analogy of the other.

Paul says, “Let not the wife depart from her husband...and let not the husband put away his wife” (1 Cor. 7:10, 11). If separation seems necessary, because of abuse, they are to “remain unmarried, or be reconciled.”

B. One exception: Having declared divorce to be contrary to God’s will, Jesus set the record straight concerning the one and only exception: “...except it be for fornication” (Matt 19:9), or “...saving for the cause of fornication” (Matt. 5:32). There has to be a “cause,” or a legitimate reason, which will neither allow the putting asunder of what God has joined together, or which will open the way for double marriage.

Those who prefer lenience of doctrine to the truth may take it upon themselves to interpret “fornication” as “unfaithfulness” to the marriage vow. Some boldly say “adultery” where Jesus plainly says “fornication.” While it is true that the words “adultery” and “fornication” are sometimes used interchangeably, or are generalized to cover the whole scope of fleshly immorality, they are not the same when the Scriptures are rightly divided. Both terms are sometimes used in the same passage (See Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21; and Galatians 5:19). Unfaithfulness, though a sin, is no ground for divorce.

Fornication is a single man having another man’s wife, or a single woman having another woman’s husband. Paul gives the Biblical remedy for the situation: “...To avoid fornication; let every mart have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.”

II. REMARRIAGE (Rom. 7:2, 3; 1 Cor. 7:39; 5:1, 2; 6:9)

A. Remarriage Only Under One Condition: That condition is that the person is single, either by the death of his/her lawful companion, or by extricating himself/herself from an unlawful marriage. The one who is single but married to one who is already another’s companion is free to divorce from that sinful state and to marry someone who is single, or who has no living companion. This is the “cause,” or the “exception” Jesus set forth. Not only may divorce be granted, but it is mandatory if the sinning ones would be saved and go to heaven.

B. Otherwise An Evil: The illustration in 1 Corinthians 5:1, 2 was an incestuous marriage. The stigma may have been greater, but the sin was in having another man’s wife. The church at Corinth was tolerating this evil; in fact, they were “puffed up” because Paul was calling for discipline. He told them that they should have been mourning for the sinners and for the church’s purity, instead of defending the offending ones in their sin. He asked the church if they did not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

He warned them not to be deceived by any who would contend that fornicators and adulterers (among other sinners) will go to heaven. This deception is still at work today. Under the pretense of compassion, some will ‘wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction and the destruction of the sinner who needs to face the truth.

These type of ministers may be categorized with Balaam and Jezebel (Rev 2-3). Large church membership and more money in the treasury may be hiding behind that “front” of compassion!

If you have never accepted or if you have fallen away from Jesus Christ here are three steps you need to take to be saved:

You must admit you are a sinner, confess your sin to Jesus, repent (turn from all you know is wrong), ask Jesus to come in your heart, and begin to follow Jesus by reading and obeying his word and go to a bible believing church that teaches his word. And tell someone what Christ Jesus Has Done For You (Rev 12:10)  

May God through Christ bless you!

If you enjoyed this blogpost and believe some else can be helped and may be blessed pass it along:

https://prayerchangesthings8.blogspot.com/

If you have a prayer request or have questions that need clarification please contact me at: neverstoppraying8@gmail.com