Today’s reading: Exodus 28; Galatians 6
Galatians 6 is really interesting to me in that it is the only place in this letter than Paul gets “practical,” and he doesn’t spill that much ink on it. Now, to be fair, this whole letter is practical in the sense that it is addressing a very real and very serious issue of theology and practice going on in the Galatian church, and that is the reason he wrote the letter in the first place, but after 5 chapters of systematically tearing down the bogus theology they are being led into and building up a proper understanding of the gospel, Paul gives them only two short paragraphs on what the Christian life in community should look like.
This tells me two things: (1) The gospel is way more important than we tend to give it credit for, and (2) the practical things Paul does focus on are likely the most important.
In terms of (1), any believing church would recognize the gospel as essential, but it is so common for churches and denominations to squabble and divide over so many lesser things. You can be assured that the Galatians moving away from a mooring in the gospel was not the only issue in that church, but it is the only one that Paul was really concerned they get right. So as much of a “given”as that may seem to a lot of Christians, one important lesson of Galatians 6 is that the gospel absolutely must remain the main thing.
In terms of (2), since Paul only has a little bit of space left to write (I have to imagine he was running out of room on his scroll when he got to chapter 6), that tells me that the couple practical things he focuses on are also really important things for us (as the church) to focus on and get right, and they are honestly a little surprising in that regard because I’m not sure they are the ones I would pick if left to my own devices.
Ultimately Paul gives us three practical things in Galatians 6:
- Restore those caught in sin gently
- Bear one another’s burdens (serve one another)
- Give generously/faithfully
I don’t really feel like I have the space in this post to dive into each of these separately this morning, but is this your view of Christian community? A community in which we can be open with the worst parts of ourselves and expect, rather than judgment, a gentle hand to help us break free of destructive patterns of sin that have enslaved us for so long? A community in which practically serving one another and ensuring the physical and functional needs of the community are met is a top priority? A community which is generous to the point of actively seeking out ways to give even more so that they may reap a harvest of righteousness?
After ensuring that the Galatian church is grounded in the grace of Christ, and that alone, this is the picture Paul calls for of a thriving spiritual community. As simple as this picture is, it’s a challenging one, and admittedly, too often, I have to say my priorities are not what they should be…
Lord, with all the practicalities that come with running/being a church community, it is way too easy to lose sight of the simple but profound things Paul calls the Galatians to prioritize here. Keep our minds and hearts rooted, first and foremost, in the gospel, and teach us continually to prioritize the things you say are most important in reflecting your love out into a lost and hurting world.
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