Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20080907.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Galatians: Defending The Truthfulness Of Paul's Teaching On God's Grace
Part XI: Applying The Doctrine Of God's Grace To Christian Living, Galatians 5:1-6:18
D. Godly Graciousness Toward Others In Financial Need
(Galatians 6:6-10)
  1. Introduction
    1. Though money is the "mammon of unrighteousness" (Luke 16:9 KJV), we believers are to use it to minister to the needs not only of our own families, but also those of others, cf. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, 8-11.
    2. Paul revealed how a life lived by the Holy Spirit is to lead to responsible, gracious giving of one's assets to pastor-teachers, to fellow needy believers and to the unsaved needy in Galatians 6:6-10 (as follows):
  2. Godly Graciousness Toward Others In Financial Need, Galatians 6:6-10.
    1. A life lived by means of the Holy Spirit's power leads to gracious giving of one's assets to needy parties:
      1. We learned in our previous lesson that Paul's directives in Galatians chapter 6 apply his Galatians 5:25 call to "walk" in the power, to depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit for godly living, cf. Gal. 5:16.
      2. Thus, since Galatians 6:6-10 refers to the ministry of giving of one's material assets (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., p. 1670; Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, p. 610), the graciousness in giving detailed in Galatians 6:6-10 is to be achieved by a life lived in dependence upon the Holy Spirit.
    2. Thus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, God's people are responsible financially to support the pastor-teacher(s) who minister(s) God's Word unto them, Galatians 6:6-9:
      1. Paul announced that God's people are obliged materially to support the needs of the pastor-teacher(s) who minister(s) the Word of God unto them, Galatians 6:6; Ibid., Bible Know. Com., N. T.
      2. This announcement is to be taken seriously, for God observes how His people function in this realm, and He is not mocked: whatever a man sows by way of giving in this realm, that he also is reimbursed by the Lord proportionate to how he gives [what he has], Gal. 6:7 with 2 Cor. 9:6, 8-11; Luke 21:1-4:
        1. The Galatians 6:7 figure of reaping by divine reimbursement what one sows in giving is expanded in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7. By divine design, then, one is to take of this reimbursed amount what he needs for his own needs, and give again of the excess in a lifelong giving ministry, 2 Cor. 9:8-11.
        2. [We also know from Luke 21:1-4 that God considers the percent of one's total assets in a specific amount that is donated to determine the degree of His reimbursement.]
      3. Paul added that holding back our giving to meet the lusts of the sin nature causes one to reap of the sin nature that which has no eternal value, but giving in the Holy Spirit's power bears eternally lasting fruit, Galatians 6:8. Thus, we should give in the Holy Spirit's power.
      4. The believer should not be discouraged in giving if he does not initially see any reimbursement, for it will certainly arrive, be it sooner or later, Galatians 6:9 with James 5:7-9.
    3. Thus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, God's people are also responsible financially to support fellow materially needy believers as a priority over materially needy unsaved people, Galatians 6:10b:
      1. The directive to give to all people in material need is qualified in this verse by the phrase, "especially unto them who are of the household of faith," Galatians 6:10b KJV (see also the ESV and NIV).
      2. That means that in giving to people in general, a priority must be put on meeting the material needs of fellow Christians before addressing the same needs of the unsaved.
    4. Thus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, God's people are responsible to give individually to materially financially needy unsaved people, Galatians 6:10a:
      1. As Christians, we have a social responsibility to address the material needs of the lost, Galatians 6:10a.
      2. However, Scripture does not hold the Church is to do this corporately as a typical social agency, but to do so individually much like the believer is to relate to the government, Rom. 12:17-21; 13:1-8; Ibid.
Lesson: In the Holy Spirit's power, we believers are to give materially to pastor-teachers who teach us God's Word and to needy believers and then to the needy lost on an individual basis. God will reimburse us according to our degree of liberality, be it sooner or later, so we should faithully give.

Application: May we fulfill our giving responsibilities with graciousness in the Holy Spirit's power, looking to the Lord for the reimbursement that He has promised to supply.