Friday, August 14 –
We are
at the end of the week, and also at the end of the book of Galatians. As we
continue to read thru the New Testament in a year, we will be going through
some of these shorter books in a much quicker time. Today our reading is in
Galatians 5:13 – 6:18. After you finish reading the Scripture, please come back
to learn some more.
As we left Paul at the end of chapter 5, he told them that they were called to
freedom in Christ, and that going back to the law would nullify their faith in
Christ alone. One of the reasons why these young churches were deceived is
because they charged Paul with teaching that the law was no longer in force.
Paul had said it was not in force when it comes to rituals but never abandoned
the moral law.
“For
you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an
opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole
law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But
if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one
another” (5:13-15).
When
Paul refers to the flesh (as you will recall from both Romans and Corinthians),
he is referring to the selfish, sinful actions that arise from wrong desires
and wrong choices. Paul taught the Galatians that their freedom in Christ was
not a freedom to do whatever they wanted to do, but a freedom to live out their
lives under the leading of the Holy Spirit.
That is
the issue - Christian freedom is not a license to ignore God’s moral law. He
reminds them that the law is fulfilled in “loving your neighbor.” Any freedom
or liberty that indulges in gossip, slander, lies, should be followed by the
wisdom that Paul gives - “if you bite and devour one another, watch out that
you are not consumed by one another.” We should remember that as we post things
online, and read things posted. In the end, the rituals of the law were no
longer necessary since they all are fulfilled in Christ. Yet the moral laws –
a.k.a., the ten commandments had never been set aside. This is the point Paul
makes in saying, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself... But I say, walk
by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (5:14,16).
Now
Paul restates the principles of the law in two contrasting ways – the flesh
versus the Spirit –
“For
the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit
are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from
doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not
under the law” (5:17-18).
First,
he highlights what living by the flesh looks like –
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity,
sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger,
rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like
these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will
not inherit the kingdom of God” (5:19-21).
The
works of the flesh are “evident,” or, “plain to see” – sexual, or immoral sins;
false religious practices of idolatry and sorcery; sins against neighbors –
enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger and the four more that follow; and
lastly, sins of habitual drunkenness, and drinking orgies, and “things like
these.” Collectively, when “those who do those things”, i.e., “habitually
practice these things”, demonstrate they do not have the Spirit of God, and
thus – “...I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things
will not inherit the kingdom of God” (5:21).
To be
sure, Christians are not immune from the temptations of the flesh, nor even the
actions of the flesh. Yet, as we walk in the Spirit, we learn to spot the flesh
– and, we realize, the war between flesh and Spirit will never end.
The works of the flesh and Spirit are in conflict with one another. Opposite to
the flesh is 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”
(5:22-23).
Look
again at the verse and realize a couple of important notes. First, it is
“Fruit,” not “Fruits” that Paul lists. The Fruit of the Spirit is a collective
character of God’s graces that come into our lives as we yield from the flesh
to the Spirit. Secondly, there are nine listed, and roughly speaking, we can
divide them up into three groups of three. The first – love, joy, peace – are
all Godward in their orientation. The second – patience, kindness, goodness –
all relate back to our relationships with our neighbor – i.e., other people.
The last three – faithfulness, gentleness, self-control – are all disciplines
inwardly. Paul adds, “There is no law against these things” (5:23, my
paraphrase). Paul makes a summary contrast one more time –
“...those
who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another”
(5:24-26).
The
chapter division is, once again, unfortunate. Paul has been describing the
conflict of the flesh and spirit, but also the conflicts of their personal
relationships. He follows this with a plea to take relationships seriously –
“Brothers,
if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore
him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone
thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each
one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone
and not in his neighbor, for each will have to bear his own load” (6:1-5).
This is
all practical and fundamental human relationships with natural tensions. Paul
appeals to them to reach out and care for one another. Help those who struggle.
Watch the tendency to judge, it’s an easy temptation. Don’t be overly impressed
with yourself, and don’t compare yourself, but do take responsibility for your
own life. If we’re honest, we’ve all failed, and we’ve all had those who were
there to help us back up and keep us moving forward – this is how the body of
Christ acts when it is “keep(ing) in step with the Spirit” (5:25).
Paul is
nearing the end of the letter. Perhaps his personal secretary has been writing
continually and looks up at Paul with pleading eyes – “can we end this?”
“OK...almost done.” In 6:6-10 he adds several short statements -
“Let
the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches,”
i.e., take care of your Pastor teachers. He’s not telling them to make them
rich, but treat them as deserving of honor. Jesus said something similar when
he said, “the workman is deserving of his wages” (Luke 10:7). I’ve seen both
situations where the Pastor abuses his/her power and destroys a congregation; and,
I’ve seen it where a congregation takes advantage of the Pastor. Paul’s saying
the right relationship is one of mutual concern and care.
“Do not
be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For
the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the
one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life”.
Holiness
is a way of planting God seeds in the soil of life. They will come up some day
but it may take a while to grow. “Decisions are seeds, Attitudes are seed. Acts
are seed. Prayers are seed”. (Eugene Peterson’s The Message)[1].
If I want tomatoes for supper, it will do little good to plant the seed in the
morning and think there will be a tomato at night. A combination of darkness,
watering, light, heat will make it grow, and we must realize that Spiritual
fruit is like that also - we sow, it will grow. Holiness is planting God’s
seeds and choosing God, and His values, so that we might reap good fruit.
“And
let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do
not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and
especially to those who are of the household of faith”.
It’s relatively straightforward – do good things to everyone, especially to
those who you live and practice your faith with. It is like sowing seed – the
produce is much later, but its faith that plants the seed.
Paul is
now finished. The remaining verses speak of various things. First, his eye
problems with “large letters I am writing to you with my own hand” (6:11).
Then, a
last jab at the false teachers and their emphasis on returning to the law
(6:12,13). They are boasting for their own glory. Paul reminds them, the only
thing he is fixed on and will boast about is the cross of Christ –
“But
far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither
circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation”
(6:14-15).
It
reminds me of the best advice I ever received from an elder – “just keep it
centered on Jesus”. He closes – “And as
for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the
Israel of God. From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body
the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit,
brothers. Amen” (6:16-18).
There
we have it – Galatians is a true Gospel-centered book. It’s not about Paul;
it’s about Jesus. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit”...to
who? “brothers”! It’s not an uncommon thing to see people drifting and losing
sight of the beauty of God in the practical aspects of living out the Gospel.
The Galatians were drifting. Why? Because they took their eyes off of Jesus and
stopped fighting for the truth of the Gospel. Paul saw them drifting and began
to fight for them. Heresy is not a first-century drama. It’s every century’s
trouble. Religion is not the same as a relationship with God. If we don’t
understand that, we’ll also soon be spiritually adrift. Doctrine, that is,
right beliefs, matter. Ask Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, and
countless dozens of others who fought to keep the Gospel central and were
faithful in fighting for the truth it proclaimed. Paul signed off with the only
thing that we can put our hope in – “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
your spirit, brothers. Amen” (6:18).
Peace
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