Galatians 5:19-21 deals with “the works of the flesh” (Gal 5:19) which are the works of unbelievers. Believers have to beware of these works, and keep away from such works.

1 Galatians 5:19a: The works of the flesh clearly manifested

The works of the flesh are manifested (i.e. made visible, plain and clear without any doubt) in a person through his words, by his behavior and his conduct. Such works are not the works of the Holy Spirit in the believer, but are the works of his flesh. Thank God that He tells us what these works of the flesh are. We cannot say that we do not know about them. And we must not pretend (like an actor, a hypocrite) to be a believer, and then do the works of the flesh privately or secretly.

2 Galatians 5:19b-21a: The works of the flesh listed

The works of the flesh are adultery (sexual transgression committed by a married person, which also broke his marriage vow), fornication (sexual transgression committed by an unmarried person), uncleanness (a sodomite, impure), lasciviousness (unbridled lusts, desire of the flesh takes control, no self-control, all responsibilities are pushed aside), idolatry (to have anyone or anything that controls our life causing us to disobey God directly and to compromise our testimony and holy witness for Jesus Christ), witchcraft (all kinds of superstitions), hatred (unwarranted and unbiblical hostility, being censorious), variance (quarrelsome, finding fault, turning everything into an issue), emulations (jealousy where three parties are involved), wrath (anger without a cause), strife (contentious, argumentative), seditions (sow seeds of discord, causing dissension), heresies (undermine Scripture, attack biblical doctrines), envyings (jealousy where only two parties are involved), murders (angry without a just cause, actual murders), drunkenness (intoxicated by alcohol), revellings (carnal gatherings, rioting), “and such like” (i.e. any similar deeds, thus indicating that this list is not exhaustive). As believers, we must beware because we can easily commit all these sins without a single exception.

3 Galatians 5:21b: The condemned

The keyword “do” here is in the present tense. It means to practise, to keep doing without any desire for repentance. These individuals “shall not inherit the kingdom of God,” i.e. they are unbelievers. As believers, we must repent and get rid of these sins, instead of hiding them thinking that nobody knows. We must check our salvation to make sure that our salvation is real. We are to keep repenting of our sins until the day of our glorification.