Throughout our study of Galatians we have learned about the
relationship between grace and the law; between salvation by grace and its
relationship to good works. We came to
know the lusts of the flesh by which no one will enter heaven and the fruits of
the spirit by which we know we are His.
Good trees produce good fruits bad trees produce bad fruits.
Now we learn how to gently bring a believer back from sin.
In the book of Proverbs it says that a soft word turns away wrath but a harsh
word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1). I was once at an event with a fellow
Medal of Honor Recipient, Joseph C. Rodriguez who was the
key note speaker. When it was his turn to talk the audience was somewhat
distracted because of after lunch conversation. Joe started his speech in his
usual tone but as the audience continued to talk over him he lowered his voice
until the whole audience was quiet. It was a tactic I had never seen used
before but it worked very well.
Since then I have used the same tactic in working with my
soldiers and people I supervised. I found talking with a quiet voice allowed me
to communicate better. I’ve used this tactic in counseling disgruntled veterans
who called to complain about something. I even use it with my grandson when I
help him with his homework. Sometimes, most of the time he doesn’t want to do
it but talking calmly yet sternly with love and a low voice tone helps him know
I’m serious and that we are not going to argue about it. Part of our job as
Christians is as Paul says is to, “Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way
you will fulfill the law of Christ.” We cannot “carry one another’s burdens” if
we act angry and without empathy toward our brothers and sisters in Christ who
have fallen into habitual sin.
Bringing a fellow believer back from sin is not the same as
bringing an unbeliever into knowledge of sin. If a believer backslides he/she
does so already knowing what sin is. Much of the time the backslidden know they
are in sin and because of the working of the Holy Spirit are already convicted
of their sin. Many times backsliding is done because we are angry at God for
something. Our job is simply to help our brothers and sisters in Christ to do
what they want to do anyway. Understand why God allowed something or didn’t do
something. Sometimes it’s a matter of reminding them who’s they are and who’s
they are not. Other times it is a matter of working through life situations that
have caused the problem of sin to reappear.
But we must be mindful of not falling into sin ourselves. There is
danger for those who reach out to help one return to relationship with Jesus. We
must remember that we are at war with Satan our adversary who goes about like a
roaring lion seeking to do us ill and hinder our work for the Lord.
This why Paul spends a lot of time telling us that we need
to 1) pay close attention so we are not temped also, 2) carry the each other’s
burdens. This means that we must establish empathy with the person. 3) Paul’s
third statement, “For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he
deceives himself.” I think we’ve all fallen into this trap. The idea that we
are all that and a bag of chips is part of our fallen condition. It is easy to
find ourselves looking down our nose at someone who has fallen into sin. Saying
that we would never do such a thing, I’ve walked that trail only to get slapped
in the face with my own sinfulness. 4) We must constantly examine our own work
and our motivations. It is very hard to look into the mirror of truth and
really see who we are or are not. 5) After we examine who we are we can really
see our work and “take pride in” ourselves “and not compare” ourselves with
others, a major trap, 6) we each must, in the end carry our own load. We are responsible
for our own actions. Others may “carry our burdens” for a little while but in
the end they are ours and ours alone to bear.
In short, I know too late, we need four things to help a
backslidden brother/sister to come back to Christ, 1) Prayer, 2) Empathy, 3)
Knowledge of the Bible, 4) Knowledge of ourselves, “This above all: to thine own self be true, And it
must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
(Hamlet Act 1)
Part II
In verse 6 Paul addresses a different subject support for
those who teach the Word. We all have heard the yearly apologetic sermon on
giving our first fruits to the church, about being good stewards and such.
Personally, I really dislike the apologetic way pastors approach this topic. We
are commanded to “share all good things with the one who teaches.” That is not
a request, it is a command. There is a two part contract between the faithful
and the “teacher”. The pastor teaches
and we support him/her with “all good
things.” Paul emphasizes this by adding “Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will
reap what he sows, because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap
corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal
life from the Spirit. So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time
we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity,
let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family
of faith.” If we believe that all
scripture is God breathed then there must be a purpose to this final
instruction concerning the way we compensate our church staff especially
teachers. So often within the church pastors, teachers and staff are
begrudgingly paid. Yet Paul tells us that they should be supported with “all
good things” this is connected to our Christian duty to always do good
especially to those of the faith.
There is a warning about doing good works; “do not be deceived
God is not mocked” is how one translation puts it. We cannot fool God He knows
our every motivation. We will get the fruits of our labors in many ways during
this life. I remember working in at the James A Lovell Federal Medical Center when
it was called Downey. My job was to go on the wards and file claims for
veterans who needed pension or compensation. From 1971 to 1978 I worked with
drug addicts, alcoholics, and a variety of other mentally ill veterans and
those who were in the hospital for general medical treatment. Many of those I
saw were estranged from their families because of the way they treated them.
From 1972 to early 1974(About a year and a half total), I worked at the VA Drug
Unit as a Veterans Assistance Counselor. I served as a co-therapist as a part of my
job. I saw veterans who had lost everything but the greatest tragedy was the
loneliness they suffered being estranged from their own children and family.
They were reaping the seeds of their own sowing. For many they would never be reunited with
their children, spouses or family. Others who took the long road to recovery
were able for the most part to start over though they carried a very heavy
burden of guilt with them. It has been my experience that in this life we all
reap what we sew. As our Lord told us those who sew to the flesh reap the
corruption of the flesh but those who sew to the Spirit reap the rewards of the
Spirit.
Paul ends the letter with a very personal note, “See what
big letter I make as I write to you with my own hand!” this is a personal letter.
We don’t often write personal hand written letters anymore thanks to the
computer and email. But think of how much it would mean if someone took the
time to write you a personal letter by hand. This is what Paul has done it
shows his love for the Galatians. He again warns that those who want them to
keep the law don’t do so themselves. How often have you been criticized by
someone who does the same thing you do? There are always those who are “holier
than thou” the “don’t do as I do but do as I say” people. Paul tells us to pay
no attention to them. But to keep our eye upon the Cross of Christ and by doing
so we are crucified with Him because we know that it is only through the Lord
Jesus that we are truly saved so our boasting is not of ourselves but of Him
and Him alone. He is the one who makes us a new creation; it is He and He alone
who is our righteousness. It is not by our own hands are we made worthy but by
His sacrifice alone.
I love the closing basically its “I’m done talking about it
we will not discuss this again!” This letter should be the end of our
conversation about grace and works also. Paul has clearly explained the
relationship between faith and works, faith and salvation to constantly talk
about it just serves to keep us confused and distracted. It stops us from
growing in the Lord.
