"Things Like These" I. Introduction A. Human beings have a tendency to push the limits 1. Always seeking to reach greater heights 2. Go further, faster, better, harder B. Positives and negatives 1. It has led to great technological development 2. Records keep getting broken! 3. Yet it has also led to greater depravity 4. New questions, ethics, etc. get raised C. Human predilection to limit pushing is also seen in the realm of sin 1. Humans take boundaries and try to see just how close they can get to the edge! 2. Human capacity for justification and rationalization great 3. If something that one really wants can be redefined or justified in some other way, well and good! 4. Thus, when sin is defined narrowly, humans get right to the edge of what is sin 5. They may try to redefine the behavior to commit it without conscience pangs D. God is well aware of this tendency! E. Hence Galatians 5:21: "things like these" 1. As Paul concludes the list of the "works of the flesh," he speaks of "things like these" 2. Even things akin to the works of the flesh are works of the flesh, and fall under the same condemnation! F. What does Paul mean by this? 1. What do we gain from it? 2. What does it mean for us? G. Let us consider the matter from Scripture II. "Things Like These" A. "Things Like These" indicate that Paul has not provided an exhaustive list of sins 1. The fruit of the Spirit seems fully contained (Galatians 5:22-24) 2. Indeed, all good things can be seen in these categories 3. Nevertheless, Paul is not pretending that every sin that could be listed is listed B. Nevertheless, all sin is akin to the "works of the flesh" 1. Paul speaks of the "things like these" 2. Other sins will be like, or akin to, what we see in the works of the flesh 3. Sins have similar traits! C. It goes to show that redefinition will not work! 1. We cannot change the name of a practice and make it okay! 2. Likewise, we cannot reduce the text to a legalistic base and justify whatever is not explicitly condemned by Paul D. Indeed, this text has great meaning for us III. The Meaning of "Things Like These" A. It means that we must use discretion 1. God has not listed every sin that could take place! 2. Humans have always been good at coming up with new ways to sin (Romans 1:30) 3. As humans find new ways to sin, the old standard will still show its true nature! 4. This requires us to use our brains and think, and compare like with like B. It means that we must recognize things the way God sees them 1. Romans 14:23, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 11:1 2. From these passages, we understand that the Bible authorizes everything that is good 3. If it's not authorized in the Scriptures, it cannot be a good work! 4. If there is no basis upon which to justify it by the Scripture, it is sin! 5. Therefore, while many would say that whatever is not condemned is justified, the Bible teaches us the exact opposite: whatever is not justifiable is condemned! 6. This is not the way that humans naturally want to act or go! 7. Nevertheless, as Christians, we must hold ourselves to God's way of looking at things! C. It means that we must be honest with ourselves 1. If we are going to soberly consider a given action, whether it is right or wrong, we must not allow our judgment to be tainted by our desires 2. We must be honest with ourselves and our motivations for our actions 3. Do they really all measure up to what God would intend? D. How does this work? IV. "Things Like These" in Action A. When we have a matter of dispute, we must soberly consider the matter according to the works of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:17-24) B. We can choose some examples and consider them C. Use of cocaine 1. The Bible says nothing about the use of cocaine 2. Yet when we read in Galatians 5:17-24, we see sorcery condemned, and sorcery involved illicit drugs and being controlled by something other than God 3. We also recognize that the use of cocaine is contrary to self-control and goodness 4. Therefore, we determine that cocaine is a "thing like" sorcery, and thus condemned D. Gambling 1. The Bible says nothing about gambling 2. When we consider what gambling is and what motivates gambling, we discern that gambling is a covetous practice, done with the attempt to gain more in games of chance than one deserves to gain 3. Likewise, those that facilitate gambling do so to profit off the greed of such persons 4. We know from Ephesians 5:5 and Colossians 3:5 that covetousness is equated with idolatry 5. Therefore, we recognize that gambling is a "thing like" covetousness and idolatry, and thus condemned E. This is the type of discernment that we must use regarding all kinds of practices 1. Are they akin to the works of the flesh? 2. Or do they rather manifest the fruit of the Spirit? F. If we are convicted that the Scriptures authorize the practice, we can proceed G. If we have no such conviction, it is sin! IV. The Greater Point A. The greater point in understanding can be derived from the whole context: Galatians 5:17-24 B. Conflict of Spirit and Flesh 1. Paul speaks of the conflict between desires 2. The godly desire of the spirit to do what is right 3. The devilish desire of the flesh to satisfy its lusts C. The Spirit must win the battle! 1. We must devote ourselves to manifesting the fruit of the Spirit 2. If we walk by the Spirit, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh D. How shall we win? 1. Crucifying the flesh and its passions (Galatians 5:24) 2. Fleeing from sin (1 Corinthians 6:18) 3. Find the means of escape from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) E. It is a battle that we can overcome and win... 1. ...but only if we set our minds to do so! 2. We must determine to no longer walk in the flesh, but walk by the Spirit! 3. The essence of repentance! F. If we have the mindset we ought, we will avoid sin 1. We will not get as close to the edge as we can! 2. We will altogether stay away from the boundaries! 3. We will flee from and escape temptation! 4. But we must make the diligent effort to do so! V. Conclusion A. While humans want to push boundaries, God has established a better way B. Just because something is not explicitly condemned does not make it right! C. We must crucify the flesh and its passions, and walk by the Spirit D. Let us follow after God and do His will! E. Invitation/songbook