5/20/10 Galatians 6 & Ephesians 1
Reach Out
In Galatians 6 Paul gives the churches of Galatian some exhortation and final reminders. In the first five verses we find that Paul is stressing to them to reach out to one another. In the end of chapter five Paul gives a lofty or ideal view of what it means to live the Christian life by the Spirit so here in the beginning of chapter 6 Paul reminds everyone of the very present reality of sin which is not a respecter of persons. Paul calls on those who are “spiritual” or mature in their faith to come alongside anyone who may have been “caught in any trespass.” This phrase is not suggesting that the spiritual are to go out seeking to nab the less spiritual in sin, rather “caught” has the idea of becoming entangled or trapped by some sin. So what is the advice to the spiritual? They are to reach out to this person with compassion (Gal 5:14) and then guard themselves from comparison that can result in boasting. As we reach out bearing one another’s burdens then we fulfill the law of Christ. The law of Christ is loving our neighbor as our self (Gal 5:14).
We are also to bear our own load (Gal 6:5). We are to recognize that our heart can be tempted to be proud, arrogant, and boastful in comparing ourselves to our sinning brother. If we allow this to happen then we do not love, do not fulfill the law of Christ, and are spiritually immature. We become like the Pharisee who compared himself with the tax collector in Luke 18:10-14.
(Lk 18:10-14)10“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13“But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
I have heard and seen too many that should have been the spiritually mature who have become boastful toward their brothers and sisters in the faith, not to mention those who are not in church. Today determine that you will not have an arrogant, boastful heart toward others.
Prayer: Father I confess my sin of comparison and boasting toward members of the bride of Christ. What a grievous sin this is. How is it that I would think of myself to be something greater within the body of Christ. Your sovereignty has prepared and placed each member within the body of Christ perfectly. My arrogance toward your bride is arrogance toward you. There are many members, but all are members of one another. Who am I to criticize the Holy One? How deceived I am with a proud and arrogant heart such as this. Father give me a heart like yours, a heart like Jesus, who reaches out to the outcasts, sinners, the spiritually immature, and even the deceived who think themselves to be spiritually mature. Thank you for your grace and forgiveness, in Jesus name. Amen.