Galatians 5:20. “Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies.”
Continuing with the definitions of all the works of the flesh:
Idolatry: gr.eidololatreia: image-worship. Making images or pictures and then worshiping them as if they had the power of granting answers to prayer. Idols can also be matters of the heart, the secret chambers we try to hide from others, and from God.
Witchcraft: gr, pharmakeia, meaning medication, magic, sorcery, witchcraft. I think this one is fasci and that’s because I’m an English teacher and I love words and their history. Often, witchcraft was practiced using herbs and minerals that are now used in a vast array of what we know as pharmaceuticals, and are legitimate medicines. For example, digitalis, used for heart treatments, comes from foxglove. Before the healing power of plants was fully understood, people tended to believe that using such materials always denoted witchcraft, and so the word has come down to us. The truth is that there are uses in witchcraft for natural substances, but adding in the element of Satanism or worship of any other than Jehovah God is what makes it witchcraft, and not medicine. This is a huge topic. Not possible to clarify it here.
Hatred: gr. echthra, meaning hostility, a reason for opposition; enmity, hatred.
Variance: gr. eris, meaning a quarrel, wrangling; contention, debate, strife.
Emulations: gr. zelos, meaning heat, zeal,or ardor (in a favorable sense); in an unfavorable sense, meaning jealousy, as of a husband; or an enemy, malice; indignation.
Wrath: gr. thumos, meaning passion (as if breathing hard):fierceness, indignation.
Strife: gr. erithreia, meaning intrigue, factions, contention
Seditions: gr. dichostasia, meaning disunion dissension, division.
Heresies: gr. hairesis, meaning a choice, a party or disunion, sect. Further forms and definitions of t word indicate that a heretic is one who causes division, specifically among the people of God.
Verse 21 tomorrow, and then we’ll find out what is the opposite of all this ugliness.
Linda's Bible Study 