Beyond The Four Spiritual Laws

[Beetow]

● Gal 6:1a . . Brethren, even if someone is caught in the very act of any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness;

The Greek word for "trespass" is interesting. It can refer to willful misconduct and/or to unintentional misconduct. Seeing as how willful misconduct is dealt with harshly and summarily as per 1Cor 5:1-13 while in this situation gently, then I'd say Gal 6:1 is referring to unintentional misconduct; which doesn't merit a public flogging; but rather a quiet talk; and the more private the better in order to avoid embarrassing the unintentional offender.

Restoration does not apply to visitors; only to members on a church's roles; i.e. the congregation. The visitors' business is none of our business so don't go sticking your nose in it.

The Greek word for "restore" basically means to repair or adjust, viz: restoration applies to maladjusted Christians, i.e. the ones whose misconduct is habitual, and quite possibly detrimental to a church's overall health.

A spirit of gentleness precludes the use of bullying, intimidation, rage. yelling, demeaning comments, lecturing, scolding, biting sarcasm, ugly remarks, carping criticism, brow beating, and such. Those kinds of behaviors aren't gentle, no, they're cruel and abusive. They're also unwarranted when the accused has committed an unintentional trespass.

» The instructions given in Gal 6:1 pertain only to spiritual Christians; garden variety, rank and file pew warmers-- viz: marginal Christians --need not concern themselves with it.

In churches where people are conceited, assertive, confrontational, embroiled in petty rivalries, debating, quarrelling, and maybe even jostling for notoriety; the spiritual ones are obviously going to be as scarce as California Condors.

"each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted." (Gal 6:1b)

The Greek word for "tempted" is somewhat ambiguous. It primarily means to test; but can also mean endeavor, scrutinize, entice, and/or discipline.

I think what the restorers are being cautioned against is going about a right thing in a wrong way so that they themselves wind up taken to task for conduct unbecoming. In some people's minds, the end justifies the means so long as it benefits the so-called greater good. But that's Machiavellian thinking rather than Christian thinking.

In other words: the restorers need to tread lightly because if they go after an alleged offender like a lynch mob; then they themselves should expect to be seen by others as a toxic menace and a threat to peace, trust, and cohesion.
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[Beetow]

● Gal 6:2 . . Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.

It's human nature to shun people with problems so they don't drag us into a world of inconvenience and/or negativity. But that is not what I call fulfilling the law of Christ; which reads thusly:

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)

The love that is defined by "As I have loved you" is a kind of love willing to suffer inconvenience, shame, humiliation, embarrassment, and disgrace for the sake of another. Christ's love isn't a fault-finding attitude; it's a supportive virtue: it doesn't only feel your pain, it gets involved in your pain.

Church can be the loneliest place on earth when nobody cares enough about you to get involved in your pain; but instead would just as soon not know about it. Sadly, there is about as much love for one another in modern churches as there is amongst an audience of strangers at the movies. I sincerely believe that a lot of that indifference has to do with modern churches just simply being too big and too busy.
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[Beetow]

● Gal 6:6 . . And let the one who is taught the word, share all good things with him who teaches.

That verse is commonly interpreted as referring to providing a teacher with material necessities. Well; it can mean that; but the Greek words for "share" and "good things" are ambiguous.

I suggest that Gal 6:6 refers to feed-back; i.e. to tell the teacher how and/or in what ways the things you've learned from him have been a help to you.

Some teachers just like to hear themselves talk; while others would like what they say to be useful. Feed-back can be very encouraging to the latter.
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[Beetow]

● Gal 6:7a . . Don't be deceived into thinking God is a silly old fool.

A silly old fool is a senior citizen that people know they can mistreat and/or take advantage of without fear of complaint, resistance, or reprisal.

People in our day and age are easily persuaded that God is harmless and that the Old Testament's version of God is obsolete, i.e. no longer someone to fear since Jesus came along. But as God was capable of withholding blessing back then; He still is.

"A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his flesh, will, of the flesh reap corruption; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." (Gal 7b-8)

The koiné Greek word for "corruption" is phthora (fthor-ah') which means: decay; viz: decadence; which is saying that when Christians make a habit of indulging the propensities of their base nature while refusing to comply with the Spirit's wishes, they quite naturally become the worse for it.

FAQ: According to John 3:36, John 5:24, John 6:47, and 1John 5:13, all true believers currently possess eternal life. If so, then what is meant by reaping it?

A: Eternal life is not the same as immortality. It refers to the divine nature spoken of at 2Pet 1:4. If you can understand what human nature is, then you have a pretty good handle on divine nature.

Although all believers have eternal life (a.k.a. the divine nature) it is not within their power to either activate it or deactivate it.

"If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.

. . .So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live." (Rom 8:11-13)

"by the Spirit" simply means complying with His instructions; and many of them are very explicit so there's no mistaking what He expects from us. In a nutshell; "you must die" refers to deactivating the divine nature. (cf. 1Tim 6:12)
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[Beetow]

● Gal 6:10 . . So then, whenever we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

Good can take any number of forms but I think a useful description we could apply here is "beneficial".

Jesus did good (Acts 10:30) i.e. he was very definitely beneficial; not just on the cross or by his teachings, but in non spiritual ways too.

Those who are of the "household of the faith" are actually kin; viz: siblings; and like they say: charity begins at home.

Some churches have what they call a deacon's fund; to assist members who are down and out and/or in dire straits.

And don't overlook your church's senior citizens. Some may be getting up in years and finding it difficult to even maintain their own homes and yards anymore. Chores may not seem all that spiritual; but pitch in anyway if for no other reason than your assistance is beneficial.
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[Beetow]

● Gal 6:12-13 . .Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the commandments themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.

"boast in your flesh" is somewhat similar to missionaries bragging about the number of their converts.

● Gal 6:14-15 . . But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor un-circumcision, but a new creation. (cf. Acts 15:5-32)

Some Christians truly believe it's possible to be an adherent of both Judaism and Christianity at the same time (e.g. Messianic Judaism). No, that's against the rules. Judaism must be abandoned if one is to take up Christianity because human sacrifice is illegal withing the terms and conditions of the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God as per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. If you try to take up both religions at the same time, each will invalidate the other.

And besides, Moses' covenant falls short. It offers lots of blessings for compliance, but it doesn't offer a miraculous transformation from one's natural-born self to a new self-- a self that takes after God instead of its human parents.

"He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world." (2Pet 1:4)

The Greek word translated "corruption" speaks of decay, i.e. rot. In a nutshell, human nature is a lethal cancer. People who've got it are dead men walking, viz; human nature is fatal, no exceptions. Moses' covenant can treat human nature's symptoms, but can't cure human nature. That requires nothing less than a miracle; like when Jesus cured lepers and restored their flesh like new.

"if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law." (Gal 3:21)

For those unfamiliar: "the law" speaks of Moses' covenant. It's a term that appears quite often in the New Testament.
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[Beetow]

● Eph 2:11-22 . .Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called uncircumcised by those who call themselves the circumcision-- that done in the body by the hands of men --remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

. . . But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household

Christians are prone to forget; and one of the things they forget is that their religion didn't begin with the Roman Catholic Church; no, it began with Abraham; and the purpose of Gentiles hearing the gospel is not so they can replace the Jews as God's chosen people, but rather, so they can join them and share in their blessings.

"If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, don't boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You don't support the root, but the root supports you." (Rom 11:17-18)

"Salvation is of the Jews." (John 4:22)
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[Beetow]

● Eph 4:1 . . As a prisoner for The Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Not everybody despises Christians, but for sure everybody is disgusted with hypocrites. i.e. Christians don't have to live the life of a saint to become a saint, but they do have to life the life of a saint in order to merit the respect their religion deserves.
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[Beetow]

● Eph 4:2 . . Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, putting up with another in love.

The Greek word translated "love" in that passage is agape (ag-ah'-pay) which is fortunate because it doesn't necessarily speak of affection like the Greek word phileo. It mostly pertains to personal conduct, e.g. civility, courtesy, sympathy, thoughtfulness, tolerance, charity, kindness, lenience, understanding, diplomacy, etc. which are common social skills that even the most insensitive clod on earth can practice if they put their mind to it.

"Humility" is one of those virtues that people love to talk about; but rarely ever seem to exemplify. The Greek word is a tongue twister. It's tapeinophrosune (tap-i-nof-ros-oo'-nay) which means humiliation of mind, viz: modesty; defined by Webster's as free from conceit and/or vanity.

"Conceit" is defined as excessive appreciation of one's own worth or virtue, viz: arrogance, i.e. a superiority complex and/or a master-race mentality. (A conceited supervisor was a very key factor in the Chernobyl disaster. Had he been more reasonable, and less arrogant, the disaster might've been easily averted.)

"Vanity" is defined as inflated pride in oneself, viz: narcissism and/or self adoration.

Cosmetics and figure-shaping undergarments don't really qualify as the kind of vanity that Paul is talking about; which is a kind of vanity that goes way beyond just trying to look your best.

Sinful vanity is an ugly creature. It's self aggrandizing and it isn't gentle either, on the contrary; vanity can be quite cruel and competitive, caring only what's best for itself. Vanity abhors associating with people whose station in life is decidedly below its own; and God forbid someone below themselves should have the nerve to correct either their conduct or their knowledge.

"Patience" is defined as the power, or capacity, to endure without complaint something and/or someone difficult or disagreeable; especially when it comes to certain folk who seem to have a knack for getting on people's nerves.
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[Beetow]

● Eph 4:3 . . Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Peace can be roughly defined as the absence of strife, e.g. debating, quarrelling, rivalry, competition and/or envy, etc. The Spirit has much to say in regard to Christian social skills; and if each and every believer would listen to Him, the natural result is going to be harmony wherever and whenever they associate with one another.
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[Beetow]

● Eph 4:17-19 . . So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the pagans do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

Sensuality and the life of God are diametrically opposed to each other. The one is carnal and the other is spiritual, the one is human and the other is divine. The one does whatever comes natural below, and the other does whatever comes natural above.

Paul said that pagans live as they do because of the hardening of their hearts; which doesn't always refer to ones emotions-- those can be roughly defined as one's bowels (e.g. 2Cor 6:12, Phil 1:8, Phil 2:1, Col 3:12, et al).

Hardening of the heart takes place at the core of one's being; the very marrow of their bones; for example the heart of the Pharaoh who opposed Moses and Aaron in the book of Exodus.

Some things are said to be scratch-resistant, fire-resistant, mold-resistance, UV-resistant, rust-resistant, and so forth. Well; a hard heart is God-resistant, really God-resistant. If the highway to Hell could be said paved with sensuality, then the substrate upon which the pavement is laid could be depicted as hard hearts; for example:

"But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which The Lord of hosts hath sent in His spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from The Lord of hosts." (Zech 7:11-12)
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[Beetow]

Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

The Greek word translated "sensitivity" is apalgeo (ap-alg-eh'-o) which refers to apathy; defined by Webster's as a lack of feeling or emotion and/or a lack of interest or concern, i.e. indifference. This is the only place in the entire New Testament where apalgeo appears so we can't compare its use in other contexts.

There are immoral people out there who wish they could stop themselves but can't. I wouldn't call them indifferent; apalgeo applies to hard-core immoral folk who view themselves as perfectly normal and satisfied with themselves just as they are; having neither wish nor interest in any other way of life.

The Ephesian church had a number of those hard-cores in their midst that needed to wake up and realize that their attitude was maybe acceptable as citizens in the Ephesian culture of that day, but thoroughly unacceptable as Christians in any day. One of the very things they cherished, and that made their lives worth the living, had to go.
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[Beetow]

● Eph 4:20-24 . .Surely you heard of Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

When God completed the six days of creation, He went on sabbatical (Gen 2:1-3). The six days were all bounded by an evening and a morning. The seventh wasn't bounded; i.e. it hasn't ended, indicating that God has yet to resume creating things for the current cosmos. So then, the new self spoken of in the passage above isn't for the current cosmos, rather, it's a self created for a cosmos yet to come. (Isa 65:17, 2Pet 3:13, Rev 21:1)

The koiné Greek word for "desire" is epithumia (ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah) which means: a longing.

Epithumia by itself doesn't indicate sinful desires. The very same word describes The Lord's personal longing to dine in the company of his apostles just prior to being crucified. (Luke 22:15)

The kind of longings in view are "deceitful" which is from the koiné Greek word apate (ap-at'-ay) and means delusion, which Webster's defines as: a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self, or persons or objects outside the self, that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary-- in other words: deceitful longings are delusional longings.

For example: the old saying "The grass is greener on the other side" which of course is an unreasonable expectation. Some people sincerely believe that they would be happier if only they had more money. Well; sad to say, money can be guaranteed to buy you neither love nor happiness.

Delusional longings get people to chasing after posts of gold at the end of rainbows that may or may not satisfy; viz: sometimes the dream is better than the reality. Meanwhile, their life clock is winding down while they're in pursuit of those pots and they are steadily becoming more and more secular and unspiritual. Paul "insists" that Christ's followers avoid squandering their time and energy chasing after delusional longings; viz: keep their feet on the ground and their heads out of the clouds.
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[B-A-C]

I'm not disputing anything here... but I do have a question.

How did you arrive at "four" spiritual laws? Where is this specifically found in scripture?

 

[Beetow]

How did you arrive at "four" spiritual laws?

A mega Baptist church that I attended back in the decade of the 1970's had a discipleship program that incorporated an outreach booklet called "The Four Spiritual Laws", authored in 1952 by Campus Crusade for Christ founder Dr. Bill Bright.
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[Beetow]

● Eph 4:25 . . Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

One's neighbor is not the same as one's brother; i.e. the former is an acquaintance, the latter is kin.

The command is directed at "each" of you-- i.e. individuals --because one dishonest Christian disgraces all Christians, and raises questions about the credibility of their religion because that's the way propaganda machinery works.
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[Beetow]

● Eph 4:26a . . In your anger do not sin.

Anger isn't eo ipso evil. It's how one handles their anger that matters. Anger can be a very useful tool when it's applied by somebody who knows what they're doing. For example:

"And when Jesus had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man: Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other." (Mark 3:5)

Everybody gets angry from time to time; just don't let it drive you to doing something contrary to your better judgment, e.g. violence, profanity, malice, cruelty, uncivil behavior, spite, ugly remarks, emotional outbursts, demeaning comments, grudging, hysteria, shouting, spraying spittle, etc.
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[Beetow]

● Eph 4:26b-27 . . Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the Devil a foothold.

Some people treat their anger like a prized possession: they don't want to lose it. They actually prefer to stay angry rather than "get over it". To them, anger management is for weaklings.

Apparently the Devil is quick to take advantage of Christians like that, i.e. they become what's called in the spy business; an asset.
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[Beetow]

● Eph 4:28 . . He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Isn't is just amazing that early Christian church members were active criminals? Yes, right there in the Ephesian church were thieves. Ironically Paul didn't forbid the Ephesian Christians to steal, no, of all things; he ordered them to stop stealing; and not only to stop stealing, but to stop stealing for a living!

You'd think church would be the one place on earth where you'd be safe from crime, but not so. Back in the 1970's I sang bass in the choir of a monster Baptist church in San Diego. The 90+ member choir would meet in a rehearsal room and the ladies would all leave their purses in there when we moved out to be seated in the loft. The room had a very sturdy door and was always securely locked when we left the room.

Well, one Sunday morning when we returned to the room, that Fort Knox door and its lock were smashed open and all the ladies' purses were rifled. No other door in the hallway was damaged so the theft wasn't random. The culprit knew that the ladies were leaving their purses in there during services; viz: whoever it was attended that church on Sunday mornings and was familiar with its operation.
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[Beetow]

● Eph 4:29 . . Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

"helpful" is from the Greek word oikodome (oy-kod-om-ay') which means: to build up (as opposed to tearing down).

"foul or abusive" is from the word sapros (sap-ros') which means: rotten, i.e. worthless (literally or morally) viz: inappropriate.

The foul and abusive category no doubt includes not only profanity, but also biting sarcasm, cruel remarks, thoughtless comments, chafing, relentless fault-finding, sneering, ridicule, mean spirited rejoinders, mockery, and unnecessary criticism.
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