The next “work of the flesh” noted in Galatians 5:20 is “sedition” (KJV). This word is also translated “rebellion” or “division.” Its implication is more than just resisting authority, but also to incite others to rebel or turn against authority. This is, of course, what all rebellion eventually does.
Rebellion is a sin that rarely stands alone, but will cause others to stumble as well, just as Satan rebelled and a third of the angels fell with him. That is why this particular work of the fallen nature is so destructive as to repeatedly warrant the Lord’s most severe response. As we are told in I Corinthians 10, the things that Israel experienced in the wilderness “were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (I Corinthians 10:11). One of the most spectacular events of that journey was the result of Korah’s rebellion, in which the very earth itself opened and swallowed all who had joined the rebellion.
That the Lord would take such a drastic measure with this rebellion was not just a reflection of His anger, but of the need for extreme measures in dealing with sedition, or it would have spread the destruction to many others.
Like all of these other works of the flesh, we usually do not have to look far to find examples of this in the church. A rebellious person will almost always seek to gain converts to their rebellion because the more people they have in agreement with their sin, the more they feel justified in it. However, sin is multiplied with every convert we make to it, and the ultimate end of the matter will be even more tragic for those who become seditious, or lead others to rebellion.
As we are told in I Corinthians 10, the things that were written in the Old Testament were “written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (verse 11). To grasp just how much the Lord hates this particular sin, read Numbers 16. Below I have only pulled out some of the highlights of this chapter, but I encourage you to read it in its entirety:
And they assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?"
When Moses heard this, he fell on his face;
Then Moses said to Korah, "Hear now, you sons of Levi,
is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them;
Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
"Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly."
But they fell on their faces, and said, "O God, Thou God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, wilt Thou be angry with the entire congregation?"
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
"Speak to the congregation, saying, 'Get back from around the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.'"
Then it came about as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground that was under them split open;
and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah, with their possessions.
So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.
And all Israel who were around them fled at their outcry, for they said, "The earth may swallow us up!"
Fire also came forth from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense (Numbers 16: 1-4, 8-9, 19-24, 31-35).
The point of this chapter is that Korah did not just rebel himself, but incited a rebellion. We can also conclude that this is something the Lord really does not like, and that the consequences for those who do this, as well as those who follow those who do, will be terrible in the end.
It seems that if anyone in Scripture had a cause to rebel against authority it was David in relation to Saul. Saul had not only killed the priests of the Lord, but was unjustly trying to kill David. Yet, how did David respond to this? David could have killed Saul with the Lord’s permission. The Lord had told him that He was going to deliver his enemy into his hand, and he could do to him whatever he wanted. Then the Lord did this, but David’s heart smote him for just cutting of the hem of Saul’s robe, because he had touched the Lord’s anointed.
David could have killed Saul and become king right then, which was a fulfillment of a prophecy given to him. However, David would have likely died in the same way, because we do reap what we sow. By patiently waiting for the Lord to remove the one He had placed in authority, and waiting for the Lord to establish him, David established a throne which would last, which even Jesus is now seated upon.
David was willing to serve the house of Saul, and did, honoring Saul continually, even after Saul’s death. He did this because of his respect for authority. Those who understand truth, integrity, and the ways of the Lord, will never try to gain influence or a position by sedition. Those who do are only sealing their own doom, and are sure to experience the same kind of rebellion against them. Just because there is unrighteous authority, it never justifies unrighteous rebellion to remove it.