What is the meaning of Galatians 5:21? Envy Paul adds “envy” to his catalog of fleshly works: “and envy” (Galatians 5:21). Envy is a resentful desire for what belongs to someone else. It corrodes fellowship and poisons the heart. • 1 Corinthians 3:3 links envy with strife as proof of spiritual immaturity. • James 3:16 warns that “where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil practice.” • 1 Peter 2:1 urges believers to “rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.” Choosing contentment and gratitude displaces envy and keeps relationships whole. Drunkenness “Drunkenness” describes surrendering self-control to alcohol. Scripture consistently calls it sin, never merely a weakness. • Proverbs 20:1 reminds us that “wine is a mocker,” leading to reckless choices. • Isaiah 5:11 pronounces woe on those who “run after their drinks.” • Ephesians 5:18 commands, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” The Spirit empowers believers to refuse a lifestyle driven by substance abuse. Orgies The word translated “orgies” (or “carousing”) points to wild, sexually charged revelry. It is the opposite of the honor God expects from His people. • Romans 13:13 urges us to “behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness.” • 1 Peter 4:3 notes that unbelievers “plunge into debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.” Such behavior treats God-given bodies as playthings rather than temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). And the Like By adding “and the like,” Paul signals that this list is representative rather than exhaustive. Anything resembling these sins falls under the same condemnation. • Mark 7:21-23 lists a broad array of heart-level evils that “defile a man.” • 2 Timothy 3:2-5 expands on attitudes and actions that will characterize the last days, reinforcing that sin mutates but never departs from its corrupt core. Believers cannot hide behind technicalities; the call is to reject every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). I Warn You, as I Did Before “I warn you, as I did before…” shows Paul’s loving persistence. Repetition underlines urgency. • Acts 20:31 records Paul’s three-year habit of “admonishing each of you with tears.” • Philippians 3:18 speaks of “many… who live as enemies of the cross,” a warning Paul gave “even with tears.” The apostle’s heart reflects the Shepherd’s: alert the flock before danger destroys them. Those Who Practice Such Things The phrase “practice” points to settled, ongoing lifestyle, not isolated lapses. Continuous indulgence reveals an unchanged heart. • 1 John 3:9 states, “No one born of God practices sin,” because God’s seed abides in him. • 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 lists parallel sins and reminds believers, “That is what some of you were. But you were washed…” Salvation changes a person’s direction; while believers still stumble, they no longer make sin their home. Will Not Inherit the Kingdom of God To “inherit” is to receive what belongs to God’s children. Persistent sin proves exclusion from that family. • Ephesians 5:5 affirms that no immoral, impure, or greedy person “has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” • Matthew 7:21 clarifies that only those who do the Father’s will enter the kingdom. • Revelation 21:8 lists sinners who will have “their place in the lake that burns with fire.” The kingdom is secured by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), yet genuine faith always bears the fruit of obedience (John 15:5-6). summary Galatians 5:21 exposes envy, drunkenness, orgies, and every similar sin as incompatible with life in God’s kingdom. Paul’s stern, repeated warning shows pastoral love: habitual, unrepentant sin bars the door to inheritance. Those redeemed by Christ receive a new nature that abandons such practices and pursues the Spirit’s fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). |
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