FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

Scripture Reference: Galatians 6:1-10

Supporting Teachers of the Word (verse 6). Paul’s challenge to fulfill one’s God-given mission in life (to carry one’s own load) is now balanced by a recognition that some who are fulfilling their God-given mission in the church by teaching the Word need special support from the whole church. Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Here we see an extremely practical application of the fruit of the Spirit. The love empowered by the Spirit is expressed in “goodness” (Galatians 5:22), In practice, that means sharing good things with our teachers.

This simple instruction to support teachers opens a window for us to see some important aspects of the life of the early church. First, we learn that formal instruction in the word was going on in the churches of Galatia. The title catechist is derived from the Greek word translated teaches, and the title catechumen is derived from the Greek word translated one who is taught. In other words, the early church had a catechism: formal instruction in basic Christian theology.

In our day there is often a negative reaction to any attempt to communicate doctrine or theology in the church. Christian growth is dependent on sound biblical teaching. Paul saw the need for instruction in Christian theology and sought to encourage it by this practical guideline.

Second, Paul’s guideline to support teachers indicates that Christian teaching was a full-time occupation that precluded the opportunity to earn money in some other profession. We know that Paul often times did support himself by his tentmaking. But he considered himself to be an exception to the rule. He thought that teachers in the church should work hard at their job of teaching and be paid for it (1 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Timothy 5:17). Sometimes full-time Christian teachers are made to feel inferior because they do not have a “real job.” But why should those who work hard at teaching the Word of God feel that they are doing something less important than others who sell computer chips, unless the value of work is measured by the amount of money earned? That is surely a questionable measuring stick to use for determining the ultimate value of work. Paul places great value on the work of teaching the Word. It is the basis for strong churches and healthy Christians; healthy Christians lean towards a more stable community.

Third, we learn that when teachers faithfully give the Word to the churches and the churches give back good things, there is unity in the church. The command to share is a translation of an often-repeated Greek word: koinōnia, often used for “fellowship” or “partnership.” Undoubtedly Paul was concerned to encourage this kind of partnership in the Word because he knew that this letter alone could not bring about a complete resolution of the crisis in the Galatian churches. If the churches were to be united and strong again, there had to be a full-time teaching ministry in the church. Gifted teachers needed to devote themselves to an accurate interpretation and application of the “truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:5). In order for them to do that, they needed to receive enthusiastic, generous support for their work of teaching. The same is true today.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved

Scripture Reference: Galatians 6:1-10

Evaluating Your Work (verses 3-5) – Continued

From Last Lesson: Christians should celebrate that they can love because of their experience of the cross of Christ and the power of the Spirit.

When we engage in this kind of self-evaluation, we are also renewed in our commitment to our own God-given mission: For each will have to bear his own load. Each of us has been called by God to carry our own load. There is no contradiction here with verse 2, which calls for Christians to carry each other’s burdens. In fact, Paul uses two different Greek words to make a clear distinction between the burden (baros) and the load (phortion). Though these two words are basically synonymous in other contexts, the change of nouns in this context indicates a change of reference. Verse 2 refers to the need to come to the aid of others who cannot carry the crushing burden of the consequences of their sin. Verse 5 refers to work given to us by our Master, before Whom we will have to give an account of how we used the opportunities and talents He gave us in service to Him. It is because we desire to fulfill our God-given mission in life that we learn how to carry the burdens of others. In other words, as Christians examine their actions to see if they reflect the love of Christ, they are at the same time led by that self-evaluation to consider how to serve others in love.

One of the main things that the Lord called me to do was to serve others. All of my secular jobs through the decades have been in the service field. In my ministry, the very calling to be a minister was in recognizing that I have been called to serve others. There are many who love the title of Pastor, Teacher, or even Prophet or Apostle because of the prestige it brings them. There are many who love to be called Reverend, in fact, many who are personal friends of mine, yet I have always shied away from titles, outside of the legal restrictions necessary to get into the visitation of jails or hospitals. I am a servant. I have not been called to dictate to others what to do other than through serving them the Word of God. I have always told those in congregations to which I have had the privilege to serve, the title isn’t what you are. Rather, you are what you do for the Lord, plain and simple. I’ve known too many in positions of authority within the church organization where it was “their way or the highway”! That, no matter how religious it seems, that way is never God’s way.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved

Scripture Reference: Galatians 6:1-10

Evaluating Your Work (verses 3-5) – Continued

If a Christian’s careful examination of his life indicates that at least to some extent the love of Christ is being expressed through his actions, then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. At first reading these words seem to contradict what Paul has just said. If he has just warned against the self-deception of pride, how can he now say that a Christian can boast in himself? What Paul is doing here is contrasting two kinds of boasting. These two kinds of boasting are clarified a few verses later where Paul says, “they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:13-14). The teachers of the law were boasting on the basis of comparisons between the circumcised and the uncircumcised. They were the circumcised, the faithful people of God; the uncircumcised Gentile sinners were despised and excluded. But such boasting on the basis of a comparison of national differences or religious practices was all passé. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything” (Galatians 5:6). Paul vows never to boast in his own standing as a pedigreed member of the Jewish nation or in his zealous devotion to the Jewish traditions. But Paul the Christian continues to boast: he boasts in the cross of Christ. That is his boast in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Paul boasted in the cross because the cross was the ultimate display of the love of God for sinners. When we are united with Christ in His death and resurrection, that love of God for sinners can be expressed through us by the power of the Spirit. That by itself is the reason for Christians to boast!

It is important to stress that the boasting of Christians is not in the “flesh” boasting in racial superiority and religious practices. Such boasting is like that of the Pharisee who said, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get” (Luke 18:11-12). Notice how his boasting is based on the kind of comparison with others which Paul expressly forbids in Galatians 6:4. The boasting of Christians is paradoxical: it is a boasting in something considered shameful by the standards of the world. That the Messiah should suffer on a Roman cross was shameful. But by His cross “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). That Christians should serve each other by carrying each other’s burdens was also considered shameful from the perspective of the world’s values. But when the self-sacrificing love of Christ is seen in the actions of Christians, there is reason for boasting. Christians should celebrate that they can love because of their experience of the cross of Christ and the power of the Spirit.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved