Death By Chocolate
for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:13 NASB
Deeds of the body – We agree with Paul. We need to put to death the “deeds of the body.” But what are those? That’s the real question, isn’t it? What are those deeds that kill us? What are praxeis tou somatos?
Praxis is a word that describes action. It is associated with the word group of prasso and pragma (“to do” and “an event, a deed, a task”). Paul is being Hebraic in Greek. What matters here is what we do. So what are the things that we do that need to be put to death? Fortunately, Paul offers a list in another letter. In Galatians he calls these things “works of the flesh” (erga tes sarkos). I’ve written a longer analysis of this list. CLICK HERE to read it.
For the moment, let’s just look at one on the list: enmity. Of course, whenever we decide that we should run the world and make it suit our tastes, we confront a problem. Other people. That conflict produces the sin called enmity. The Greek is echthrai. It comes from the Greek word that means “enemy.” It is the conflict that occurs when someone else does exactly what we do while we are operating under the principle of self-deification. They want to be god too. And the world only has room for one God. If I have given myself over to sins of pleasure and sins of manipulative control, I will always be confronted with those who don’t do what I want them to do. When my way is frustrated, I will experience hatred toward them in the form of jealousy, malice, anger or animosity.
Enmity is not a word that we use much today, but we are certainly aware of its results. Civil unrest, racial tension, violence, fraud, genocide, bitterness and slander make the news everyday. One person against another. One group opposed to another. One nation at war with another. All motivated by the need to control. All following the pathway of power. We have met the enemy and he is us. Hatred is the result of too many gods. Two is too many. There is only one God and if we are not serving Him, we will find we harbor hatred for everyone who is not serving us.
Paul expands the meaning of this word with the next five nouns: variance, emulations, wrath, strife and seditions. All descriptions of enemies in conflict. His expansion covers a wide range, from arguing and body language to actual blows. Enemies must be dealt with. God’s way is to convert my attitude into submission to God so that an enemy becomes an opportunity for grace. My way is to convert my enemy to submission to me. That usually doesn’t happen without force. Too many gods means a battle will result. How many times in your life have you heard (or used), “My way or the highway”? The recipe for strife begins with an attitude of quarreling. Even if you’re right, you’re wrong. My wife reminds me all the time that it is not the message that counts; it’s the tone of the delivery. Perhaps the action of hatred begins with an attitude of superiority.
Topical Index: deeds of the body, works of the flesh, Romans 8:13, Galatians 5:23
Thank you for the explanation of enmity… On a previous TW you referred to war that occurs inside us, our struggle to overcome and make the correct choices. Would this be what the cross refers to? Deciding on to take up the responsibility to tackle my inner conflict so that my outer actions reveal peace, joy and righteousness.
I once read a harsh version of fleshly deeds versus the spiritual fruits…
My short reflection…. Whenever we have an option to rethink what we want to do we are presenting life and death . When we decide to benefit ourselves we choose death, when we choose to benefit the less fortunate we choose life. The difference for the death we need to work to sustain… for the life we need to sacrifice to bear the fruit so that others can find peace etc.
Enmity the long-lasting feeling of hatred… how easily my choices can create such a grudge. A bitterness that results in resentment that lives longer than one generation no wonder the blessing to restore is upto three generations while the blessing for the life giving choice is for thousands of generations.
You may need to teach us more on choices that create life… How we can reveal the fruit of the spirit so that others can eat of His. flesh and live… John 6.
Seeker, I like how you put it: “the blessing to restore is up to three generations while the blessing for the life giving choice is for thousands of generations”. I second the motion on being taught more about the choices the create life, too!
When I “decided to take up the responsibility to tackle my inner conflict” about my bitterness I found a whole lot of frustrated expectations that had set me up for the disappointment that was driving that anger. I think expectations could be a false god in that we either are thinking we know what God calls ‘right’ about the future (or about others), or we don’t even check. Expectations are a form of control over the future (or others), and I also suspect they could be a form of divination because of that, too. I think perhaps more anger is caused by expectations that didn’t match reality than any other reason. I do know that when I feel I can trust, I can let expectations go. Expectations keep me out of the present, and give me a skewed reaction to the future, instead of just trusting, one step at a time.
“When we decide to benefit ourselves we choose death, when we choose to benefit the less fortunate we choose life.”
Hey Seeker, I want to respond to this particular statement in your post and am having trouble wording it in such a fashion as to not make it seem negatively critical. So… I thought that maybe predicating it with an intention would help some. (Have you ever had a day when it seems the wires aren’t connected correctly?) 🙂 Anyhoo…this response isn’t aimed toward criticism of this thought (I think I understand your position) but rather an expansion of it. On that note….as I was studying Gen 1 the other day I recognized how the term “bara” (create/ make fat) is such an equitable term. In other words, to make something “fat” at the expense of something else is contrary to the structure of creation and is, in reality, a dealing in the destruction of ourselves and of that very good order that is given to us. The “problem” I see with the above statement is that it seems to be on the line edge of dualism which seems to have no place in scripture. (unless it’s read into it) The short version of this is that I would suggest that it’s not really about benefitting either them “or” me, but rather a benefit securing both. Sometimes that’s as simple as seeing the glint of joy in anothers eyes because you cared enough to hear them, or call them by name. In that sense, “bara” is also a term dealing in true justice. I’m of a mind as of late, that we would do well to ask ourselves if whatever we engage in meets this criterion. Wiggle room seems to be narrowing lately.
YHWH bless you and keep you……
Robert. Thank you. I appreciate honest feedback it sets me free by empowering me with different options. Interest reflection on bara I was told it refers to a process of being transformed in a Godly fashion… The make fat I ve never heard before. I agree with your explanation of being beneficial for both… As Skip said in a previous tw it is about overcoming our life of uselessness adding Godly value.
Shalom Robert.
Please don’t take my word for the definition of bara (or anything else you read) do your own research by tracking the term in scripture and drawing your own conclusions. A coupla places to start would be it’s use in Samuel regarding Eli’s sons and their abuse of the sacrificial system and David in regards to his fasting concerning the first son born by Bathsheba. There are a few more references, these are what popped up in my head. Thorough study of these things brings understanding instead of furtherance of opinion.
Thank you Robert. Understanding is what I need… Will first then need to learn Hebrew and Greek… My kjv is not that. Clear…
One more thing before I leave off this thread in regards to equity, just to clarify. In agriculture, we often see it as ” taking” from the ground for our benefit. This concept is already skewed in regards to the kingfom of God. While we do indeed benefit from that, without proper management of the ground and the building and/or healing of it, both parties are doomed, while the increasing of the ground increases both parties as well. This fundamental principle applies to every endeavor we undertake and without that moral principal being exercised the basic structure of all creation is at risk. Do we wonder why there’s an observable change in the constancy of the cycles and seasons? Perhaps as it was with the Israelites who desired other gods, they also became subject to them. That’s where our insistence on the changing of Gods order will lead, subjecting us to the disorder we’ve created.
The link to the analysis of Paul’s list doesn’t seem to work
I fixed the link on the post ON THE WEB SITE. I don’t know if that fixes the post by email. Sorry
FYI not fixed from email but easy enough to go to web page just letting you know though.
What level of relationship is this meant to speak to? We have different expectations for those closer to us than those we do not know.
I believe we all have the right to have expectations of those closest to us like family and close friends. No?
For the world in general I see how I have exspected it to conform to my ideas and standards which has brought me great frustration and anger. This has been a message that has been repeated to me several times recently. It is good! It is freedom to let God change others and ME!
Cheryl, if you are asking me, I think there is a fundamental difference between following a mutual standard (that would be Torah), and expecting behavior or certain attitudes from others. If you are transgressing the standard YHVH set for lying, say, it affects me: I hope that you will not lie to me. Our relationship is damaged if you do. But if I EXPECT you not to lie to me, I am limiting your free will by imposing mine, and if you do lie to me, I am going to feel attacked and let down, personally. That makes me angry and upset. If you choose to transgress Torah by lying to me, however, I should leave you to the judgment of YHVH. Our relationship is still damaged, but I have not set myself up to feel personally betrayed by that damage. I still feel protected by Torah and the God of Torah. He says vengeance is His. Anger says it is mine.
When a person lies to you, especially a person close to you or one you care about, you are going to feel betrayed. And it is going to hurt. Otherwise, are you human? I do like the vengeance is YHVHs’. Anger is a choice and it can be a healthy one. More importantly don’t suppress or deny the feeling. But walking out or expressing anger is the problem. In a culture where anger is considered bad, a lot of dysfunction going on. Same thing with our sexuality. A whole lotta Denial going on. If our emotions and our sexuality are ‘bad’ why did God give them to us. Let’s learn how to express our emotions and our sexual identity the way God wants us to.
Good clarity, Jean, and anger itself is not bad. Anger protects and energizes, too, and we don’t have healthy permission in our society, really, either, you are so right about that, but anger is a gun that can be misused. For example; anger that is used for vengeance in the name of protection is a problem. I think we get confused a lot of the time. I like your last sentence the best: “Let’s learn how to express our emotions and our sexual identity the way God wants us to.” In line with that, I am looking forward to what Skip can teach us about how!
This TW hits a nerve. Strife….Food for thought. Skip, I read about you. I saw your Greek resume so to speak, but didn’t see your Hebrew one. ?
The Hebrew one isn’t finished yet. 🙂
Well do tell if this website and your work in places like South Africa would be on there. And maybe a video of you in action showing your care and compassion. Much more interesting than your Greek resume. Don’t get me wrong. Impressive, but not nearly as interesting.
There are videos on the web site to download. And I will be back in South Africa this year too.
Great read today. Thank you so much. The link is broken for the article written on “works of the flesh.” I’d love to read it. Could you please repost?
Thank you and may blessing abound!
Oops! Never mind. I should read previous post before I add my own. 🙂
Thank you!
You can read the article on my web site by searching for Erga tes Sarkos in the search bar
Skip nice indepth discussion on the link you provided… Interesting to note that it is about our animal survival alpha instincts that we permit to rule our lives, a useless lifestyle as it ends once fulfilled…
And YHVH has much more in-store for us if we are willing to trust in His judgements and laws.
I blew this one today. I was like a dog with a bone. I wouldn’t let go of my anger. Well I let go of it just in the wrong way. YHVH, please help me. Anger is there for a reason. A reminder again of boundaries. Is a boundary a fence? Maybe I’m outside the fence YHVH has given me.
Thanks skip and you all for the discussion: the difference between ‘hope and expect ‘ – hoping, I might have more compassion, expecting, I will be more likely to judge.
“…….sins of manipulative control” – they will always be confronted with those who don’t do what they want done, for them.. When their way is frustrated, they will experience hatred in the form of jealousy, malice, anger and animosity- borrowing Skip’s words.
And then , “slander make the news “……. “All motivated by the need to control.” Truly so, a personal experience too!
Definitely not, PERHAPS…” the action of hatred begins with an attitude of superiority.” That would be an affirmative, YES, to an attitude of superiority/ pride, leading to hatred, strife and animosity. Begins, I believe, with an attitude of discontentment with life and its responsibilities, to hold someone else responsible.
“My way or the highway”? LOL, no choice if you don’t do it my way!
Thanking ABBA, we will NOT go the way the flesh makes demands of us!
Can you publish the list that is in the link of other “works of the flesh” from the Death by Chocolate lesson?
Thanks!
Francina
You can easily find it by searching my web site in the search bar on the home page.
https://skipmoen.com/erga-tes-sarkos-works-of-the-flesh/