ChristianGovernance e-letter – November 17, 2010
God’s law in brief

Galatians 6:1-10

This is the Scripture passage that pertains to the “God’s law in brief” commentary.

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Commentary and analysis

Galatians 6: 1-10 is a fascinating passage in terms of self-government and personal responsibility. I have reprinted this passage at the bottom of the other column of this e-letter. Please take the time to read it before reading this commentary on the passage.

Verse 5 tells us to carry our own load, to take responsibility for our own lives, rather than blame-shifting.

This comment is made in the context of verse 4, which tells us to take pride in ourselves instead of comparing ourselves to others. In other words, we should act in a way that we can be proud of: responsible, dignified, respectful of others, etc. And we stand or fall in terms of our relationship with God, not in terms of our relative standing among others. That kind of relative, or relativistic, assessment results in the erosion of standards, and the accommodation of inferiority and corruption. That attitude is the very opposite of the spirit of self-government.

Verse 2 tells us to carry each other’s burdens as an exercise of charity. So we are to carry our own burdens, taking responsibility for our own actions and circumstances. But Christianity is the antithesis of the Darwinian ethic of survival of the fittest. Much is made in Scripture of the importance of personal charity towards those who need help carrying their load.

The spirit of entitlement whereby one who is having difficulty thinks he has the right to expect help from others is not in view here. Nor is the institutionalization of charity by those who want to shift personal responsibility to the state.

Verse 3 reinforces the responsibility of charity by telling the reader that, if he thinks he is above demonstrating charity, then he is self-deceived. That would be a characteristic of those who prefer to let the state handle charity for fear of getting their own hands dirty.

Verses 7 and 8 then tell us that a man reaps what he sows. When you sow to please the flesh, you reap destruction. This would be the sowing of self-righteousness, greed, blame-shifting, irresponsibility. But when you sow to please the Spirit, you reap eternal life. This would be the sowing of generosity, service, self-government, personal responsibility.

Verse 9, then tells us not to become weary in well-doing. Reflect on an application of this exhortation that you may not have considered. This passage seems first to be encouraging us to continue to serve the needy, to continue to give to the poor.

That’s fine, but also consider the following… maybe this verse also has something to say to those with good hearts, but bad theology, who get weary about constantly seeing the poor all around them, daily facing the hungry stares of children, continually working with the homeless. Many Christians involved in such work have become weary and so, instead of embracing the multifaceted work of God through poverty – the covenantal, judging, redemptive, discipling work of God – they have become exasperated. This has led to attempts to short-circuit or bypass the work of God in poverty by appealing to the state to use the power of the sword to redistribute income for the poor in place of genuine charity.

The hope is that this access to greater funds will more quickly alleviate poverty. But God is not mocked, and poverty is not strictly, or even primarily, a material issue, so this strategy never works. More often than not it exacerbates the misery of poverty in various ways.

I believe that the appeal to the state to alleviate poverty is an example of people, as well-meaning as they may be, who have sadly become weary in doing good. They no longer want to submit to God’s timetable for the reaping that he has promised to those who do not give up.

Verse 10 urges us to do good, “especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Most of today’s socialists, including Christians, are very hostile to the notion of preferential treatment in charity. There is a strident commitment to the ideology of egalitarianism in today’s poverty relief circles. (The idea of distinguishing between the “deserving poor” and the “undeserving poor” is anathema – even in many Christian circles.)

This passage is one of many which demonstrates the unbiblical nature of this egalitarian thinking. Yes, we are to do good to all people, including the provision of charity where necessary, but with a priority structure – “especially” to fellow Christians.

This kind of thinking would be considered selfish and uncharitable in many circles today, which demonstrates how perverse the notion of charity can become when divorced of its Biblical moorings. God is clear that, in a world of limited resources (time, energy, money, etc.), we are to give priority to other Christians. If we feel guilty about this, we need to repent and ask God to change our hearts and minds on this matter.

When the Church is strong, it is better positioned to accomplish God’s purposes for the Church in this world. Understood correctly, and followed through Biblically, this priority for the Church is a gracious provision by God, not a selfish posture.

Let us remember these important teachings about self-government and its relationship to genuine charity and the service of others. Self-government under God is vital for the reformation of Canada.