Do Christ's Good | Galatians 6:1-10
“As Christ was not made sin by any sin inherent in Him, so neither are we made righteous by any righteousness inherent in us, but by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us.”
--Matthew Poole
To understand this passage. To understand this sermon today we must understand the work of Christ in us—in His people. The work we do does not happen because we want it to happen—it happens because of the work of Christ in us.
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in his blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
--Romans 3:23-26
Paul begins the ending to his letter to the church in Galatia by reminding God’s people of their stance and role before God. What is the church’s job? How must a church function when dealing with sin? God, through Paul, is going to remind the church to be humble, to worship God, and to function in a way that is developing Christ’s righteousness in each other.
- We are not greater than the most terrible sin in our Church. Deal with sin and safeguard yourself against sin.
“Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load.”
--Galatians 6:1-5
“You who are spiritual…”
πνευματικοὶ x, Adjective, relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as part of the man which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ
Paul is appealing to those, in the church of Galatia, who are spiritual, who are working with God as an instrument in Christ’s church. He is describing the faithful in the Church as spiritual and he is tasking them with a specific job—“even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one with a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself…” (Vs.1)
“Restore”
καταρτίζετε, Present Active Participle (Ongoing action), to render, i.e. to fit, sound, complete
to mend (what has been broken or rent), to repair.
“Gentleness”
πραΰτης praÿtēs; mildness, i.e. (by implication) humility.
Walk together, bear one another’s burden, fulfill the law of Christ! For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. This language is communal, it is humbling. We are to discipline one another according to God’s word in the spirit of humility, of love, of gentleness and of self-control. Paul is instructing this church on how to deal with those who have been affected by the false teachings in the church—notice how Paul is softer towards the congregation than the person teaching falsely.
“I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgement, whoever he is…I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.”
--Galatians 5:10,12
“Keeping faith and a good conscience, which some, having rejected, suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”
--1 Timothy 1:19-20
There is a persistent message in God’s word those who know better must do better, they have more responsibility and the judgement on them for rebelling against God will be swift, will be greater. Acts 5:1-16 brings us the story of Annanias and Sapphira—two people in God’s church under Apostle Peter’s leadership. They withhold some of the portions they made from their property for themselves—this is not the sin, the sin is they lied to Peter about it in Vs. 3-4.
“Then Peter said to her, ‘Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.’ And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard these things.”
--Acts 5:9-11
“This job of restoration is often neglected in the church. We have a tendency to either pretend the sin never happened, or we tend to react too harshly towards the one who has sinned. The balance between these two extremes can only be negotiated by the spiritual. It should be normal to do what God says here, but it isn’t. It is all too easy to respond to someone’s sin with gossip, harsh judgment, or undiscerning approval.”
--Enduring Word Commentary
“And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; or again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, how much more is it that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary, and those members of the body which we think as less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable.”
--1 Corinthians 12:21-23
The Church is in the business of restoration—restoration that is pleasing to Christ! We are to mend people, help people, call out people, and point people to the healer, Jesus Christ. God has given us minds to develop healing processes through medicine and hospitals.
-Pennsylvania Hospital – Founded in 1751 by Quaker Christian Dr. Thomas Bond and Benjamin Franklin
-New York-Presbyterian Hospital – Founded in 1771 by Epsicopal Christian Samuel Bard, he also led some of the earliest medical schools in the history of the United States
-Massachusetts General Hospital – Founded inn 1811 by Rev. John Bartlett (Unitarian), who was motivated by Christian Charity of the poor; ranked number four in the nation today (Note: William T.G. Morton, a staunch protestant, invented Anesthesia at this Harvard hospital
“Historian Gary Ferngren concludes that when a church was planted in the Roman Empire, medical care immediately followed.
This led to the establishment of hospitals, originally focused on providing care for the poor since those with wealth could afford to be treated in their homes. Although Greek and Roman culture sometimes saw disease or disability as a sign of divine punishment, within a Christian world view those who were sick were not blamed. Christians provided care as an expression of the love of God displayed in Christ’s incarnation and the belief that everyone bears the image of God and is deserving of care.”
-Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
- God’s work will dtill prevail Amid sinful turmoil in our world. Be a people of God’s work; not of the turmoil caused by sin.
“The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will 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.”
--Galatians 6:6-8
The Church, God’s people, are to be people of the word! People of the Holy Spirit—Paul is challenging the church: What are you sowing? Is it dissention? Is it false teaching and accepting that false teaching? Is it kumbaya unity where grace is king therefore everyone has their own truth? Is it political prowess and gain both within the church and outside the church? Paul gives the stern warning, “for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” (Vs.7-8).
“And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
--Luke 9:23-26
“Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus is accursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. And there are varieties of workings, but the same God who works everything in everyone…Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.”
--1 Corinthians 12:3-6,27
- Our lives find purpose when we Do Christ’s Good. Keep Following Christ. The Church Needs Faithful Christians.
“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”
--Galatians 6:9-10
Keep going! Our main purpose in this life is to follow Jesus, to do Christ’s good in this world, in our families, our lives and as the Church. This is why God gives the Church spiritual gifts, ministries and other ways of His people working together for Christ’s good, not their good, not the government’s good etc. Our lives will be better when we do Christ’s good.
“For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light affliction is working out for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
--2 Corinthians 4:15-18
Do not give into the temporary pleasures of this world; do not lose heart during suffering and affliction because this life is not the end to our lives. Christ gives us new life, we are born again because of His perfect life, death and resurrection—we will be born again through our faith alone in Christ alone this is a gift of His grace alone. If we choose our temptations, our false teachings, ourselves over God then we will bring destruction, misery and even a terrible witness for Christ—this is why God’s church was operate in discipline, restoration, repentance and forgiveness.
Doing God’s work in this world is hard, it is tiresome, but it is what we are called to do—so we must do it faithfully according to God’s word; we must Do Christ’s Good.