Life Together
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Key Verse: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Selected Scripture: |
IN OUR LESSON FOR TODAY, the Apostle Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with the works of the Spirit. “The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”—Gal. 5:19-25
The apostle shows in the above verses what real Christian fellowship is all about. In chapter five, verse fifteen, we are admonished, “If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” Some of the Jewish brethren were causing divisions by insisting that the new Gentile brethren be forced to comply with the old Law Covenant and its old rules and regulations.
Christians are to “live in the Spirit,” and “walk in the Spirit.” (vs. 25) Those in Christ are to develop the mind of Christ—the disposition of being in one accord with others walking in the same narrow way. This way is the way of love. The apostle reminds us to “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”—Phil. 2:3
The ways of the flesh are the ways of “vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Gal. 5:26) To ‘provoke’ is to challenge or irritate. In chapter six the apostle gives us a formula to follow in getting along with one another. “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”—Gal. 6:1,2, New King James Version
Gentleness is called a “fruit of the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:22) It has the thought of moral excellence in character, goodness, or kindness. Chrestotes is the Greek word from Strong’s Bible Concordance. We find that Christian character is not mere moral or legal correctness, but the possession and manifestation of the graces of the Spirit.
Going back to our text from Galatians 6:1,2 we are to consider ourselves. We know we need to develop the character of Christ, and this means we start with ourselves, not looking at others. Next, we are told to “bear ye one another’s burdens.” What does this mean? This means we are to seek to relieve, by sympathy with and by counsel, those going through trials of any kind.
We cannot prove ourselves by someone else’s standards. We read, “Let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” (vs. 4) Finally, we work together by sharing together, one with another, God’s Word. We may do this when we meet together. We all need to have the fellowship one of another in all good things.—vs. 2