The Apostle Paul was concerned. The Christians in Galatia were struggling with worldly influences coming in among them from several sources. First, there were Christians who came from a Jewish background and believed that all Christians were bound to follow the Jewish Law. Then there were the Christians who came from blatantly pagan backgrounds. They had to be taught how to live up to Christian standards while flatly rejecting their old ways of life. Christian discipleship has no room for any of this.

Paul gives us a negative list and begins with a simple statement, “Walk by the spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” He then goes on to list the “deeds of the flesh.” This was no simple list, as it consisted of 15 different internal and external behaviors for Christians to avoid.

Galatians 5:19-25: (NASB) Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (meaning, losing the opportunity to be a part of Christ’s heavenly church).

He then follows up with a positive list, contrasting the “lusts of the flesh” with the “fruit of the spirit”:

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the spirit, let us also walk by the spirit.

Looking closely at the negative list, we see it is broken down into five basic categories of fleshly deeds, beginning with sins of human desire. His first three fleshly deeds to avoid were immorality, impurity and sensuality. When we step back and look at how human nature works, we can understand why Paul begins with these difficult aspects of life.

Anytime we read the Bible and come upon a long list of human characteristics, we should always pause and consider. Such lists are either there for a sober warning about what to avoid, or as an invitation to embrace what’s listed for spiritual growth. Here in Galatians 5, Paul gave us both kinds.  

His reason for such a detailed and uncomfortable list was to give us all a clear push forward and away from such things, so we can walk towards living a new life. To walk in Jesus’ footsteps and do God’s will first and foremost should be the most important aspects of any Christian’s daily life.

Category 1 – Intimate Human Desire: immorality, impurity, sensuality

Category 2 – Spiritual Control: idolatry, sorcery

Category 3 – Personal Relationships: hostility, strife, jealousy, anger

Category 4 – Group Relationships: disputes, dissensions, factions, envy

Category 5 – Reckless Behavior: drunkenness, carousing

You asked about beer, as “drunkenness” appears on the negative list. We understand this drunkenness to mean being intoxicated with alcohol primarily, but also including anything else that would mar our ability to think clearly and act soberly. It means our mind is clouded. Alcohol consumption is a great example of causing a clouded mind. However, we can also have cloudiness in our spiritual thinking without alcohol. Focusing on anything to excess that pulls us away from spiritual pursuits is a form of drunkenness.

Jesus prophesied about the End Times:

Luke 21:34-36: (NASB) Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the son of man.

Jesus says we cannot let our hearts be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness – being focused on earthly things, cloudy of spiritual mind when we are living in such a time as this. There are so many difficulties, so much happening in the world. We cannot let the cloudiness of humanity infiltrate our spiritual minds to blind us and involve us in earthly drama. 

The End Times bring some testings that are common and some that are unique to that period. We, as Christians, need to avoid anything that clouds our minds from sound thought and action. We need to keep the path of following Jesus clearly before us. People will be judged later for what they think, say and do now.

It is fitting that the Apostle Paul ends this list of the deeds of the flesh with carousing. This is a list of contrasts – you once did these things and now you do not. To be a partier exemplifies what being in the world sees as acceptable. Christian sobriety demands that we walk away from such things.

Additional Resources:
Christian Questions Podcast special 5-part series on the fruit of the spirit:
“Do I Walk in the Spirit or in the Lusts of My Human Nature?”

Episode #934: “Will Sinners Be Happy on Judgment Day?”
Understanding the events and purposes of Judgment Day
CQ Rewind Show Notes