Some things don’t need to be mentioned. They are obvious.
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21
Sexual sins, v19, worshipping sins, v20 and sins against people v20-21; they hurt and they are harmful.
In this context Paul isn’t simply coming up with his own list of sins not to do. This is certainly not a new Torah for us all to attempt in order to be acceptable to God. Rather as he has instructed us to walk with the Spirit he now shows us what life would be like if we don’t. It is only a life with the Spirit that will keep us and others from such unhappiness. And it is only the Spirit life that will take us into the kingdom. This is not the other world, heaven, our eternity, but this is now. Paul is desiring a new creation, a new community where people don’t hurt one another and where we don’t live for ourselves but we love God and love others.
Some grab this list and use it as a checklist. Some look at the sins and order them to how they think some are worse than others. “Envy surely isn’t as bad as drunkenness and orgies” and “selfish ambition isn’t as bad as witchcraft” that’s what is thought. Yet Paul doesn’t do that. He simply puts them in the same list. They’re all bad. The point is not a checklist. If it was then it’s not complete for “… and the like” leaves us wondering what else is on his mind. The point is that without the Spirit’s help we will all fall into these sins. Without walking with the Spirit we will all walk down this path of sins, no matter if we are Christian or not.
Missions Paul 