Monday, November 8, 2010

Galatians 6:9-10: Part 1 (Background Info)

Every day this we will be looking at Galatians 6:9-10, a passage that every believer should read and commit to heart.

Have you ever been weary? Paul understood what it was to be exhausted and discouraged: For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within (2 Cor. 5:7). But Paul also understood what a believer must do when he or she becomes weary:

6:9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.        
6:10 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. (NASB)

 
1. The Background of Galatians 6:9-10
  • The theme of Galatians is freedom in Christ. Without Him, we are hopelessly enslaved to sin, but His sacrifice has set us free!
  •  Paul also emphasized that salvation is not the result of good works, but trusting in Jesus Christ as our only Master and Savior.

2. The Immediate Context of Galatians 6:9-10
  • Galatians 5-6: Christian freedom does not negate Christian responsibility. Believers must serve God by “doing good.” Examples of "doing good" appear in chapters 5-6 ("expel the agitators [in the church], love your neighbor as yourself, keep in step with the Spirit by manifesting the fruit of the Spirit in your lives, practice church discipline by restoring those who have fallen, bear one another’s burdens, examine yourself in light of the judgment seat of Christ, and provide material support for those who instruct you in the faith").[1]
  • Galatians 6:1-8: The difference between the works of the flesh and the works of the Spirit. A person is known by the his or her fruits. A pastor once noted that it is not how high you cam jump, but how straight you walk when you hit the ground. A true believer will act like a believer!
 
Tomorrow, we will begin to get into the meat of Galatians 6:9-10, and learn what can cause us to grow weary in doing good.


[1] Timothy George, vol. 30, Galatians, electronic ed., Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001), 425.

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