Bible Study - Relationships (4) - Serve - Galatians 5:13-15; 6:1-5, 10 - May 17, 2020

Bible Study – Relationships (4) – Serve – May 17, 2020

This is lesson four (4) in our series entitled “Dealing with Messy Relationships.”

Our focus scripture is Galatians 5:13-15; 6:1-5, 10.

Seize the opportunity to serve.

The Apostle Paul helped to establish the Christian churches in and around Galatia. He did this on his second missionary journey as recorded in Acts 16:6-10 - ⁶ They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. ⁷ When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. ⁸ Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas. ⁹ During the night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!” ¹⁰ After he had seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

The key to serving is to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Paul visited the churches in Galatia three times and he wrote this letter to the churches in Galatia about 49 AD between visits one and two. Many believers in that area were from Gentile backgrounds. Ignorance of the truth leaves a void which gives opportunity to fill the void with truth, half-truths and/or false teachings when presented by those who are charismatic and seem to know what they are talking about/good pitch persons. This is very true today.

What can a person do? He or she can read and study the Bible. As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit Who alerts us to false teachings. Have you ever been under the Biblical teachings of a person and you sensed something was not right? Often, that is the Holy Spirit alerting you that something is wrong. When that happens check the message with Biblical truths. However, in Paul’s day he was writing Biblical truth according to the Old Testament/Torah and eye-witness accounts. Much later, we have the Bible.

The Jews seized the opportunity to add to the truth of salvation through faith in JESUS by adding that salvation must be accompanied by works e.g. obeying the Mosaic Laws which included circumcision. Those who preached such were called Judaizers. The Judaizers lived like Jews and taught that Christianity was the fulfillment of the pure Israelite religion as revealed in the Old Testament/Torah.

JESUS did come to the Jews first and then to the non-Jew. However, salvation is for all through faith in JESUS and HIS shed blood. It is GOD’S Grace that sustains every Christian and it cannot be earned through works.

This led to confusion. Where there is confusion there is Satan hard at work. So, Paul had his work cut out for him to change false teachings to truth. 

Let’s explore!

Let’s read Galatians 5:13-15:

¹³ For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity^[c] for the flesh, but serve one another through love. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.^[d] 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

Christians are free from the Law but they are under GOD’S Grace. There is the letter of the Law and the spirit of the Law, which is impossible for humans to keep. JESUS came to earth to fulfill both the letter and the spirit of the Law for all who place their faith in HIM. When JESUS the blood of JESUS was shed, JESUS became the perfect sacrifice for sin. In 2 Corinthians 5:21 - ²¹ He (GOD) made the one who did not know sin (JESUS) to be sin^[e] for us (all who place their faith in JESUS), so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The shedding of HIS blood paid, in full, for all the sins. However, since sin is committed by the individual, each person must accept what JESUS has done for him or her believing that indeed JESUS did give HIS life for their sin. That not only ushered in abolishing the sins of the person of faith in JESUS but GOD’S Grace. Yes, Christians still sin and we must confess them. Why? Sin breaks fellowship with GOD.

Grace is not a license to sin. Paul used the word “don’t” in verse 13, which carried the idea of a strong negative, “absolutely, do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh.” It is an opportunity to serve and share the Good News that JESUS paid the price for sin. All who place their faith in JESUS are forgiven for all sin – past, present and future – therefore Christians are always righteous before GOD. At the instant of salvation, through faith in JESUS, a person is Spiritually born into GOD’S family, never to be unborn. That is a fact every Christian should rejoice in but not to use it to willfully do the things that displease GOD. Christians are to “serve one another through love.”

Paul was telling the Christians in Galatia when they loved one another as themselves, they were fulfilling the Law.

Paul addressed this in Romans 6:1-14:

6 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? ² Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness^[a] of life. ⁵ For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be^[b] in the likeness of his resurrection. ⁶ For we know that our old self^[c] was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin^[d] might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, ⁷ since a person who has died is freed^[e] from sin. ⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, ⁹ because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him. ¹⁰ For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹ So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.^[f]

¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey^[g] its desires. ¹³ And do not offer any parts^[h] of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.

In essence, when JESUS died every person who places his or her faith in JESUS died with HIM. When GOD raised JESUS from the dead, we were also raised with HIM to eternal life. The difference JESUS was raised to live in HIS Glorified Body and we were raised to live in our redeemed earth suit to minister upon earth for a season. Then upon completion of our earthly mission, Christians go to Heaven.

So, what are we to do when a brother or sister in CHRIST goes astray?

Let’s read Galatians 6:1-5:

6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit,^[a] watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted. ² Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else. ⁵ For each person will have to carry his own load.

As a preacher said many years ago, “when my figure is pointed at you, my thumb is pointing back to me.” Yes, Christians must be mindful of their own actions. I know that there was a time, years ago, when I thought I could walk through Hell and come out not having even the smell of smoke (figuratively speaking). But I found that was not true. But notice “I.” I had gotten in the way of JESUS. Life is always about JESUS and what HE can do through us. When we think we are the power, we can get into trouble very quick.

The Apostle Paul said it best in Philippians 4:13:

¹³ I am able to do all things through him^[d] who strengthens me. 

Living the Christian life is always about JESUS and what HE can do through us as we build the right relationship with HIM through faith and trust.

Let’s read Galatians 6:10:

¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.

The Holy Spirit leads Christians to the opportunity to serve according to HIS teaching plan for us. Having the right attitude toward others – both fellow Christians and non-Christians – is vital. All Christians are “a work in progress” as long as we walk upon earth. We never arrive at Spiritual perfection. Once, we exit our earth suits, we will experience perfection because when we see JESUS, we will be like HIM.

Consider 1 John 3:1-3:

3 See what great love^[a] the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him. ² Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears,^[b] we will be like him because we will see him as he is. ³ And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure.

The Apostle Paul was telling the Christians in Galatia and Christians everywhere to seize every opportunity our LORD brings our way. The Greeks had two words for time (1) chronos, which refers to chronological or sequential time e.g. time measured by clocks, hour glass, sundial, calendars. (2) Kairos, which referred to a set or proper time for something to happen. Kairos implies a point in time when specific elements come together to provide opportunity to serve. It is our privilege and duty to seize those opportunities. As GOD’S Children, HE places us strategically to minister to others – both fellow Christians and non-Christians. We are both the light and the salt. We are equipped to meet the need that GOD brings our way. We “belong to the household of faith.”

I have been upon earth for 82 years and HE is still working on me!

Blessings!!!