“True Spirituality” Galatians
INTRO: One of the strangest movements in church
history
was a group called
the Pillar Saints—during the 5th century A.D.
The
leader of Pillar Saints was a man named Simeon the Stylite
(pillar in Greek).
Simeon built a pillar nine feet tall on the
edge of the
Got up on top of it and lived there for six
years.
Many
people came to see him and asked what he was doing.
He explained that this was the way for him
to separate himself from distractions,
and temptations, and
get closer to God and become a truly spiritual person.
Other
people got into the act and built their own pillars
They became known as the Pillar Saints.
Many
people who admired them for their commitment to Christ
would bring them
food and water, and listen to their preaching.
As
bizarre and Simeon and the Pillar Saints were—
they represent a
way of thinking about the Christian life that continues to this day.
If
you had asked Simeon:
How can I, as a Christian, live a truly
spiritual life?
How can I live by the Spirit, and keep in
step with the Spirit?
He
would have probably said something like this:
Focus on your private relationship with God.
The
more private you can be, more you can get away from distractions,
the more you can
get alone with God, the more spiritual you will be.
Suppose
a young Christian came to you and asked:
How can I, as a Christian, live a truly
spiritual life?
How can I live by the Spirit, and keep in
step with the Spirit?
What’s
the first answer that comes to your mind?
Read your Bible.
You and God have got to be alone.
That’s the number one, important thing.
That’s
the way we tend to think.
That true spirituality is something that
takes place in private.
Isn’t
it curious that that is not what Paul says.
If
you had asked Paul:
How can I, as a Christian, live a truly
spiritual life?
How can I live by the Spirit, and keep in
step with the Spirit?
He would
say:
By bringing the Gospel
into your relationships with people in your church.
Verse 25: Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in
step with the Spirit.
Then Paul tells us what this looks like—
Doesn’t say read your Bible, regularly pull
away and get alone with God.
Five instructions concerning your relationships with fellow church
members.
Passage full of terms “one another” “each other”
“brothers”
These
five instructions can only be carried out fully
within the life in
the local church.
You
can’t live out these things on a pillar in the desert.
You can’t live out these things if you have
a superficial connection to the regular
life of your
church—even if you spend lots of time reading your Bible.
Obviously
you have to read your Bible.
You wouldn’t even know what Paul says in
Galatians if you didn’t.
You wouldn’t know the Gospel.
Wouldn’t have the power for doing these
things Paul mentions.
Obviously
you have to pray and draw close to the Lord—
that’s a natural
part of the Christian life.
But
as this passage clearly shows us—the truly spiritual life,
is life within the
body of Christ.
It’s
life with lots of distractions in the form of real people—
people sitting in
the pew with you,
people in your
Sunday school class,
or in your Covenant
Group, or in Youth Group.
True
spirituality—
means bringing the
Gospel to bear in dealings with one another in your church.
Five instructions. Let’s look
at each.
MP#1 True spirituality is not provoking and
envying one another.
vs. 26 “Let us not become conceited, provoking and
envying each other.”
Notice Paul says that both
the tendency to provoke and the tendency to envy
are expressions of
being conceited.
This word “conceited” is
translated “vain-glory” in the King James Version.
A literal translation of
this Greek word, two words connected, empty & glory.
Being conceited or
vain-glorious is to have a perceived absence of glory—
and therefore the
need to prove yourself glorious, to gain honor for yourself.
According to Paul, because of
vain glory, your relations with other people
will often be
characterized by either provoking or envying.
You will size up every person. Is this person below me or above me?
If you determine that the
person is below you—
then your stance
toward that person will be one of superiority, will look down.
That’s what Paul means by
provoking. Challenge. I’m better.
You may communicate that in a subtle or not
so subtle way, or keep to self.
But if you determine that the
person is above you—
then your stance
toward that person will be one of inferiority, will look up.
You will be envious. Will either criticize or flatter or both.
Both of these responses
(inferiority complex, superiority complex)
are characteristics
of a self-absorbed, self-centered person, hungry for glory.
The Gospel cuts the root of your
vain-glory.
It humbles you by showing that you are a
sinner, saved only by grace.
It lifts you by showing that you are loved
and honored by God Himself.
When you no longer think or
function as if earning God’s favor by performance—
no longer hungry
for glory—can approach people without provoking or envying.
Paul says true spirituality
is using the Gospel to cut the root of your vain glory—
so that you no
longer provoke those below you, envy those above you.
The place you work this out
is not in private, on a pillar in desert,
but rubbing
shoulders with “one another.” In your participation in life of church.
In this church there are
people who are lower than you and higher than you—
economically,
educationally, and socially. Some better looking, some not.
Some more successful in
marriage, child-rearing, others not.
It is with one another, in
the church, learn to walk with the Spirit, without
conceit.
MP#2
True spirituality is restoring one another from sin.
vs. 1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a
sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.
But watch yourself, or you also may be
tempted.”
Lots could be said about this
verse in terms of formal church discipline—
but let’s stick to
the big theme of walking with the Spirit—
how this applies to
all Christians, not just church officers.
There will be times when a
brother or sister in your church will be caught in a sin.
Lots of sins we commit we are not caught
in—sins of mind, secret sins.
But sometimes a brothers or
sister is caught in a sin—known to few or many.
Paul says that a mark of true spirituality
is to be able to restore a brother.
Some Christians don’t
understand this. Don’t see the need for
restoration.
Think restoration is judgmental. All we need to do is forgive and forget.
Read a pastor’s account of
woman in his church, volunteer in pregnancy center.
One day she told staff that she was pregnant
out of wedlock.
Also told them she was sure that as Christians, would not hold it against her.
She was unpleasantly surprised
when she learned that she had to be restored.
Restoration required her to step down, confess
sin, give evidence of repentance.
The Gospel alone gives you
the framework for restoring someone.
Because Paul says that it must be done
gently, and with you watching yourself.
Gently because it is so
painful. It’s been compared to
setting a broken bone.
The only way you will do it
gently, is if you know the Gospel.
Gospel constantly reminds you of the love
and gentleness of Jesus towards you.
John Newton: “The Lord makes some of his children warnings
and examples for others, as he
pleases. They who are spared, and whose worse
deviations are known only to the Lord and
themselves have
great reason to be thankful. I am sure I
am.” But nothing to
boast about.
That goes hand in hand with
Paul’s warning to watch yourself, lest you be tempted.
There is an insidious pride that creeps in
when dealing with people caught in sin.
You cannot help feeling
morally superior—unless you know the Gospel.
Gospel constantly reminds you of your
wickedness that sent Jesus to the cross.
Paul says that true
spirituality is using the Gospel in restoring brothers and sisters.
The place you do this is not
in private, on a pillar in the desert,
but in the family
of God—with brothers and sisters you have known for years.
Do you want to walk with the
Spirit? You must be involved in life of
the church—
so that when a
brother is caught in a sin, you are there to restore him.
MP#3
True spirituality is bearing one another’s burdens.
“Carry each other's burdens,
and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Once a
neighbor asked me to help him move washing machine out of basement.
He had it on a dolly, but could only get it
up a step or two.
I went down in basement with him, while he
pulled on handles, I lifted.
When you help someone carry a
physical burden, some things have to do.
You have to get close to him, can’t shout
advice from top of stairs.
Then you have to put yourself under the
burden, so that part of the weight on you.
You can apply that to what
Paul says in this verse.
Christians have burdens. Let me list some.
Sorrow, grief, regrets, worry, doubts,
failures, weaknesses, poverty,
depression,
loneliness, illness, divorce, disability.
Burden bearing means that you
get close to the person—
and then in some way
put herself under his or her burden—
so that part of the
weight falls on you.
This takes many forms,
depending on the need.
Remember a number of years
ago, family in our church, no longer with us—
who had a heavy
burden that had been on them for a long time.
Husband told me how another
family in this church who knew what they were
going through would
invite them over occasionally to cook out.
He said the most encouraging
thing was they didn’t talk about their problems.
We could just laugh and eat with our
Christian friends.
Sometimes people do want to
talk about problems, and for you to listen.
That’s the way you carry burden. Or helping financially, or
with children.
Paul says that doing this
fulfills the law of Christ.
Paul is getting a dig in at
the Judaizers—remember from
earlier chapters?
Judaizers laid a
burden on Gentile believers. Truly be
saved, keep law of Moses.
Paul gives his great argument
for the Gospel—for justification.
Knowing the Gospel means you don’t lay burdens
on other Christians, help carry.
That’s the law of Christ. Loving one another so that
you bear burdens.
True spirituality is being
motivated by the Gospel to bear one another’s burdens.
You can’t do that in private, on your pillar
in the desert—
but in a church
where you get to know people and their burdens.
MP#4
True spirituality is not comparing yourself to one another.
If anyone thinks he is
something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he
can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each
one should carry his own load.
This is an interesting
verse.
Paul first says not to think too highly of
yourself when you are really nothing.
Then he says that you need to take pride in
yourself.
He also says that you should
carry your own load—
even though he has
just said that we should carry each other’s burdens.
The key is the phrase:
“Without comparing himself to somebody else.
Walking with the Spirit means
you don’t compare yourself to other Christians.
You know them so well that you are there to
restore them when caught in sin.
You see their burdens and weaknesses so you step
in to bear them.
A constant temptation in
church life is to compare yourself to other believers.
I haven’t been caught in that sin—I must be
growing spiritually.
I don’t have that problem—I must be
spiritually mature.
Or even the other direction. I’ll never be as far along as he is.
It’s a natural response of a
self-righteous heart.
We set standards that we think we can keep
and then judge ourselves by them.
Instead, each one of us is to carry his own load.
Listen to the way Tim Keller
explains this passage. Printed in your bulletin.
“God has given each of us a different set of
liabilities and opportunities, a different set of weakness and gifts. These are our ‘load’—our responsibility
before God. We are therefore not to compare
ourselves with others. We must look at
our particular tests and duties and respond to them obediently. If we see life in this way, we will judge our
life-work today against where we have been.
When we see progress, we will take legitimate pride in it, whether or
not we are better or worse than someone else.
Also, if we see life this way, we will be slow to judge others as
well. For example, if we see someone
being irritable, we will think, ‘I don’t know what pressures that person is
facing nor what level of emotional self-control he
began with. Maybe he is actually obeying
God better than me today!”
If true spirituality were
something you achieve in private, this wouldn’t be an issue.
Just withdraw and read your Bible. Go out to your pillar in the desert.
But in real church life,
being so close to other believers,
seeing their
failures and victories at such close range, tempted to forget Gospel,
and compare yourself
rather than concentrating on God’s work in you.
MP#5
True spirituality is sharing with one another.
Anyone who receives instruction in the word
must share all good things with his instructor.
The kind of sharing that Paul
mentions is primarily the kind that takes place
between a pastor
and his congregation.
Both the minister and the
church have something to share.
The minister shares good, solid teaching
from the Bible.
The people share all good
things with him—simply means financial support.
Galatians is probably the
earliest book of the New Testament—
so here we see that
very early on the church began to develop a paid pastorate.
Paul follows up with this in
several of his letters.
Those who preach the Gospel have a right to
make a living from the Gospel.
Lots could be said here in terms of church
finances, pastoral pay.
But let’s stick to Paul’s big
theme of walking with the Spirit.
Sharing with one another, particularly you
financially supporting your minister—
is an essential
part of walking with the Spirit.
God has established this
order.
In the church there is to be a relationship
between one who instructs in the Word
and one who
receives instruction in the Word.
The minister is the primary
instructor, but every church has other instructors.
Women’s Bible studies, gifted instructors.
Sunday school classes week after week for
children and adults—
instructors who
put time and effort into lessons.
Youth Group instructed on Wednesdays, plans
for more in-depth instruction.
Lord expects those who
receive instruction share good things with instructors.
Financial support when needed, also words of
thanks, expressions of gratitude.
Paul says that this is a mark of true
spirituality.
Reason is obvious.
Because your
sharing good things is an indication of what you hold precious.
The thing you receive from instruction is
nothing less than Gospel itself—
the Good News of
life, Christ and all His benefits.
This does not in any way mean
that private Bible reading and study not important.
Tremendously important. But clear that God’s will for his people is
that they
walk with the Spirit
by coming under the instruction of the Word,
and expressing
their gratitude for it with generous sharing.
CONC: Remember Simeon the Stylite?
Eventually he decided he was not spiritual
enough—pillar only 9 feet tall.
With help of admirers, built one 54 feet
high, 3 feet in diameter—
and there he lived
until his death 30 years later.
God
blessed Simeon in many ways.
People came from far and wide—there are
records of conversions.
People would see him up there, go away
determined to live more devoted lives.
But
if we take God’s word seriously, it is clear that he would have been more
fruitful if he had
climbed down, and lived the spiritual life in the biblical way—
in the church,
bringing the Gospel
to bear in his relations with God’s people week after week.
How
do you, as a Christian, live a truly spiritual life?
How do you live by the Spirit, and keep in
step with the Spirit?
By
bringing the Gospel into your relationships with people in your church—
this church.
By
using the Gospel to cut the root of your conceit,
so that you no
longer provoke those below you or envy those above you.
By
keeping the Gospel in mind when you restore a brother caught in a sin—
allowing it make
you gentle and mindful of your own sinfulness.
By experiencing the Gospel as the great burden-lifter.
Jesus lifting the weight of your guilt and
legalism—
so that you can get
close to a brother or sister and help him carry his burden.
By
seeing the Gospel as God’s claim on your life,
so that you no
longer compare yourself to other believers
to feed your
self-righteousness.
By
cherishing the Gospel as the words of life,
so that you share
whatever is needed with those people in the church
God has given you as your instructors.
Since we live by the Spirit,
let us keep in step with the Spirit.