This week we will be concluding our study of Galatians with a reading through Galatians 6. In this final exhortation, Paul softens the severity of the letter. In verses 1-5, he gives us a summary of what a congregation of Christ-followers should look like – restore the trespasser, bear one another’s burdens, remain humble, and be responsible. And this is how we fulfill the law of Christ – not through obedience to a text but in obedience to the Spirit and a mutual respect and love for one another. In verses 6-10, Paul makes his financial appeal to the congregation to financially support those who work for the congregation. See, 1 Corinthians 9. We should financially invest in the Spirit and not in the fulfillment of our worldly desires. For as Jesus says, “Where your treasure is your heart will be also.” Matt. 6:21. If you have 15 minutes this weekend, please read through the entire letter once more to have a clear sense of Paul’s concluding exhortation.
SCHEDULE:
Beginning Tuesday-week we will be reading through James. This letter represents another facet of the Gospel and has sometimes been seen as the anti-Galatians with Martin Luther once remarking that Galatians and James were irreconcilable. By reading these works back-to-back hopefully we can gain an insight into the particular message that each writer was giving to the Church.
Dinner is at 6. The menu is chili. Discussion about 6:45. Hope to see you here.
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:1-4.