The Promise of Doing Good
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The Promise of Doing Good
The Promise of Doing Good
Growing up, the idea of doing good works was minimized. One reason was that our salvation is a gift of God, not of works. Preachers were afraid that if they emphasized good works, that people would get the impression that they were saved by those works, so they deemphasized them.
A second element was the politicization of good works. By that I mean that instead of individuals doing good works, people started to advocate for justice, equality, temperance, child labor laws, desegregation, workers right and more in the political and governmental spheres.
Whereas the preachers thought there was hope for individuals, the idea that changing government policy would have any resulting spiritual impact was questioned. If the purpose of the Christian faith is to impact the spiritual life of individuals, then working to improve secular society was not seen as a Biblical goal.
The result of this minimialization was that our churches have become teaching centers and many people have assumed the role as listeners. Many churches are not known as “doers” and many who go to church can be very passive in their faith.
But God wants us to be doers of the word, not hearers only. He has called us to do good works. The good works don’t save, but are a fruit of a person who has faith in Jesus Christ. We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
(ESV) —9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
We have looked at the picture of doing good. In the New Testament time and in the first century, people really helped other people.
We have looked at the picture of doing good. In the New Testament time and in the first century, people really helped other people.
We looked at the priorities of doing good. Christians had a set priority of God first, family second, fellow believers, third, and those with needs in the world around them, fourth.
We looked at the problem of doing good. We can grow weary.
As part of the motivation, Paul mentions another “P”, the promise of doing good.
The Promise of Doing Good
The Promise of Doing Good
In due season we will reap if we do not give up!
In due season we will reap if we do not give up!
This is the promise of doing good.
There are some who believe that looking for a reward is not a Christian thing to do. I would ask them this question, “If we should not look for rewards, then why does the Bible mention them?” Some day we will lay them down at Jesus’ feet, but that will only be after we receive them.
Let’s say that you help someone, and they give you money. You might return the money to them and say that you are doing it because he or she is a friend or you just want to help. Yet, their willingness to pay validates even more your value to them and the rightness of refusing the pay.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
(ESV) —6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
What is promised to those who do good works? We are promised that we will reap what we sow.
What is promised to those who do good works? We are promised that we will reap what we sow.
If you put corn seed in the ground, you will get corn at harvest time. If you put sunflower seeds in the ground you will get sunflowers.
The promise is that what you plant is what you will get for fruit. In other words, “What comes around, goes around.”
What will we reap?
What will we reap?
First, we will reap eternal life.
First, we will reap eternal life.
7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
(ESV) —7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Paul contrasts two types of soil. One is where we put our seed into our flesh. The second is where we put out seed into the Spirit of God.
Galatians 6:8
Paul contrasts two types of soil. One is where we put our seed into our flesh. The second is where we put out seed into the Spirit of God.
Galatians addresses a huge problem in the early church that is not present today. This letter was effective in shaping the future of the church so that this issue is a non-issue.
The problem in Galatians was that early Jewish Christians believed that a new believer needed to be circumcised. This was the entrance point for new converts into Judaism, so they brought this with them into the Christian faith.
Circumcision cuts off flesh. It is something done to the body. These teachers focused on the importance of doing this ritual to the physical body.
Paul has argued throughout this letter that what is important is not what we do to our physical body, but how we respond to the Holy Spirit within us.
In the same way, many today will focus on some ritual that we do with our bodies as necessary for our salvation. According to them, we need to baptize our infants or be baptized ourselves in order to be saved. We need to join the church or live up to certain standards in order to be considered a Christian.
Paul has earlier made the point that the focus on our own bodies leads to sin.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
(ESV) —16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The lifestyle listed in this passage reveals the fate of those who live this way. They will not inherit the kingdom of God.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The lifestyle listed in this passage reveals the fate of those who live this way. They will not inherit the kingdom of God.
An inheritance is a gift, not something earned. What this behavior shows is that the people who did these things were not followers of Jesus. They didn’t trust him. If we trust Jesus we will follow him.
This focus on our bodies leads to corruption.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Galatians 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
When our main concern is on how we look, what others think of us, how we can make ourselves comfortable, how we can enjoy our lives and make it pleasurable, then we are headed toward corruption.
When our main concern is on how we look, what others think of us, how we can make ourselves comfortable, how we can enjoy our lives and make it pleasurable, then we are headed toward corruption.
We live in a day when people are self-centered. This self-centeredness is now a part of our culture.
In Biblical times, supporting our family, our nation, and our people were important. We wanted to honor our parents, not dishonor them.
Today what is important is self-expression. Freedom is defined as me being my own person. Biblical freedom is illustrated in our ability to serve others.
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
(ESV) —13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
The freedom that is espoused by our culture only gives opportunity for the flesh. If we sow to the flesh, we will reap from the flesh corruption.
The freedom that is espoused by our culture only gives opportunity for the flesh. If we sow to the flesh, we will reap from the flesh corruption.
That is what is happening in our world today. The focus on self-expression, self-actualization is fragmenting our society. We find divisions among the various cultures; the various political parties and these are not permeating even the church.
The last election was so heated that family members either did not attend family Thanksgiving meals or did so under great stress because someone in the family voted for someone on the other side. That is not Christian! We are to bless those who curse us and do good to those who despitefully use us.
We are seeing the fracturing of our nation because of this focus on self. There are other reasons, but this one is prominent.
The corruption given here also moves us into the judgment of God. When we sow to the flesh, we dive into the corruption associated with sin. God will not tolerate sin and sinners forever. Judgment awaits us and those who sow to the flesh will receive theirs.
The opposite is also true.
The promise to believers, to those who do not grow weary in doing good works, is that we also will reap what we sow.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Galatians 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
The seeds you plant into the Spirit will reap eternal life.
The seeds you plant into the Spirit will reap eternal life.
This happens on two levels.
First, if you are a better person as a result of your faith in Christ, that is a confirmation that the Spirit of God is working in you.
The fact that we are less self-centered and more serving oriented is a work of the Holy Spirit. If you have the Holy Spirit, you are a Christian. If you are a Christian you have eternal life.
As a lifestyle of sin identifies the person who will not inherit the kingdom of God, the lifestyle produced by the Holy Spirit identifies the person who has eternal life.
We think of eternal life as living forever. That is true in part, but the Bible teaches that everyone lives forever. The soul is eternal.
Second, when you live by planting seek in the Spirit’s field, you will experience for yourself the qualities that mark the Spirit of God.
Eternal life describes the life that is marked by eternal qualities. This life is the life of Jesus in us. It is the Christian life. It is the life that has eternal value and values eternal things.
There is a quality of life that Adam and Eve experienced where God was at the center and they lived for him. Sin destroyed that life. Christ removed the sin and gave us the Holy Spirit so that we could experience that better life that we lost. If we sow to the Spirit, the promise is that we will experience the blessings God has for us.
What does this eternal life look like? The Holy Spirit is working in our lives and when He is doing his work, our lives are changed.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
(ESV) —22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
This life that is planted produces greater love in ourselves for others, greater joy in the face of trials, greater peace in the midst of turmoil, greater patience in light of the obstacles we face, greater kindness towards other, a greater goodness in that we do things to benefit others.
This life that is planted produces greater love in ourselves for others, greater joy in the face of trials, greater peace in the midst of turmoil, greater patience in light of the obstacles we face, greater kindness towards other, a greater goodness in that we do things to benefit others.
This goodness, this concern for others, is what Paul is pleading for the Galatians to embrace. When they do, they sow into the Spirit and the people who do this will not only help others, but will benefit themselves.
One way that this shows up is that often we receive what we give.
Next week we have a missions focus. We are calling in Christians from the State of Maine who can give us a vision of what helping others looks like.
Let me challenge you to come out Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Don’t tell the people who will be speaking, but as they talk I encourage you to look for four things.
First, look at the picture of what doing good looks like to them. Does it look Christian?
Second, look at the priorities that they speak about. Is God first? What effect has this had on their family? How has it affected their church? What influence has it had in the lives of people who don’t know Christ?
Third, look at the problem of doing good. Note any weariness they might speak about. Note any side references to any thoughts of quitting or giving up.
Fourth, look at the promise of doing good. What effect has this had on their spiritual growth? How many times do they share that the people they are trying to help have in turn, volunteered to help them in some way.
Finally, what good are you doing? What are you doing for Jesus? If God is first, then this question must be asked? This church needs help in a lot of areas. Are you willing to help? There are people who need help. Are you willing to help them?
This next week a thought or ministry may grip your heart and challenge you. Our prayer is that if the Spirit of God speaks to you to be involved in good works within our present ministries or in starting a new ministry, that you would explore that with us.
We don’t know what God will do this coming weekend to challenge the young and the old to live out the Spirit-filled life in our communities. So we will pray that God will do something and that what he does will last for his glory.