Works of the Flesh: Carousing

Let us now examine the last specific work of the flesh mentioned by Paul in Galatians 5:19-21, translated as "carousing," "revellings," and, in more carnal language, "orgies:"

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

The word translated as "revellings," "orgies," or "carousing" is the Greek word komos, defined by Thayer as:

a revel, carousal; a nocturnal and riotous procession of half drunken and frolicsome fellows who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honour of Bacchus or some other deity, and sing and play before houses of male and female friends; hence used generally of feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry.

This word is used by Peter in 1 Peter 4:3-4 and by Paul in Romans 13:13:

For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil.

Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy.

We may see from the definition and the use of the term in the Scriptures that "carousing" refers to the malfeasance resulting from heavy drinking or even from excessive eating. The term also would refer to any collective of persons engaging in significant disturbance of the peace, especially during the evening hours. This carousing is a work of the night and the work of the Gentiles, and the time has been far spent for any Christian to engage in such activities.

If a Christian refrains from excessive eating and drinking, and avoids the types of crowds that would engage in disturbance of the peace, there would be little cause for fearing that one would be found carousing. As long as we Christians make wise choices, refraining from consumption of alcohol and avoiding unholy and impure groups of evildoers, we should not be found guilty of carousing.

Ethan R. Longhenry
evangelist@norwalkchurch.org

The Perfect Church

I think that I shall never see
A church that's all it ought to be;
A church whose members never stray
Beyond the strait and narrow way.
A church that has no empty pews,
Whose preacher never has the blues;
Where elders "eld" and deacons "deak",
And none is proud, and all are meek.
Where gossips never peddle lies,
Or make complaints, or criticize;
Whose members all are sweet and kind,
And to each other's faults are blind.
Such congregations there may be,
But none of them are known to me;
So let us work and pray and plan
To make this church the best we can.

-Author Unknown

The church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio

Thank you for reading the electronic version of our bulletin, Good News for Norwalk. If you live in Norwalk or happen to be traveling in the Norwalk area, we would certainly love to have you visit one of our assemblies!

Our location:

386 North Edgewood Drive (just off US 250 just north of Norwalk's city limits)
Norwalk, Ohio 44857

Our assemblies:

Sunday morning assembly: 10:30am
Sunday evening assembly: 6:00pm

Our Bible studies:

Sunday morning Bible study: 9:30am
Wednesday evening Bible study: 7:00pm

For More Information

If you have any questions or comments about anything you have read here, or desire more information, please contact our evangelist, Ethan Longhenry, at evangelist@norwalkchurch.org.

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