The word for sin in the Greek language is “amartia” (ha-mar-tia). It means “to miss the mark.” Every time we sin we do miss the mark. God has set high standards for us all because He is just and He is deserving of our obedience. It is because we have all missed the mark that Jesus died. His blood covers every single sin. What happens, though, when we do sin? What are the consequences of sin? Let us see what the Bible has to say.
Separation
“But your iniquities (sin) have made a separation between you and your God.” (Isaiah 59:2a) This is by far the biggest consequence of sin. Every sin is an offense to God, and God cannot be in the presence of sin. That is why if you choose to keep committing the same sins without repentance, you will stop feeling His presence in your life. The Holy Spirit will stop speaking to you if you refuse to repent. “Do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19) How do you quench the Spirit? The next 3 verses indicate how to not quench the Spirit. “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22) If you take to heart and apply these 3 verses to your life, you will hear God speaking through the Holy Spirit in your life.
It is Harmful to You
Every time we sin we do miss the mark.
The following story is extreme, but it shows you how far your sin can take you. Sodom and Gomorrah were 2 of the most reprehensible cities known to man. They were so filled with sin that God could no longer hold back His wrath. God knew that Lot and his wife were dedicated to Him, so He sent 2 angels to warn them to leave before the destruction of the cities. “And as they (angels) brought them out, one said, ‘Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.’” (Genesis 19:17) Lot understood and obeyed. He took his wife and daughters out of the city. He tried to get his future son-in-laws to flee too, but they thought he was joking. When they were out of the city, Lot’s wife could not resist the temptation to sin and look back. What happened? “But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back and she became a pillar of salt.” (Genesis 19:26) Lot’s wife lost her life because of that one sin. God takes sin seriously, which is why we should always choose His way, instead of our own way.
It is Harmful to Others
When you choose to run your life instead of letting God guide you, catastrophic events can happen. King Herod was an evil man, full of selfish ambition. He was troubled when he heard Jesus had been born. (Matthew 2:3) He discovered where Jesus was born (Bethlehem), but God, being omniscient (all knowing) led Jesus away safely through Joseph and Mary to Egypt. Herod’s rage led to massive destruction after he realized that Jesus had been led out of Bethlehem. “Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under.” (Matthew 2:16) Herod’s sin cost the life of many innocent children.
Sin is a Catalyst for More Sin
As believers, it is the Holy Spirit that convicts us when we do wrong (John 16:7-8), so that we can repent and be clean again. However, in the case of unbelievers or believers who refuse to repent, sin can catapult us into deeper sin. How does adultery happen? It doesn’t just happen; it is a sin-by-sin process. It starts with a look, “Wow, that person is very attractive.” (You should be focused on your spouse) If you feed that thought then it escalates, “Talking to them isn’t going to hurt anything.” (You should be thinking about your spouse) That won’t be enough. Now you are attracted physically and somewhat emotionally, “I can’t stop thinking about him/her.” (You should be thinking about your spouse). Then you are in deep water; your sexual drive will overtake you without confessing your sin. Satan knows how to reel anyone in. He has mastered it. If we don’t take sin seriously, we will end up committing a multitude of sins that started from only one thought.
It is an Eternal Death Sentence to Unbelievers
“For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) It is my prayer that this verse really speaks to you. A true believer will repent of their sins, but those who are rebellious are in serious trouble! Eternal death (separation from God forever) awaits all who choose to not accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. Christ, Himself, says in Matthew 25:41-46 what will happen to those who do not show Christ’s love to humanity. Those who do not feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and in prison, or give a drink to the thirsty will be left alone in utter torment for eternity. The self-seeking, proud, pompous, self-righteous and greedy people will not be in heaven unless they repent. I want you to know that if you are an unbeliever reading this article — know that God loves you and this is how I know, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) I urge you, if you have not accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, to wait no longer. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
Conclusion
Sin has many consequences; more than I have mentioned. Sin is always destructive, but repentance is always constructive. Please, give your life over to Christ today! He can take everything you are, and make you into someone you never thought you could be. I am living proof! He absolutely loves you and is waiting for you to come to Him. God bless you!
We know that Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah since He has fulfilled so many of the Messianic Prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures, and the ones that He has not fulfilled yet, He will fulfill when He returns one day. For example:
1. Yeshua fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be born a Jew of the descendants of King David.
Isaiah 9:6-7 says, ‘For a child will be born to us, … There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David , …’
2. Yeshua fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
Micah 5:2 says, “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, … From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”
3. Yeshua fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would ride as king into Jerusalem on a donkey.
Zechariah 9:9 ….Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, …mounted on a donkey …
4. Yeshua fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be rejected and die for the sins of the people.
Isaiah 53:4-5 says, ‘:4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, … :5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; ….And by His scourging we are healed.’
5. Yeshua fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be rejected and die before the destruction of the Second Temple and Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
Daniel 9:25-26 predicts, :25 … from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince … :26 “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off [or killed] and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city [Jerusalem] and the sanctuary [Temple]…’
6. Yeshua fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be crucified.
Isaiah 53:5 ‘He was pierced through…’
Zechariah 12:10 ‘…they will look on Me whom they have pierced…’).
7. Yeshua fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would die with criminals but pray for His enemies.
Isaiah 53:9 ‘His grave was assigned with wicked men’, 12 ‘And interceded for the transgressors.’)
8. Yeshua fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be raised from the dead.
Psalm 16:10 ‘Neither wilt Thou allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay.’
Isaiah 53:10 ‘He will prolong His days’.
A mathematician named Peter Stoner determined that the probability that any man (like Yeshua) might have lived down to the present time and just by chance fulfilled eight of the biblical prophecies about the Messiah (like we just showed) was 1 in 10 to the 17th power! This is the same probability that someone just by chance could pick a designated silver dollar out of a two foot high stack of silver dollars covering the state of Texas! Then he determined that the probability that just by chance someone (like Yeshua) could fulfill 48 prophecies about the Messiah and not be the Messiah was 1 in 10 to the 158th power, or mathematically impossible!
Yeshua has fulfilled many more than 48 Messianic prophecies (some estimate as many as 300 prophecies!) So it is mathematically impossible for Yeshua not to be the Jewish Messiah!
II. We know that Yeshua is the Jewish Messiah because of the countless Jewish and Gentile lives He has transformed for the better over the last 2000 years.
It is estimated that there are around 300,000 Messianic Jews worldwide (Jewish people who have recognized Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah). There are around 200,000 of them in the United States and around 20,000 of them in Israel. There have been conservatively hundreds of millions of true followers of Yeshua (both Jews and Gentiles) over the last 2000 years.
The fact that they came to know the God of Israel in a personal way and their lives were changed for the better through following Yeshua also supports that Yeshua is indeed the Jewish Messiah.
Definition and Origin Tartarus is a term found primarily in ancient Greek literature to describe the deepest abyss in the underworld, a realm even lower than Hades. In a biblical context, the word appears explicitly in 2 Peter 2:4 in reference to angels who fell under judgment. The New Testament use of “Tartarus” (Greek: ταρταρόω, tartaroō) reflects a place of intense or ultimate confinement for disobedient spiritual beings awaiting final judgment.This concept of Tartarus in the Bible acknowledges the cultural backdrop of the Greek underworld but reinterprets it through a scriptural lens, focusing on God’s righteous judgment. Although the word is employed only once in the New Testament, understanding its background and how Scripture uses it offers deeper insights into the biblical teaching on divine punishment and the reality of spiritual forces. Usage in Ancient Greek Literature In classical Greek mythology, Tartarus was the deepest part of the underworld, reserved for the punishment of the Titans and other beings who rebelled against the gods. It was thought to be a place of darkness, torment, and separation from the realm of the living. Ancient works-such as Homer’s Iliad and works by Hesiod-depict Tartarus as a place of eternal imprisonment.While Greek mythology is not authoritative for understanding biblical doctrine, recognizing this shared vocabulary helps clarify why the Apostle Peter employed the term: it effectively conveyed the idea of the most severe spiritual imprisonment. Biblical Reference: 2 Peter 2:4The direct biblical usage of Tartarus appears in 2 Peter 2:4:“For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment…”Here, the phrase “cast them deep into hell” (Greek: tartaroō) describes God’s decisive action against sinning angels. The verse underscores that no creature-human or angel-is exempt from divine judgment. The imagery of being bound in “chains of darkness” further emphasizes the severity of this punishment and the absolute authority God wields over all creation. Comparison with Other Terms: Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna 1. Sheol (Old Testament) In the Hebrew Scriptures, Sheol refers generally to the realm of the dead, without implying a strict distinction between righteous and unrighteous destinies. Over time, Jewish thought developed more nuanced conceptions of postmortem punishment and reward, but Sheol itself remains a broad term. 2. Hades (New Testament) The Greek term Hades often parallels Sheol as the netherworld or place of the dead. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus portrays Hades as a place of torment for the unrighteous rich man, distinct from Abraham’s side (a place of comfort for Lazarus). 3. Gehenna (New Testament) Gehenna, drawn from the Valley of Hinnom imagery outside Jerusalem, represents ultimate judgment-a place of fiery punishment (Matthew 10:28, Mark 9:43-48).While Hades and Gehenna often appear in Scripture as the primary terms for the underworld or final judgment, Tartarus is specifically connected to the punishment of fallen angels, signifying an especially grievous spiritual state. Jewish and Intertestamental Literature Outside the canonical texts, Jewish writings like 1 Enoch discuss the punishment of angelic beings (often referencing the “Watchers” who sinned, echoing Genesis 6:1-4). Although the term Tartarus might not be used directly in these texts, the concept of a special domain of punishment for rebellious, supernatural beings is present. By the time the New Testament was written, such ideas had circulated widely, likely influencing Peter’s choice of the term Tartarus to emphasize the utter seriousness of the angels’ rebellion. Theological Significance 1. Demonstration of Divine JusticeTartarus illuminates how God’s moral law extends to both earthly and spiritual realms. It underscores that no being is beyond accountability and that ultimate justice belongs to the Creator of everything (cf. Jude 1:6).2. God’s Sovereignty over All Realms The concept of an angelic prison points to God’s sovereign authority over the entire cosmos. Psalm 24:1 affirms, “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein.” This authority logically extends to the spiritual realm, including the place of angelic punishment.3. Warning and Consolation While Tartarus reveals the severity of God’s judgment, it also provides solace to believers that evil will be addressed. This knowledge can serve as a motivation to maintain faithfulness, knowing that cosmic justice is assured through God’s righteous oversight. Extrabiblical and Historical Witnesses From the writings of individuals such as Josephus (Jewish historian of the 1st century) to early Christian apologists, there is a general acknowledgment that divine punishment extends beyond the earthly sphere. Although these documents do not elaborate extensively on Tartarus, they consistently affirm that the spiritual realm includes places of reward and punishment, reinforcing the biblical perspective that spiritual beings are subject to God’s jurisdiction.Archaeological discoveries related to ancient religious practices in the Greco-Roman world reveal inscriptions mentioning Hades and the underworld, reminding us that the concept of a place for punitive detention was well-established. However, biblical teaching transforms this cultural idea into the revealed reality of God’s ultimate righteousness, founded on the authority of Scripture. Practical Implications for Believers 1. Reverence for God’s Holiness Recognizing that even angels are held accountable for disobedience instills a rightful reverence for God’s holiness: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…” (Proverbs 9:10).2. Confident Expectation of Justice God is not indifferent to evil-whether human or angelic. Confidence in God’s justice can encourage believers to persevere shunning evil, knowing that wrongdoing, in all its forms, will ultimately be dealt with (2 Thessalonians 1:6-7). 3. Reminder of Grace and Salvation Tartarus stands in contrast to the believer’s eternal inheritance. While fallen angels face chains of darkness, those who respond to Christ’s redemptive work receive grace and reconciliation. This contrast highlights the depth of salvation and the magnitude of God’s mercy (Ephesians 2:8-9). Conclusion Tartarus in Scripture marks the extreme boundary of divine punishment, specifically for fallen angels, and demonstrates the breadth of God’s authority and holiness. It provides a sobering testimony to God’s commitment to judge all sin, whether angelic or human, yet simultaneously underscores His grace toward those who turn to Christ for salvation.By examining its ancient Greek roots, biblical context in 2 Peter 2:4, and theological themes across Scripture, we gain a fuller perspective on the seriousness of rebellion against God-and the equally profound hope for those who place their trust in Him.
Answer The words translated “trust” in the Bible literally mean “a bold, confident, sure security or action based on that security.” Trust is not exactly the same as faith, which is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Rather, trusting is what we do because of the faith we have been given. Trusting is believing in the promises of God in all circumstances, even in those where the evidence seems to be to the contrary. Hebrews 11 talks about faith, which is accepting and believing the truth that God reveals about Himself, supremely in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, the practical consequence of faith in God is trust, which we prove by living out our full acceptance of God’s promises day by day. Furthermore, it is by this trust that we are promised peace: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3).
The classic verse regarding trust is Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” This verse sums up the Bible’s teaching on trust. First, it is the Lord in whom we are to trust, not ourselves or our plans, and certainly not the world’s wisdom and devices. We trust in the Lord because He and He alone is truly trustworthy. His Word is trustworthy (Psalm 93:5; 111:7; Titus 1:9), His nature is faithful and true (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 25:10; 145:13; 146:6), and His plans for us are perfect and purposeful (Isaiah 46:10; Jeremiah 29:11). Further, because of God’s nature, we are to trust Him with all our hearts, committing every aspect of our lives to Him in complete confidence. Finally, we are not to trust in ourselves because our understanding is temporal, finite, and tainted by our sin natures. Trusting in ourselves is like walking confidently across a rotten wooden bridge over a yawning chasm thousands of feet deep. Disaster inevitably follows.
Trust in God is a feature of many of the psalms of David. There are 39 references to trust in the Psalms alone, whether referring to trusting in God and His Word, or to not trusting in riches or the things of this world. It is on the basis of this trust that David finds deliverance from all the evil he encounters. Many of David’s psalms describe situations when he was pursued by Saul and his army, as well as his other enemies, and always did the Lord come to his aid. One thing that can be noted about biblical trust is that it always engenders further trust in our God. The man of God never stops trusting in God completely. His faith may be knocked, he may stumble, or he may fall into the foulest of sins, but “though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand” (Psalm 37:24). The man of God knows that, though trials will beset in this life, his trust will not waver because that trust is based on faith in the promises of God: the promise of eternal joy with the Lord and the promise of an inheritance that “can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:4). Return to: Topical Bible Questions
Myth #1: Science gives us more certain knowledge than philosophy or theology.
Consider these two claims: (1) Electrons exist. (2) It is wrong to torture babies for the fun of it. Which do we know with greater certainty? (2) is the correct answer. Why? The history of the electron has gone through various changes in what an electron is supposed to be. No one today believes that Thompsonian electrons (J. J. Thompson was the discoverer of electrons) exist because our views have changed so much. It is not unreasonable to believe that in fifty to one hundred years, scientific depictions of the electron will change so much that scientists will no longer believe that what we mean by an electron today exists. Regarding (2), someone may not know how they know it is true, but nevertheless, we all, in fact, know it is true. If someone denies that, he needs therapy, not an argument. Now it is not hard to believe that in fifty to one hundred years, most people will no longer believe (2). But it is hard to see what kind of rational considerations could be discovered that would render (2) an irrational belief. Thus, we have more certainty in (2) than in (1).
And the same is true for certain theological assertions such as that God exists. From natural theology, we know that the universe began to exist, that it could not have popped into existence out of nothing, and it had to come from something that was spaceless, timeless, immaterial, supernatural (it transcends the universe and is not limited by natural laws), and had the power of spontaneous action in order to create the beginning of time from a position of timelessness. Only a Person fits all that. The evidence we have for this is stronger than that for many claims of science, e.g., that all our genetic information is encoded in DNA.
Myth #2: It is never rational to go against the views of the overwhelming percentage of experts in an area of science.
Most Christians would accept treatment recommendations for cancer if 95% of oncologists embraced that treatment as the best. But 95% of biologists, paleontologists and scientists in related areas accept the general theory of evolution, but most Christians do not. Are Christian views regarding evolution rational and, if so, why? There are at least four criteria for when it is rational to go against the overwhelming percentage of experts in an area of science, e.g. those who accept evolution:
(1) Make sure there is not an alternative interpretation of the Bible that is interpretively reasonable and that resolves the tension.
(2) The presence of a band of highly trained, academically qualified scholars with a good track record for publishing in top journals or with highly regarded book publishers, and who are unified in rejecting the view held by even a vast majority of the relevant experts.
(3) There are good historical, sociological, or theological explanations for why the expert majority holds to the problematic view (for example, evolution) instead of their adherence to the problematic view being largely a rational commitment based on a lot of good arguments and strong evidence.
(4) Given that Christianity is a highly rational worldview with much evidential and argumentative support, any view that cuts against central components of a Christian worldview should be rejected precisely due to that fact.
The church must teach on this intelligently and with biblical fidelity.
Myth #3: The success of science shows that other fields like philosophy and theology do not provide us with knowledge of reality.
It is hard to see how advances in our knowledge of chemistry show there is no God. In my view, 95% of scientific discoveries have nothing to do with Christian teaching. Of the remaining 5%, I would guess about 3% are supportive of Christianity (e.g. the discovery that the universe had a beginning), and 2% undermine Christianity. Interestingly, most of the 2% are problems for the early chapters of Genesis, not for the existence of God, the resurrection of Jesus, or the truths of mere Christianity. The church must make this clear to people and also find ways to address the 2%.
Myth #4: The advances in neuroscience have shown that consciousness is merely physical states in the brain and that there is no need to postulate a spooky thing like a soul.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Neuroscientific methodology is at its best in discovering correlations, causal connections and functional dependencies between conscious and brain states. But it is inept at formulating, much less, answering questions about the nature of consciousness and its possessor themselves. To see this, consider the following:
(1) Empirically equivalent theories imply the same set of observational data and, thus, empirical data cannot be used to decide which is the best among the theories. Now, if one’s mirror neurons are damaged, one cannot feel empathy towards others. Three empirically equivalent theories are consistent with these findings: strict physicalism (the firing of mirror neurons is the same thing as a feeling of empathy), mere property dualism (the firing of mirror neurons cause the non-physical state of feeling empathy and both events occur in the brain), and substance dualism (the firing of mirror neurons cause the non-physical state of feeling empathy, the former event occurs in the brain and the latter in the soul). Philosophical arguments, not neuroscientific data, are the relevant factors in adjudicating among the theories.
(2) Neuroscientific methodology relies on first-person reports about what is going on inside of a patient because the scientist has access only to his brain and not his inner, private conscious life. The nature of consciousness and the self is discovered from the first-person, private point of view; the nature of the brain is discovered from the third-person, public point of view.
This book exposes the inadequacy of scientism by demonstrating its self-defeating nature and 7 important facts it can never explain, arguing that together science and theology have true things to tell us about the world.
Myth #5: The church doesn’t need to teach parishioners about science; its job is to focus on the spiritual and moral lives of people.
Basically, a big part of church teaching and discipleship is the impartation of knowledge of and how to critique broad ideas influencing people in the culture away from Christianity. This involves worldview teaching, and the alleged findings of science are used by many cultural leaders to support scientism (roughly, the idea that science is either the only way or a vastly superior way to gain knowledge of reality; religion and ethics are matters of feeling and private opinion, not knowledge). And scientism is undermining the church. A Barna poll found that one of the six reasons people are leaving the church is its lack of interacting with the advances in science. The church must teach on this intelligently and with biblical fidelity.
J. P. Moreland (PhD, University of Southern California) is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Biola University. He is an author of, contributor to, or editor of over ninety books, including The Soul: How We Know It’s Real and Why It Matters.
7 Signs You’re Sowing to the Flesh—and What to Do About It
A Diagnosis of Our Sinful Nature
We all have our favorite parts of the Bible—at least I do. It’s no secret that I deeply admire the writings of the apostle Paul. I love how he blends deep theological truths with passion, cultural awareness, and personal conviction in a way that makes the words leap right off the page and grab you. Maybe you don’t gravitate to Paul’s letters like I do, but I’d still guess that you have a favorite part of Scripture.
Take Galatians 5, for example. Many of us are familiar with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal.5:22–23). In fact, I’d argue that when most people think of Galatians, that list is often the first thing that comes to mind. Here, Paul describes a blessed picture of what the Spirit produces in a surrendered life. But just a few verses earlier, Paul gives us a different kind of list—the works of the flesh.
I don’t think it was ever Paul’s intent that we rush past the works of the flesh just to get to the fruit of the Spirit. Yes, the fruit of the Spirit is worth studying and celebrating, but we’re meant to examine those traits in light of what they stand in contrast to. The truth is, for many of us, the works of the flesh feel far more familiar. That’s because our natural bent, even after salvation, is still marked by the pull of our sinful nature. Learning to walk by the Spirit means learning to deny the flesh. It requires intentional focus, training, and surrender.
To that end, we must recognize that Paul’s words here in Galatians 5 are not just descriptive. They are diagnostic in that he is helping us recognize the patterns of the flesh so that we will not continue to submit to and practice them. We are meant to name these sinful works, resist them, repent of them. Conversely, we do not develop the fruit of the Spirit through performance. The Spirit grows that fruit in us as we walk with him and stay alert to the pull of the flesh. And as we recognize and resist the works of the flesh, we simultaneously trust that the Spirit will form in us what we could never produce on our own.
This accessible study by Bible teacher Portia Collins leads women in an 8-week exegetical journey through Galatians where they’ll uncover the liberating and transformative power of God’s grace.
So what does sowing to the flesh really look like in everyday life? Here are seven signs you’re sowing to the flesh and what to do about it.
Why Paul Wrote Galatians
Before we jump into Paul’s words in Galatians 5, we need to understand how we even got there.
The Galatians, who had once firmly held to the truth of the gospel, were now trying to add to it by keeping works of the law. In loving correction, Paul writes to them with the hope that they would turn from this distortion and return to the freedom they first received.
In this letter, Paul speaks with deep conviction to remind them—and us—that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Nothing more and nothing less. As he often does in his letters, Paul begins with strong theological teaching. He opens by telling his own story of conversion and defending the authenticity of his apostleship. Paul makes it plain that his calling came not from man but directly from Jesus Christ. He also recounts how his relationship with the other apostles, men he once stood in opposition to, was made possible only by the grace of God.
From there, Paul lays out a compelling and deeply layered case for justification by faith. He calls his audience’s attention to Abraham, the father of faith. He highlights the spiritual reality of being sons and heirs. And he draws from the story of Hagar and Sarah to illustrate the difference between living under the law and living under grace. He leaves no stone unturned in showing that righteousness has always come through faith, not works.
Paul then shifts from theology to application. After explaining what we believe, he moves on to what that belief looks like in practice. Galatians 5 is where Paul begins describing what life looks like for someone who has been set free in Christ. It is as if he is holding up a mirror and inviting us to examine which direction we are moving in. Are we walking according to the flesh or according to the Spirit?
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh . . . . Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.”
Notice that Paul is not giving us a checklist so we can grade ourselves; he is showing us what life looks like when the flesh is in control. These are not just big, shocking sins. Many of them produce subtle patterns that we often excuse or ignore. But Paul lists them plainly not to shame us but to warn us that these are not the marks of a Spirit-led life.
We All Need Reminders!
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7 Signs You’re Sowing to the Flesh
So what does it really look like to sow to the flesh? Paul’s list in Galatians 5:19–21reflects categories of behavior and desires that reveal when the flesh is leading instead of the Spirit. These signs are often elusive and socially acceptable, which makes them all the more dangerous. Below are seven categories that capture the heart of Paul’s warning.
1. Pleasure Becomes Your Master
“. . . sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality . . .”
This first group points to unchecked desires, especially sexual ones. Sowing to the flesh often begins when we give in to the belief that our feelings deserve fulfillment at all costs. It might not look like overt rebellion. It could be what you consume in private, the shows you binge, or the attention you seek online. We also give way to these sins when we indulge in sexual expression apart from God’s design, or pursue pleasure without boundaries. As blood-bought believers, we called to serve one Master: Jesus Christ.
2. Worship Is Misplaced
“. . . idolatry, sorcery . . .”
Worship doesn’t just occur in church on Sunday mornings, it happens every second of the day, 24/7, 365. True worship happens when we center our hope, identity, and comfort on the triune God. False worship happens when we do this with someone or something other than God. That’s idolatry. Whether its approval, control, productivity, or even family, we all face temptations to elevate people and things to a place that only God should hold.
In the biblical context, sorcery refers to seeking spiritual power or insight outside of the Spirit of God. In today’s culture, it might look like trusting in crystals, sage, horoscopes, tarot cards, manifestation practices, or anything else that promises spiritual results apart from Christ. Being led by the flesh will always result in false worship because it directs our devotion away from the God who made us and toward things that cannot ultimately satisfy.
3. Conflict Is Your Pattern
“. . . enmity, strife, jealousy . . .”
Enmity, strife, and jealousy reveal a heart at odds with others. Whether it’s ongoing tension in your relationships, silent resentment, or constant comparison, these patterns are rooted in pride and insecurity. These sins can also be hidden in sarcasm, coldness, or passive aggression, but underneath these behaviors is a life sowing to the flesh, not the Spirit.
Repentance isn’t a one-time event. It is a rhythm of the Christian life.
4. You Can’t Control Your Emotions
“. . . fits of anger . . .”
Let me be clear: it is not a sin to feel anger. Even Jesus experienced this emotion. But when your anger becomes explosive, chronic, manipulative, or expressed abusively (whether physically or emotionally), it is no longer righteous; it is flesh. Sowing to the flesh shows up when we allow our emotions to dominate our actions. It’s a lack of self-control. Whether it’s shouting, bitterness, or complaining, unrestrained anger leads us far from the Spirit.
5. Competitiveness Is Your Posture
“. . . rivalries, dissensions, divisions . . .”
Like anger, competition isn’t inherently sinful. In fact, Scripture honors athletic discipline and good sportsmanship (1 Cor. 9:24–27). But when a desire to win becomes a desire to dominate, or when we measure our worth by being better than someone else, we’ve crossed into flesh territory. Ungodly competitiveness is born from rivalries, dissensions, and divisions. And yet God created us for community and mutual upbuilding (Rom. 12:4–5). A flesh-led heart sees others as threats rather than as fellow image-bearers. When we secretly want to outshine others, divide people into camps, or stir up disunity, we are sowing to the flesh.
6. You Refuse to Celebrate Others
“. . . envy . . .”
Envy is more than wanting what someone else has; it’s resenting them for having it. This kind of sin often hides beneath false humility or pious language, but it exposes a heart that doubts God’s goodness and his ability to give each of his children good things. When we envy, we aren’t just dissatisfied with our own life, we’re questioning why God would give someone else what we think we deserve.
7. Escapism Is a Way of Life
“. . . drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.”
This final group points to escapism which is the practice of using substances, experiences, or excess to numb ourselves. While “orgies” here refers to wild, indulgent partying, the broader point is clear. A flesh-led life seeks escape, distraction, and overindulgence rather than rest in God. This might show up through overuse of alcohol, food, sex, scrolling, shopping, gaming, or anything else we turn to when life feels too heavy.
Recognize, Resist, Repent, Rest
If you’ve read through this list and felt a twinge of conviction or even discomfort, you’re not alone. Paul didn’t write these words to crush us; he wrote them to wake us up, to help us recognize where we’re drifting and to point us back to the freedom we’ve been given in Christ.
The call here isn’t to clean ourselves up or try harder to be better Christians. The invitation is to walk by the Spirit. That begins with honestly recognizing where the works of the flesh are showing up in our lives. Not excusing them. Not dressing them up in religious language. Just naming them for what they are.
Then, by God’s grace, we resist. Not in our own strength, but in his. We choose to turn away from patterns that feed the flesh and instead pursue the things that stir our affections for Christ. We may not get it right every time, but by the Spirit, we are no longer enslaved to sin.
We repent. Not just once, but continually. Repentance isn’t a one-time event. It is a rhythm of the Christian life. It is how we keep short accounts with God and with others. And it is always met with mercy.
And finally, we rest. We rest in the truth that we do not produce the fruit of the Spirit through performance. The Spirit does the work in us as we stay near to Jesus. The more we walk with him, the more we begin to look like him.
This is the essence of a Spirit-led life. Not perfection. Not striving. Just ongoing surrender. And from that surrender comes real fruit that lasts.
Portia Collins is a Bible teacher and the founder of She Shall Be Called, a nonprofit women’s ministry focused on Bible literacy. She also serves as the partner development specialist at Revive Our Hearts, where she connects with monthly donors to advance the ministry’s mission. Portia and her husband, Mikhail, have a daughter and currently live in the Mississippi Delta.
