“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditious, heresies, envying’s, murders, drunkenness, revelling’s, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”— Galatians 5:19-21.
How few think that those who are practicing “the works of the flesh,” whether looked at in their coarse, immoral character—such as drunkenness, and the like—or in their more quiet and refined activities—as idolatry, emulations, and heresies—are both alike exposed to the solemn doom pronounced in the divine verdict, “shall not inherit the kingdom of God!” Such conduct shows that the hearts of those who walk in these ways are ignorant of themselves, and know not God and the Saviour whom He hath sent. They are simply in their natural state; and “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14.) Vain, indeed, is it to cultivate such a corrupt tree, which can only bring forth corrupt fruit. A new life, a new nature, is what the natural man wants, however refined he may be, in order to “bring forth fruit unto God.” “The works of the flesh” are one thing, “the fruit of the Spirit” another. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” A believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is born of the Spirit; for “except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” How true it is, then, that “that which is born of the flesh is flesh,” can be never better than flesh, and can only do “the works of the flesh;” concerning which it is written, “that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” How solemn and decisive this is! And yet how suitably it links itself with another inspired declaration, that “they which are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8.) It does not say that they that are in the flesh cannot be polite, virtuous, moral, or practice outward proprieties so as to gain the esteem of men; but that such, do what they will, “cannot please God.” How sweeping is this divine statement! How clearly it shows that the natural man, whether educated or uneducated, religious or irreligious, needs life, a new nature, to be born of God, in order to bring forth fruit—to do works which can please God. For this it was that God sent His Son, not to improve man’s evil nature, but to give life—eternal life. “I am come,” said He, “that they might have life.” It is life that the natural man needs; and we have life through, or in, our Lord Jesus Christ. God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. “He that hath the Son of God hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” Accordingly, those who are born of God know the inward conflict of “the flesh” and “the Spirit.” Hence we are told in this same chapter, “the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would,” or, that ye should not do these things that ye desire. It is blessed to know the Son of God crucified, risen, and ascended, as the source of spiritual life, and, while abandoning all hope of improving man’s fallen nature, look to Him by faith, and receive the gift of eternal life, without which no one can see or enter into the kingdom of God.
A lady told us that while cultivating morality in herself, and seeking as much of the quiet, respectable pleasures of life as she wished, her conscience was arrested, and her heart bowed down before God, by the words of Scripture, “She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” (1 Timothy 5:6.) “Is it possible,” said she within herself, “that I who am so moral, so virtuous, so careful in my ways, can be dead—dead before God?” She had no rest until she obtained life—risen life, everlasting life—through believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Another says, she resolved every now and then to live better, be better, be more religious; to mourn more over her sins, live more systematically religious, arrange in her purpose a course of life for almost every hour. But all constantly broke down. Every resolution failed. All her plans proved useless; until at last, burdened with sin and guilt, she was compelled to look up to the Lord Jesus Christ for peace and reconciliation to God through His death, and now she knows that she has eternal life.
Another says: “The first twenty-five years of my life I lived only for this world, joining in all the pleasures and amusements of fashionable society, and was altogether forgetful of God. To ease my conscience, however, I used to say my prayers night and morning; but I never read the Bible, and whenever a serious thought of the future flashed across my mind, I used to console myself with the idea that there was plenty of time for that yet. I was still young and strong. I entertained the hope that after having had my ‘fling,’ and become tired of this world’s pleasures, I should then commence to lead such a steady and correct life as in the end to obtain an entrance into the kingdom of God.
“Of the real simplicity and plain truths of the gospel I had no clear idea. No Christian friend had ever spoken out plainly to me upon the subject of my salvation. On one occasion, when ill, I was visited by one making a high profession of religion; but his inquiries did not go beyond the state of my bodily health. His conversation turned on the topics of the day, and the prevailing amusements of the place we were quartered in. I have often regretted that not a single one of my numerous Christian friends ever opened his lips to warn me as to the awful termination of the ungodly course which I was pursuing.
“One day, whilst in this state, a friend said to me, ‘Come with me to church this evening, and you will hear a good sermon from the rector of the adjoining parish.’ I went out of curiosity, and paid little or no attention to what was being said, until my attention was arrested by the preacher reading out from the fifth chapter of Galatians these words, Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying’s, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.’ I have no doubt I had often heard them before; but when at the conclusion of this fearful catalog of sins, many of which I knew I was indulging in, he read this awful sentence, ‘Of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God,’ I felt I could go on no longer. I felt I must give them up, or there would be no hope for me. My mind was deeply impressed with what I heard. I came home changed in my views and feelings; for the Holy Spirit not only brought me under deep conviction of my sinfulness in God’s sight, but also showed me that the perfect righteousness which as a sinner I needed was only to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. I also felt that the Lord alone could give me strength, and sustain me in the narrow path which leads to everlasting life.
“Still, for another month or so I continued joining in balls, operas, concerts, and such like amusements; but finding I had lost all relish for them, I gave them up entirely, and sought the society of those who had renounced the deceitful vanities of the world, and who were living for those glorious realities which are the eternal portion of all who follow Christ here below.
“This change took place a short time before the extraordinary awakening which the Spirit of God has recently produced in various parts of the globe. Prior to that awakening of the Church of God, Christians, as far as I had seen, seldom, if ever, spoke out faithfully and boldly to those around them respecting their personal salvation. Plain speaking and earnest expostulation were not the fashion. Books may have been lent, and tracts given; religious conversation, if on general subjects, may have been frequent; but if Christians were assured of their own salvation, there was a shameful and inconsistent indifference about the salvation of others. There was a strange shrinking from coming to close quarters, and from dealing faithfully and personally with others as to whether they were on the road to heaven or hell
“I have been much struck with the change which took place in many of my friends who visited the north of Ireland, where the power of the Spirit was so largely and blessedly manifested. They returned altered in there sentiments and their habits. Their faith and assurance of their own salvation were greatly strengthened. They were much bolder in speaking to all they met concerning that present peace and future happiness which are to be found only in Christ Jesus. I give an illustration.
“One Sunday I was walking with Captain—and a friend of his, shortly after the former had returned from Ireland, when we stopped and conversed with a poor old woman in the street about her soul. She said in a very dubious tone, she hoped she was in the right way. ‘Only hope!’ said my friend, to my astonishment; ‘that is scarcely enough. You ought to be sure.’ I reproved him, and called him presumptuous. He immediately opened his Bible, and showed me John 3:36— ‘He that believeth on the Son HATH everlasting life;’ and his friend to whom I referred took precisely the same view. This was all new to me. I knew I was a believer; but I did not feel or like to say I was saved. I went home, thinking seriously over it. I made it the subject of earnest prayer, and about a fortnight afterward, when speaking to one apparently unconverted about the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus, my own safety in Christ seemed to flash upon my mind, and I was enabled to rejoice much in the strength of my salvation.
“Still, I was ashamed of the gospel of Christ, and dared not openly to confess Him, or indeed to make any open profession even of religion. If any friend came into the room whilst I was reading my Bible, I immediately hid it under the table.
“One fine spring morning very early I was sitting in my room, with my window open, reading God’s word, when a friend of mine, who was taking a morning walk, stood up at my window, and looking in called out, ‘Halloo! what are you up to?’ I got red in the face, and said, ‘Reading my Bible.’ ‘Very good,’ he answered; ‘I don’t mind you. I like your religion. You are not one of those fellows who are always pushing it down people’s throats. You keep it to yourself. Good-bye.’ So saying, he went away.
“Thus left, I was led to ponder over this commendation of my style of religion. I thought within myself, ‘Who is that man serving? Not the Lord Jesus Christ. His life gives no evidence of it. Then that word of commendation cannot come from God. It must be of Satan.’ Reasoning in this way, I determined no longer to merit such praise; and from that time, by prayer, grace and strength have been given to me to acknowledge Christ before men. And when the devil was cast out ‘the dumb spake, and the multitudes marveled.’” (Matthew 9:33.)
How blessed it is to “have peace with God;” to be “reconciled to God by the death of His Son;” to know Him “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace;” to be consciously united “to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God!” How easy, and how happy, then, it is to confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus; to confess Him before men, who loveth us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood!