Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:4-13

Part 5

Works of the Flesh: Rivalry (II)

Galatians 5:20

Intro.

1. Last lesson: Began to study the traits of rivalry that destroy souls (competition, challenge, opposition & contention): Hatred, contentions, jealousies.

2. These are attitudes that reflect the control of the flesh over one’s heart.

3. We must put the flesh to death & walk in the Spirit – Gal. 5:16, 24-26.

4. How this spirit of rivalry shows / displays itself in actions toward others, & its inevitable results.

I. RIVALRY ON DISPLAY.

A. Outbursts of Wrath - (Wraths, ASV; Outbursts of anger, NASB) – [thumos].

1. Plato defined thumos as “a violent impulse without reason.” (Barclay, Flesh & Spirit, p. 51)

2. Aristotle didn’t separate thumos from reason, but he said, “Anger does hear reason, but it hears it wrongly, like a servant who dashes out of the room, before his master’s order is completed.” (Ibid. 51-52) – Prov. 14:29

3. Bible uses 2 words for anger & wrath (Eph. 4:31):

a. Orge – indignation that rises gradually & becomes a settled trait.

b. Thumos – “rage” (A&G); “passion, angry heat…anger forthwith boiling up and soon subsiding again” (Thayer, 293).

4. Thumos is explosive, violent temper; displays of temper.

a. Uncontrolled temper: Lack of self-control – Prov. 25:28.

b. Companion of selfish ambitions & conceit – 2 Cor. 12:20.

c. Prevents / eliminates righteousness – Jas. 1:19-20.

d. Hindrance in rearing children – Eph. 6:4 (Col. 3:20).

5. We must not claim, “I can’t help my outbursts of temper…that’s just the way I am.” (We must see through our rationalizations.)

a. Uncontrolled anger is not just a little quirk or peculiarity; it is sin.

b. We must put away wrath – Psa. 37:8; Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8.

B. Selfish Ambitions - (factions, ASV; strife, KJV) – [eritheia].

1. Disputes (NASV); Selfish ambitions (NEB); Disputes that arise from selfish ambitions.

2. “A desire to put oneself forward, a partisan and factious spirit” (Thayer, 249).

a. “Constant effort to get the best for yourself” (Living Letters, The Paraphrased Epistles, Taylor; cited by Jenkins, Flesh & Spirit, A Word Study, 35)

b. Self-will…an underlying idea in the word; hence it denotes partymaking…derived from erithos, a hireling; hence the meaning of seeking to win followers…factions.” (Vine, 220)

3. Gen. 13:7-8 – Avoid among brethren by realizing our common heritage, fellowship & goals!

4. Phil. 1:15-17 – Some allowed envy of Paul to “proclaim Christ of selfish ambition,” NKJV; (faction, ASV).

5. When personal goals become more important than the church’s welfare, we are being motivated by factionalism – Phil. 2:3.

C. Dissensions (divisions, ASV; seditions, KJV) – [dichostasia].

1. “The word denotes a state of things in which men are divided, in which feuds flourish, & in which unity is destroyed.” (Barclay, F&S, 56)

2. Matt. 12:25 – Destroys fellowship, togetherness & peace. “Dichostasia…literally means ‘a standing apart’’ that is, a state in which all community, all fellowship, & all togetherness are gone.” (Barclay, 57)

3. Jno. 17:20-21 – Believers should & can be one (not divided).

4. Several types of division:

a. Class division (Matt. 12:25).

b. Party division. Cliques, etc. within a church – 3 Jno. 9-10.

c. Racial division (Col. 3:11).

d. Denominational division (Eph. 4:4-6).

e. Personal division (where 2 people won’t meet or speak; brethren who won’t speak to each other!).

5. Rom. 16:17 – Unrepentant are to be marked & turned away from!

D. Heresies (parties, ASV; party intrigues, NEB) – [hairesis].

1. “Sect, party, school…heretical sect…dissension, a faction 1 Cor. 11:19; Gal. 5:20…opinion, dogma…” (A&G, 23)

2. “Dissensions arising from diversity of opinions & aims.” (Thayer, 16)

3. “Denotes a choosing, choice...hence, an opinion, especially a self-willed opinion, which is substituted for submission to the powers of truth, & leads to divisions & the formation of sects.”

4. The choosing of opinions over truth – Matt. 15:8-9. (Manifests truth & error, 1 Cor. 11:19)

5. Titus 3:10-11 – Avoid after 1^st & 2^nd warning.

II. THE ANATOMY OF DIVISION (Jenkins, 39).

HATRED (echthra)

Ill-will, hostility

CONTENTIONS (eris)

Strife, contentious temper

JEALOUSIES (zelos)

One-upmanship; rivalry

OUTBURSTS OF WRATH (thumos)

Angry displays of temper

SELFISH AMBITIONS (eritheia)

Factious spirit of partisanship

DISSENSIONS (dichostasia)

Division& standing apart

HERESIES (hairesis)

Sects; parties are formed

Conclusion

1. Jas. 3:16 – Where there is self-seeking (eritheia): Confusion (instability, disturbance) & every evil (base, wicked) thing.

2. 1 Cor. 3:3 – Division is carnality & not the proper behavior of saints (1 Tim. 3:15).