Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

THE FILTHY FIFTEEN..."AND THE LIKE"

This entry was posted on 04-16-2008 and is filed under uncategorized.

Whew! Are you as glad as I am to be done with studying the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21? What a "grim slog" it has been. I feel like I need to take a shower! Most translations list 15 works of the flesh (the KJV cites 17 of them, mentioning "fornication" and "murders"). But Paul is not quite done. He adds three more words at the end of verse 21 - "and the like" (NKJV). What does this mean?

Here are some other translations that may shed light.
"And such like" (KJV)
"And anything similar" (Holman CSB)
"And things like these" (NASB; ESV; The N.T. AUV)

You get the picture. Anything that smacks of these sins, or resembles them in any way, could be a work of the flesh - "corresponding cousins of carnality" as it were. The Message reads, "I could go on." In other words, the works of the flesh are not limited to what I'm calling "The Filthy Fifteen." We are to abstain from all appearance of evil (1 Thess. 5:22). If it looks like, smells like, tastes like, sounds like, or seem like a work of the flesh, it probably is!

Tomorrow we will look at the awful consequences that will befall all who practice such things!

Prayer: Righteous Father, deliver us from the works of the flesh through Your Holy Spirit and Your Holy Word. Through the Holy Child Jesus we pray!