Mustard Seed Thoughts #7

In Galatians Ch 6, Paul refers to the church as ‘the household of faith’ Gal 6:10. If you think about it further, this is a very powerful and relational term. ‘Household’ depicts family, relationship. ‘Faith’ refers to believers who live by their faith in Jesus Christ.

The Galatian Christians were faced with challenges from some religious leaders who demanded that they (believers) continued in the practices of their old religious beliefs even though they had come to know Christ. Paul was angry and was appalled by their insistence. Worst still, these believers had succumbed to the leaders’ threats. Paul’s call was that they lived by this new found faith (which was a freedom from their past) instead of being in bondage again.

Today, we see a lot of ‘religious’ leaders in churches who insist on their own superior interpretation of Christian living: they are harsh, judgmental, punitive, super spiritual and prejudiced. This results in Christians behaving a certain way in church (just to pretend to be fine before these leaders and others) while they live like unbelievers outside the church. Instead of raising a generation of free and passionate believers, we breed hypocrites in the church: people who live dual lives.

In the closing remarks of the letter to the Galatians, Paul used these words…” do good to all especially to the household of faith. “ We are supposed to do good to one another. He offers 5 ways to do this:

Restore
There are many wounded and discouraged believers who enter the church each week. We should help encourage them instead of being harsh with them. Paul encouraged them to restore any fallen ones with gentleness 6:1. The church should always be redemptive and not punitive.

Relieve
We should bear one another’s burdens. 6:2. This is family. Family helps and supports one another – through good and bad times. The world will see the difference when we are truly ‘family. In most cases, members do not relate. Relationships are superficial - the occasional ‘hi and bye’. At MSC, we emphasize strong and genuine relationships where no one needs to fear that he/she is being judged. Instead we will extend our hands to support one another. We all have our own struggles.

Respect
This relationship must come out of humility and mutual respect. 6:3,4. No one is special or preferred. The ‘I’ factor must be eliminated so that we do not think we are better than anyone in the church regardless of the status or position in life.

Reward
Simply put – give to those who have blessed you. 6:6. Be givers instead of takers. Learn to be appreciative of others and honor those who have contributed to your lives.

Reap
I can’t emphasize more of being ‘in the spirit’ rather than in the flesh. 6:8,9. This spiritual family can only be realized by its members being spiritual not religious. We should relate to one another ‘in the spirit’ and consider each other as one in this family. Everyone is made ‘in the image of God’ so we must see others as we see Jesus. We will then reap this ‘everlasting (overflowing) life’ 6:8

Let us do good to all in this ‘household of faith’ that we call ‘our church- our spiritual family’. We want to be real and genuine in our relationships so that together, we can strengthen one another in Christ.