Galatians 5 – Page 2 – Ministry of Grace Church

Category: Galatians 5

Galatians 5:16 – Intimate Fellowship

Posted on February 10, 2008 by admin

Galatians 5:16

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Truth to Learn

When we’re submitted to the Lordship of our Heavenly Father, we will behave in a manner that glorifies Him.

Behind the Words

The word translated “walk” is peripateō, made up of peri, which means “around” and pateō, meaning “to walk.” So, literally this means “to walk around.” This word is often used as a metaphor for traversing through life.

“Spirit” is translated from pneuma, which literally refers to “a breath of air.” It is the vital breath or spirit of life which God breathed into Adam. Also, it is that part of man which exists independently of the body.

The word translated “fulfill” is teleō, which is the verb form of the noun telos, meaning “the end.” Hence this verb means “to end, to complete, or to fulfill.”

“Lust” is translated from epithumia, a compound word made up of epi, meaning “upon, above, or over” and a form of thumos, meaning “a strong passion of the mind.” Hence, epithumia refers to “overly strong desires.” It is used here in the singular because Paul is not referring to specific lusts but to the general tendency in us to have overly strong desires.

Finally, “flesh” is the Greek word sarx which refers to “the meat of an animal.” It is used metaphorically to refer to our human nature, sometimes referred to as our sin nature.

Meaning Explained

As we travel through this life, our senses are repeatedly stimulated by outside influences. Whatever the source, our fleshly reaction is to become mentally or emotionally aroused. If this reaction is not kept under control, it results in behavior which causes us to do things we shouldn’t do. In the extreme form, our fleshly reaction may cause us to strike out at others or commit personal acts of sin that we later regret.

This, apparently, is precisely the type of behavior that was occurring in the Galatian churches, causing the biting and devouring which Paul talked about in the previous verse. He now gives the antidote to these inappropriate thoughts and actions. He says, “Walk in the Spirit.” But what exactly does that mean? It means that we are to be living in constant fellowship with God through His Holy Spirit. In the Book of Proverbs it is expressed this way:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5, 6)

The Hebrew word translated “acknowledge” means to become intimately familiar. If we walk in constant intimate fellowship with God the Father, we will not allow the lustful tendencies of our flesh to have control. Instead, we yield control of all our thoughts and actions to Him who has the power to control them.

Application

The only way we can walk in the Spirit is to continually be in intimate fellowship with God. This requires us to daily, moment by moment, confess our sins, submit our will to His, and seek His glory rather than our own.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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Galatians 5:15 – Internal Combustion

Posted on February 7, 2008 by admin

Galatians 5:15

But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Truth to Learn

Fighting brings destruction. Submission and love bring peace.

Behind the Words

The word translated “bite” is daknō, meaning “to bite” or “to sting.” Metaphorically, it means “to bother or irritate someone.” The form of this verb implies current, continuous action.

The word “devour” is translated from katesthiō, a compound word made up of kata, used as an intensifier, and esthiō, meaning “to eat.” Hence, it means “to eat completely” or “to completely destroy.” This verb is also in a form that implies current, continuous action.

The expression “bite and devour” is one that was commonly used of dogs or wild animals attacking and fighting each other, often until both are severely wounded or dead.

“Consumed” is translated from analiskō, which is made up of ana, meaning “up” and haliskō, meaning “to take.” This word means to continually take parts of something until it is gone.

Meaning Explained

It appears that there was significant contention in the churches in Galatia between those who insisted on keeping the requirements of the law and those who refused to do so. Their feelings were so strong that it apparently produced divisive fighting between the two sides.

Paul has to be very careful how he addresses this issue because if there was already severe fighting within the churches there, his outspoken condemnation of legalism could be used by those who agree with him as ammunition against the legalizers. But Paul doesn’t want to fan the flames, he wants to put the fire out once and for all.

In the previous two verses he stressed that the position of salvation by faith apart from works should produce humility, a servant’s heart, and love. If, in fact, these are the characteristics demonstrated by those who oppose salvation by the law, then his teaching can have an impact on the teachers of false doctrine. But if those who hold to good doctrine continue to act like wild animals, then they demonstrate by their actions that their doctrine is no better than that of the false teachers.

Strife and contention inevitably occur any time two or more people gather together in any type of work. One mark of a true believer, however, is grace in action. That is, having a humble servant’s heart and showing genuine love for others. These are like salve on an open wound. Unfortunately, selfish sinfulness often rears its ugly head, and the result is biting and devouring.

There are some things which can’t be tolerated in the body of Christ, like the teaching of false doctrine. Most disagreements, however, can be dealt with by submissive love and grace.

Application

Are you involved in a contentious struggle today? If so, get on your knees before God with true humility and seek God’s guidance on how you can resolve the conflict with love.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 5:14 – Free to Love

Posted on February 6, 2008 by admin

Galatians 5:14

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Truth to Learn

Freedom from the law means freedom to love others.

Behind the Words

The word translated “fulfilled” is from the Greek plēroō, meaning “to fill” as one would fill a glass with water. However, this word is also used to express the fulfilling of an obligation or to completely satisfy legal requirements. This is the sense in which it is used in the current verse.

“Shall love” is translated from the future tense of agapē, the type of love that is focused on the welfare of the object of the love, rather than on self.

The word translated “neighbor” is plēsion, which is an adverb derived from the noun pelas meaning “near.” Hence, plesion refers to someone who is physically near to you, but it is also used of a fellow countryman or, as in this case, another member of the human race.

Meaning Explained

Paul has been strenuously arguing against the false teaching that keeping the Law of Moses is necessary for salvation. In the previous verse he introduced the new concept of freedom, or liberty. We have been set free from the bondage of the law, but that does not mean that we should live without any bounds.

When Paul says that “the law is fulfilled,” he is referring to the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. The Hebrew words from which we translate the expression “the Ten Commandments” literally mean “the Ten Words,” so when Paul says that the law is fulfilled in one word, he means that fully keeping a single commandment satisfies the spirit of all ten. That single commandment is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In his letter to the Christians in Philippi, Paul expressed it this way:

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each consider others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3, 4)

The Ten Commandments are often referred to as the two tablets of the law. The first tablet includes the first four commandments, which regulate our relationship with God. The second tablet includes the remaining six commandments, which regulate our relationship with others.

What Paul is saying is that trying to keep the requirements of the Law of Moses with all of its rites and requirements does not produce righteousness. Righteousness comes through faith, which applies to the first tablet of the law. Now that we have righteousness through faith, however, we can fulfill the second tablet if we live in such a manner that we always have the good of others on the same level as our own.

Application

One of the problems with the law, and the worldly messages with which we are inundated daily, is that they focus our attention on ourselves. Being free from the bondage of the law, however, means that we are now free to focus our efforts on loving others as much as we love ourselves.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 5:13 – Freedom to Serve

Posted on February 5, 2008 by admin

Galatians 5:13

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Truth to Learn

We have been set free from the penalty of sin. We have not been set free to sin as much as we want.

Behind the Words

The verb translated “have been called” is expressed in the Greek aorist tense, meaning past action that occurred at a point in time. Hence, it is best translated as “you were called.”

“Liberty” is translated from the Greek word eleutheria, which is a form of eleutheros meaning “a person who is free to go wherever he wants to go,” that is to say, someone who is not a slave but a free person. This form of the word refers to the property of not being bound and able to move about. It is probably best translated here as “freedom.”

The word translated “opportunity” is from a form of aphormē, which is made up of apo, meaning “from or away from” and hormē, meaning “a sudden rushing forward.” Hence, this word literally means a “rushing forward away from something.” More specifically, it is a reference to the point away from which someone is rushing, that is to say, a starting point. As a starting point for further action it is sometimes translated as “an opportunity,” as in the current verse.

The word translated “serve” is douleuete. This is derived from the word doulos, meaning “a bond servant” or “a slave.” The word in this verse is expressed in the imperative mood indicating a command. So Paul is saying, “Be a slave for each other!”

Meaning Explained

Christian liberty, or freedom, is a concept that is quite misunderstood within the church today. Paul has put forth great effort of thought and persuasion to instruct the Galatian Christians that they are not bound by the requirements of the Law of Moses and that keeping the law does not add to salvation, but detracts from it. The law binds those who try to keep it and we Christians are free from this servitude.

He tells us here that when we were called to salvation, we were called to freedom, not slavery. The cross of Christ has freed us from the bondage of the law. We are not to use our freedom from the requirements of the Law of Moses, however, as a starting point to go off and satisfy our fleshly desires in whatever manner we want.

Unfortunately, that’s how some of the early Christians viewed this freedom and how some view it today. They believe that since all our sins are paid for, we can indulge our fleshly desires and not worry about it, but according to Paul, that is most definitely wrong. Our freedom is not to be expressed through our lascivious living, but through our voluntary servitude to one another as an expression of our love.

Application

We may be free from the law, but with that freedom we are to voluntarily become a servant to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Christ volunteered His precious blood for your sins. Have you volunteered yourself as His servant in return?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 5:12 – Teachers Cut-off?

Posted on February 4, 2008 by admin

Galatians 5:12

I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!

Truth to Learn

False teachers and their teaching cause trouble in the church.

Behind the Words

The word translated “I could wish” is ophelon. At one point in time this word was used as the past tense of “I owe.” By the time of the first century, however, it had come to be used as an exclamatory interjection meaning “Oh that!” or “Would that!” or “I wish that!”

“Trouble” is translated from the verb anastatoō, which literally means “to rise up and depart.” This word is used of someone driving a person out of his own home. It is a more intense expression than the simple word “trouble” conveys.

The words “cut … off” are translated from the verb apokoptō, which is a compound word made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and koptō, which means “to chop down” or “to cut off.” This is the word that is used of cutting a person’s arm off; hence it also could be translated “amputate.” It is used here in the middle voice indicating action that they are doing to themselves.

Meaning Explained

There is a sharp difference of opinion as to what Paul is wishing for in this verse. This difference of opinion revolves around what Paul meant by the use of the word apokoptō. Some believe that Paul is saying that he wishes that the ones troubling the Galatian church with their false teaching would be excommunicated (cut-off) from the church. This is unlikely, however, since he expresses this word in the middle voice, which would mean that Paul wished that these people would excommunicate themselves. Since excommunication is an action that the leaders of a church take against others, it doesn’t make sense that they would excommunicate themselves.

The other viewpoint is that Paul is wishing that these who are teaching circumcision as a requirement for salvation would make thorough work of it in their own case and amputate (cut-off) themselves. This interpretation fits the grammatical construction of Paul’s writing; however, if this is the proper interpretation of this verse, it is one of the harshest declarations that the Apostle Paul makes in any of his writings. The primary reason for resisting this interpretation is that, supposedly, Paul would never use such a harsh and seemingly crude epithet regarding anyone.

But there is some basis for Paul’s making such a comment. During the first century, there were pagan religions where the priests and other devout followers would mutilate themselves by self-castration as a form of religious sacrifice. Possibly, this is what Paul was thinking of when he made this statement.

He used a similar word in Philippians when he warned the believers there to be on the lookout for false teachers, those teaching circumcision, which he referred to as mutilation:

Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! (Phlippians 3:2)

Application

Those who spread false teaching in the church do real damage to the faith and walk of our fellow Christians. We need to be vigilant in detecting these false teachers. And, when they are identified, we need to take firm action under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 5:11 – Persecuted for Righteousness

Posted on February 3, 2008 by admin

Galatians 5:11

And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.

Truth to Learn

Our message is offensive to those who refuse to believe.

Behind the Words

The word translated, “preach” is kērussō, which means to proclaim or announce a message publicly.” It is used here in the present tense, active voice, and indicative mood, which implies current continuous action. What Paul is saying is, “if I am still continually preaching circumcision …”

“Offense” is translated from skandalon, which refers to “the trigger of a trap on which the bait is placed.” Hence, it denotes an enticement to ruinous conduct. But this word is also used of the result of the conduct, as it is in this verse. In this case it means shameful or offensive. It is the word from which we get our English word “scandal.”

Meaning Explained

There are some who take the phrase, “if I am still preaching circumcision,” to mean that Paul had been accused by the false teachers of teaching the necessity of circumcision just like they did. If this was the case, then the charges were clearly fabricated since Paul spoke out strongly against the need for circumcision in both Jerusalem and Antioch. And after convincing the council at Jerusalem, Paul even carried the letter from the council back to Antioch, which said:

Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment (Acts 15:24)

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell. (Acts 4:28, 29)

It is more likely that Paul’s statement, “if I am still preaching circumcision” is a reference to his pre-conversion days when he was a Pharisee himself, proclaiming the necessity of keeping the whole law, including circumcision, in order to be righteous in God’s eyes.

Paul’s point is that if he were still preaching the necessity of circumcision, as he did before he was converted to Christianity, then his message would no longer be offensive to the Jews and they would not continue to persecute him. The truth of the matter is that the Jews did continue to persecute Paul, even making several attempts to kill him in order to silence his message.

Application

Preaching and living the truth of God’s word often results in persecution and false accusations; in fact, in his second letter to Timothy, Paul said:

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2Timothy 3:12)

Are you suffering because you are committed to living in the manner that identifies you as a Christian?

If so, then keep it up, because God is glorified!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 5:10 – Truth or Consequences

Posted on January 31, 2008 by admin

Galatians 5:10

I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.

Truth to Learn

Good doctrine produces confidence in the Church, and those who teach false doctrine will be judged harshly.

Behind the Words

The word translated “have confidence” is peithō, of which we saw differing forms in verses seven and eight, meaning “to persuade.” In this case it is used in the perfect tense, implying past completed action with a continuous on-going effect. Paul is saying, “I am persuaded with respect to you” or “I am convinced regarding you.”

The words “have … mind” are translated from phronō, meaning “to think” or “to have a mindset.” So, what Paul is saying is, “none of you will think differently” or it could be paraphrased as “you will all agree with me.”

Meaning Explained

Paul is continuing on with his word play on peithō (to persuade). In verse seven he asked, “Who tripped you up from being persuaded by the truth?” Then in verse eight he said, “The persuasion does not come from God.” Now, he says, “I am persuaded concerning you, that you will agree with me.” Notice that the persuasion that affected the Galatian Christians was not from God, but Paul’s persuasion is. That’s what Paul means when he says “in the Lord” in this verse.

Paul has been speaking fairly harshly to the Galatians because they had allowed false doctrine to infect their church. This verse now begins a section where Paul is talking more tenderly to them. Through his faith in Christ, he believed that he had clearly and fully stated his case regarding the false teaching of legalism and that his readers would understand and agree.

He appears equally confident that the false teachers would receive judgment. It is not clear here whether Paul believes this judgment will come from the church leaders or from God himself. Either way, we need to understand that those who preach and teach in the church have a sacred responsibility to present the truth, and it is a serious offense to teach error. James confirms the harsh judgment on teachers:

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. (James 3:1)

After all, according to 1 Corinthians 3:9-17, the church body is a building of God that we are all to be working on. Paul cautions us to be careful how we build if we are to receive a reward and not suffer loss. He even refers to the body of Christ (the church members) as the temple of God with the Holy Spirit living in us. And he admonishes us that defiling this temple (like teaching false doctrine) is punishable by God:

If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. (1 Corinthians 3:17)

Application

There seems to be a lack of interest among Christians today regarding doctrine. It is seen by some as being too rigid or (believe it or not) too legalistic. Paul would not agree. Teaching true Biblical doctrine is of utmost importance, as is the necessity of dealing with those who teach false doctrine. It’s either truth or consequences!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 5:9 – Leavenly Teaching

Posted on January 30, 2008 by admin

Galatians 5:9

A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

Truth to Learn

Any teaching in the church, no matter how small, which does not square with the Bible, needs to be abandoned.

Behind the Words

The word translated “leaven” is dzumē, which is probably derived from dzeō, meaning “to heat.” Leaven, or yeast, is a fermentation substance which, when added to flour causes a biochemical process that, among other things, produces heat.

“Lump” is translated from the Greek word phurama, which is derived from the verb phuraō meaning “to break, to dissolve, or to knead.” Hence, it refers to that which has been kneaded. This word is used to describe clay that is pounded and kneaded by a potter before making a vessel, and it is also used of a lump of bread dough before it is baked.

Meaning Explained

Paul has explained to the Galatian Christians that they have been tripped-up in their pursuit of a daily close walk with God. He said that they have been persuaded, not by the truth of God’s word but by the crafty message of the legalistic false teachers. The “tripping-up” that he is referring to is the inclusion of legalistic practices, added to simple faith, as necessary for salvation.

Either Paul has already heard a rebuttal of his points or he anticipates how these legalists might respond, “What harm does it do if some of us think this is necessary? It’s such a small matter, why make such a big deal about it?” But, Paul has made a big deal about it, and with good reason.

The symbol of leaven representing false teaching was originally put forth by Jesus to His disciples. After the Pharisees and Sadducees had tried to trap Jesus in His teachings, He warned His disciples,

And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:6)

The disciples, however, did not understand because they thought they were being admonished for forgetting to bring bread with them. Jesus immediately reminds them of His miraculous feeding of thousands from a few loaves and fish. Then He explained the real message:

“How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matthew 16:11, 12)

Paul now uses this same symbolism to warn the Galatian Christians that allowing even a little bit of false doctrine will lead to more and more and more. Eventually they will be so steeped in bad doctrine that they will not be able to distinguish good doctrine from bad.

Application

Today we are being told by the world that we need to be more tolerant of differences in lifestyles and ideals. When it comes to doctrines of the Christian faith, however, we need to reject any teaching which is not fully supported by the Bible.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 5:8 – Unfriendly Persuasion

Posted on January 29, 2008 by admin

Galatians 5:8

This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.

Truth to Learn

We need to be persuaded by the truth, not the seductive messages of the world and false teachers.

Behind the Words

The word “this” does not appear in the Greek text. Instead, this should have been translated “The persuasion does not …”

The word “persuasion” is translated from the Greek word peismonē, which is a noun derived from peitho. We saw this word in the previous verse meaning “to persuade or convince by strength of logical argument.” Hence, peismonē means “persuasion.” Paul appears to be once again making a play on words. In the previous verse he said, “Who tripped you up from being persuaded by the truth (referring to the true doctrine of God).” Now he says, “The persuasion to believe what these false teachers have taught you is not from God.”

“Calls” is translated from kaleō, which means “to call someone so that they will come or go somewhere.” The word is used in this verse as a participle in the present tense, indicating current continuous action. This verse could be translated as “The persuasion is not from the one who is calling you.”

Meaning Explained

The specific subject at hand is the teaching by the false apostles in the Churches in Galatia who claimed that in addition to believing the glorious truth of the gospel, one must keep the Law of Moses in order to be completely saved. And, if the law is to be kept, it must include circumcision.

In the previous verse Paul asked these confused believers who it is that tripped them up so that they should not be persuaded by the truth. Instead of being persuaded by the truth, the Christians in Galatia had been persuaded by false teachers, not by the truth of God.

Paul does not actually refer to God directly. He refers to Him as “the One who is calling you.” Like Jesus’ disciples during His earthly ministry, each one of us is called to follow Him.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9)

And we are commanded to live in a manner that shows that we honor that calling:

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, (Ephesians 4:1)

And, like a good shepherd daily calls his sheep to follow him, our Shepherd is constantly calling us to follow the paths of righteousness. Through the Word and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, God is constantly calling you to follow Him and the truths He teaches you.

Application

Daily you are bombarded by messages from the world to take care of yourself, good ol’ numero uno. After all, you’re worth it, you deserve it, and it will make you more desirable to others. But in the midst of all the shouting, there is a still small voice calling you daily to deny yourself and follow Him.

Who’s persuading you?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Galatians 5:7 – Tripped-up Runner

Posted on January 28, 2008 by admin

Galatians 5:7

You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

Truth to Learn

Get back in the race, pursuing the truth and serving God.

Behind the Words

The word translated “ran” is from the Greek word trechō, which means “to run.” This particular word is expressed in the imperfect tense, which indicates past continuous action or the commencement of action. Hence, this could have been translated as “You were running well” or “You started running well.”

“Hindered” is translated from engkoptō, which is a compound word made up of en, meaning “in” and koptō, meaning “to cut down” or “to strike.” This word is expressed in the aorist tense indicating a past action having taken place at a point in time (non-continuous). The imagery here is athletic. It is a picture of a person running in a race when he is cut down or tripped up by someone else in order to impede his progress.

The word translated “obeying” is peithō, the root meaning of which is “to persuade or convince by strength of logical argument.” Here it is expressed in the passive voice implying someone who has been convinced of a truth to the point of believing and obeying it. This could have been translated as “Who hindered you from being persuaded by the truth.”

Meaning Explained

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul pictures the Christian life as a race:

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. (1Corinthians 9:24)

Here, he tells the Galatian Christians that they began running the race quite well. But knowing that they have turned from the simple truth of the gospel to a set of legalistic practices, he asks them, “Who tripped you?” Like so many Christians, the Galatians had a good start at the Christian race, but somewhere along the line they were taught false doctrine which tripped them up.

Too many churches today are teaching convenient truths instead of the true doctrines of the Bible. Some preachers are afraid of offending (often for fear that the offering will be insufficient or attendance will fall off if they get too personal). Others, not wanting to get too deep into doctrine, are teaching social truths because they are easier to sell. The result is that we are not running the race well. Instead, we are left sitting by the wayside licking our wounds or standing around socializing instead of doing the work of building the body of Christ.

In this Christian race Paul never quit and he encouraged the Philippians to do the same.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13, 14)

Application

The Christian life is a constant challenge. Let us recommit to pursuing the truth, spreading the gospel message, and building up the body of Christ until that day when God calls us home!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –