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Galatians Lesson 9 (2010)

DO GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ …Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

In the previous passage, Galatians 5:15-25, we learned that we can have freedom in Christ when we live by the Spirit. According to the teachings of Apostle Paul in Galatians, being filled with the Holy Spirit does not mean having some supernatural or mystical experiences of our own or becoming spiritually superior to others. Rather, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we have genuine relationships of love with other people. This is evident and logical when we consider the fact that the primary fruit of the Holy Spirit in us is love (22-23). Galatians 5:13 also reads, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”

In today’s passage, before concluding his letter to the Galatian Christians, Apostle Paul elaborates how we, Christians, should demonstrate our love for one another. In chapters 1-5, Apostle Paul has been strongly emphasizing that those who believe in Christ are no longer bound to the law of Moses or any elementary principle of this world. But he was not saying that being free from the law of Moses means being free from responsibility. Christians are also bound to the law of Christ, which is the law of love and the Spirit. In fact, Christians have a responsibility to do good to all people in all possible ways. In today’s passage, Apostle Paul teaches us how we shouldn’t treat one another (5:26, 6:3-4) and then how we should treat one another and all other people in the world (6:1-2, 5-10)

First of all, we should not provoke or envy each other. (5:26; 6:3-4)

Look at 5:26. “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” What does the word “conceited” mean? It means “having an excessively favorable opinion of one’s abilities, appearance, etc.” In other words, we think of ourselves more highly than we ought to. (Phil 2:3) Christians are not to become conceited in any situation. Why not? It’s because, fundamentally speaking, we are nothing but forgiven sinners who constantly struggle with our sinful nature.

Being spiritual means not becoming conceited and not looking down on anyone else around us. Rather, in humility we consider others better than ourselves. We don’t act proud or even feel inferior to anyone.

Look at 6:3 and 4. “If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.” Is there anybody who can claim that he or she is something before God? No. By nature, we are nothing but the dust of the earth and clumps of desires. So if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, it’s an illusion and self-deception. However, when a person knows that he is nothing before God, he can know the grace of Jesus Christ. We feel inferior or superior to others because we keep comparing ourselves to others. For example, in this materialistic world, rich people tend to be proud and self-confident and poor people feel ashamed and envy those who are rich. This is just one of many examples of how we are ruled by the elementary principles of the world. We are not supposed to be ruled by this kind of elementary principle but should live by the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

How can we find true confidence? How can we overcome our pride or low self-esteem? It’s only when we know the grace of God and are determined to remain in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Each of us should find confidence in God’s full acceptance of us, regardless of our short comings and weaknesses. This is God’s grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. And those who are doing well should also humble themselves, acknowledging that it was God who made them well. When we do this, we don’t look down on other people or envy them. Instead, we look at ourselves and others with the same respect. We extend others the same generosity, having confidence in God’s grace and acceptance of them. In other words, we can say that Christian fellowships and relationships should be governed not by rivalry or competition but by humble service. The Bible says that pride is the root of all sins. (Proverbs 16:18-19, 18:12)

When we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we can have true confidence in God and don’t treat others with contempt. Even though Apostle Paul was a very fruitful man of God, he knew that he was nothing before God and didn’t compare himself with others. He was truly encouraging, never provoking or envying others. He said in 1 Corinthians 15:9 and 10, which reads, “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”

Second, we should carry each other’s burdens. (6:1-5)

In the following verses, 6:1-5, we learn how we should treat others, instead of provoking or envying them. Verse 1 is an exemplary application of the principle, which is described in verse 2. Look at verse 2 first. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” We are to carry each other’s burdens. Although we are set free from the burdens of sin, guilt, and shame and the demands of the law through the work of our Lord Jesus, we are still burdened by the many concerns of life and our own weaknesses. After all, life in this world is full of stress and worries and anxieties. We are not completely free from the burdens of our sinful nature, either, as long as we remain in our body. Jesus understood our deep agony and human limitations, so he said in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Also, 1 Peter 5:7 reads, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

These are great verses, which encourage us so much. We know that when we are burdened, we are supposed to cast all our cares and burdens unto the Lord because we know that our Lord Jesus is the only one who can truly help us. However, Apostle Paul said something more than that. We, as Christians, should carry each other’s burdens. (2) It does not mean that we should not come to Jesus our Lord. Rather, it means that one of the ways in which our Lord bears our burdens is through carrying us as we struggle to carry the burdens of others. When we bear other’s burdens, we have true friendship with others in Christ. This friendship in Christ is the most healthy and wholesome foundation of a Christian community and ministry.

For example, when Apostle Paul was serving ministry work, he was suffering due to many difficulties, both inside and out. Often he was exhausted emotionally, mentally and spiritually. He felt lonely and was misunderstood by so many people, even by some Christian brothers. Of course, he read the Bible and prayed day and night. But he confessed that he was comforted and refreshed by his partners and those who came to share the burden with him, like Timothy, Titus, Priscilla and Aquila. Oftentimes, what Paul really needed the most during crucial times in his life was the genuine friendship and support of his coworkers.

I often see beautiful friendship among us. Some listen to one another and support one another. When somebody makes a mistake, they don’t make fun of him or look down on him but accept and encourage him. We find great relief and encouragement in Christ. Yet, I also hear some coworkers saying “I don’t have friends in our church.” It is true that when our fellowship or church is legalistic, competitive, critical or performance oriented, it’s hard to find genuine companionship among us. When our ministry and fellowship are based on rivalry or human-centered ideas, it is very unhealthy. In some sense, without genuine friendship in Christ we cannot say that we are any better than worldly people. It’s important for us to become true friends to others as much as we expect others to be true friends to us.

Jesus said in John 15:14 and 15, “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” Our relationship with one another in Christ should not just be a business relationship. It should be a genuine friendship, which is true partnership in Christ. Apostle Paul said that by carrying each other’s burdens we can fulfill the law of Christ, which is to love one another as He loved us. (John 13:34; 15:12) Isn’t it nice to have a friend with whom you can be transparent, someone you feel safe talking to about what is on your mind without being criticized? Isn’t it wonderful to be fully heard, protected and trusted by someone who cares about you in Christ? We need this kind of friendship.

However, we should not seek such kind of friendship with the wrong kind of person. We must be aware of our vulnerability. For example, one pastor who was very successful and busy couldn’t find friendship with anyone in the church. But there was one lady who seemed to understand him very well. He felt so comfortable spending time with her and naturally drawn to her. Later on, he committed adultery and had to step down from his position. Paul wasn’t talking about that kind of friendship. However, we must be humble enough to let others share our burdens. It does not mean that we can dump all the garbage inside of us, and everything else, onto our friends. Look at verse 5. “for each one should carry his own load.” What does it mean? It means that there is one burden which we cannot share – it’s the burden of our sins. That, no one else can bear. Each of us should crucify our sinful nature and live by the Spirit.

Let’s go back to verse 1. “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself or you also may be tempted.” This is a practical application of how we should carry each other’s burdens. If we detect that someone is doing something wrong, we are not to stand by and do nothing, as if we don’t know anything about what is going on. Nor are we to despise, condemn or gossip about the person to our friends in the fellowship. Instead, we who are living by the Spirit are to restore him gently. It requires us to be sensitive and prayerful and wise, carefully examining ourselves before God so that we may not be judgmental or exaggerate the situation. We should also be very careful not to assume or imagine things. We should remain calm and ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Actually, we are not told in detail about how we are to restore our sinning brothers gently.

Matthew 18:15-17 gives us some detailed instructions. “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” Still, it’s a very difficult task to restore our brothers who are caught in a sin. But if we carefully examine ourselves before God and are full of God’s grace of forgiveness of sins, we will be able to see how the Lord leads us in the matter of restoring our brothers in Christ.

Third, we should do good to all people. (6-10)

Paul has been telling the Galatian Christians that their responsibility is to carry each other’s burdens in Christ (6:1-5). In verses 6-10, we now read so many different instructions that seem to be loosely connected to one another. But if we carefully look at them, we find that they are all connected. What Paul talks about here is a principle of order and consistency, both material and spiritual.

Look at verses 6-8. “Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” The main point of these verses is in verse 7, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” In other words, if we sow corn-seeds, we will reap corn, not strawberries. This is an irrefutable law of God. Paul uses phrases like “do not be deceived” and “God cannot be mocked.” He is actually reminding us of what he had described in 5:24-25, which read, “Those who belong to Christ have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Now, in verses 6-8, he says that we should sow to the Spirit. In other words, unless we sow in the field of the Spirit, we cannot expect to reap the fruit of the Spirit.

There is the old saying, “If we sow a thought, we reap an act; if we sow an act, we reap a habit; if we sow a habit, we reap a character; if we sow a character, we reap a destiny.” For example, if we allow our minds to harbor a grudge, nurse a grievance, entertain an impure fantasy, or wallow in self-pity, we are sowing to the flesh. Or if we entertain lustful thinking and keep watching pornographic pictures, we are sowing to the flesh. These days, people are very concerned about their diet. They say “You are what you eat.” If you keep eating junk food, you know what will happen to your body. Likewise, if we keep feeding our minds with sinful thoughts and worldly desires, the result is very obvious. Every time we allow temptation into our minds and hearts, we are sowing to the flesh. In the end, we reap all kinds of problems and our life is completely ruined.

Some Christians may wonder why they are not reaping the harvest of holiness. Basically, it’s because they have been deceiving themselves. That’s why Paul said, “Do not be deceived” and “God cannot be mocked.” We might be able to deceive men but not God. That’s why Jesus warned his disciples by saying in Matthew 7:16-18, “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn-bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.”

To sow to please the Spirit means to walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16, 25) and to set the mind on what the Spirit desires. Romans 8:6 reads, “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” If we feed our minds with what is pure, spiritual, noble, wise and healthy, we are sowing to the Spirit. Philippians 4:8 and 9 reads, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the peace of God will be with you.” Holiness is a harvest, not a result of good luck or something you can suddenly make up.

Look at verses 9-10. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Here, Apostle Paul says that we should do good, not just to Christians but to all people, regardless their cultural, religious or racial background. In fact, there are so many things we can do in Christ for the world we live in. Yet, we should also be aware that we cannot do everything by ourselves. Therefore we have to be specific about what we do in the greater picture of God’s master plan. That’s why Paul encourages us to do good to all people as we have opportunity.

Recently, so many parts of the world were hit by floods, mudslides and wildfires, especially China, Pakistan and Russia. Pakistan is a very poor country. Now, one-fifth of the nation is under water. People have no food and no water. Contagious diseases are being spread. And the country doesn’t have enough medical facilities or supplies. The number of people affected by catastrophic floods exceeds 20 million, and the United Nations said 6 million of those victims lack access to food, shelter and water. We are to support them in prayer and even financially. Last Christmas, we sent a donation to Uganda to support the building of a new hospital. A few months ago, we made a financial contribution, through the Red Cross, for earthquake victims in Haiti. Yet, we should do these things more and more as opportunities come to us. Sometimes, even though we feel overwhelmed by the needs of the troubled world, we are not to become tired of doing good. Why not? It’s because it is one of the best ways we demonstrate our love for other people, besides preaching the gospel to them. It’s also because we are sowing to the Spirit if we do it with the right motives. In fact, we should serve others with joy and out of love, not just because we must. No matter how small it may be, we should do good to all people as the opportunity arises. At the same time, we are not to ignore the needs of our immediate family members and of the people around us.

We must not forget to spread the gospel in season and out of season. Psalm 126:5 and 6 reads, “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carry seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.” Christians are not to be passive in doing good, but are to be very active and even creative in doing good. This is our freedom in Christ. We are not to become slaves again to legalism or to our sinful nature. We should live by the Spirit. We are not to sow to the flesh but to the Spirit, for we reap what we sow. May the Lord help us to remember God’s grace, and live by God’s grace and His Spirit. By God’s power, may we stop provoking and envying others, and comparing ourselves with them, so that we may be free to carry others’ burdens in love and do good to all people.