Foundations of the Faith, Part 3: Works of the Flesh

The foundation of our faith is repentance from dead works and faith toward God (Hebrews 6:1). In this series, we’re digging into one sin at a time, where it comes from, and the faith that replaces it.

This post covers three dead works of the flesh, from Galatians 5 and 1 Thessalonians 4.

"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." — Galatians 5:24 (KJV)

Drunkenness and Revellings

Galatians 5:19–21 lists them right there among the works of the flesh:

"...drunkenness, revellings, and such like." — Galatians 5:21 (KJV)

Paul pairs the answer with it in Ephesians 5:

"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit." — Ephesians 5:18 (KJV)

Not just “don’t drink too much.” He replaces one filling with another.

Drunkenness and partying like that chase a feeling: numbing something, escaping something, or just looking for a high. It’s reaching for a substitute because you don’t believe God actually satisfies. Faith looks like trusting that being filled with the Spirit is the real thing, and the counterfeit isn’t worth chasing.

And Paul settles this a few verses later in Galatians 5:24: “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” So that craving for the high, the escape, belongs to a flesh that’s already been put to death. Going back to it isn’t just a bad choice. It’s not believing that God put to death that old man of yours.

Envyings and Strife

Galatians 5:20–21 lists them together with the other works of the flesh:

"...hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings..." — Galatians 5:20–21 (KJV)

• EnvyWanting what someone else has and resenting them for having it.
• StrifeThe friction that comes out of that: rivalry, competing, tearing each other down to come out on top.

And it comes from comparison, measuring your life against somebody else’s instead of trusting God with the one He gave you. If you actually believed God had a specific purpose for you, you wouldn’t need to compete for someone else’s.

So envy isn’t really about them. It’s not trusting that what God gave you is enough, or that His plan for you is good.

Paul answers this in the same place, Galatians 5:24: “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” The envy and the need to compete belong to a flesh that’s already been put to death. So holding onto it isn’t just petty. It’s not believing something already true about who you are in Him.

Uncleanness

"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication." — 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (KJV)

But look at how Paul explains it in verse 6:

"That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such." — 1 Thessalonians 4:6 (KJV)

Defraud. That’s not a word we’d normally connect to this. That’s a stealing word.

That’s exactly Paul’s point. Uncleanness isn’t just a private failure. It takes something from someone else: their trust, their purity, what belongs to someone else’s future marriage.

It’s the same root we’ve seen this whole series. Taking for yourself instead of trusting God enough to wait, to honor the other person, and to let Him handle what you want right now.

Verse 4 says to possess yourself “in sanctification and honour.” That’s not grabbing, but holding yourself with honor toward God and toward the other person.

"That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour." — 1 Thessalonians 4:4 (KJV)

"For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." — 1 Thessalonians 4:7 (KJV)

And verse 8 tells us why that’s even possible:

"He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit." — 1 Thessalonians 4:8 (KJV)

It isn’t just a rule to follow. It’s His own Spirit already living in us. So living unclean isn’t just breaking a boundary. It’s not believing the Spirit already in you is enough to help you wait.

The Faith Under Each Work of the Flesh

• Drunkenness and RevellingsNot believing God actually satisfies. Faith trusts that being filled with the Spirit is the real thing.
• Envyings and StrifeNot trusting that what God gave you is enough. Faith trusts His plan for you is good.
• UncleannessTaking for yourself instead of trusting God enough to wait. Faith trusts the Spirit already in you.