Questions Asked, Biblical Answers Given
There are many in this world who are willing to compromise the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the church He bought with His own blood. We present the Word of God to man in its purest, most honest form. The answers given are consistent, grounded firmly in the Bible, speaking where the Bible speaks and silent where the Bible is silent.
Below are some questions frequently asked concerning the position of the church of Christ. If you would like more information, or have an additional question, please contact us and we will reply (please include a way to contact you, if not by reply in email).
ACCORDING TO THE THINKING IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD, WHEN IS THE RAPTURE SUPPOSED TO OCCUR?
The rapture is not taught in the Scriptures. There will be no “thousand year reign” of Christ on earth in this the 21st century or any other century. Christ established His church , which is the kingdom, in the first century (Matthew 16:18, 19; Acts 2:47). Jerusalem fell as per the statements made by our Lord in Matthew 24. They were signs not for us but for those of the first century (Matthew 24:34, 35).
Some in the religious world spend a good deal of time watching the events in the Middle East. Every time there is a disturbance of one kind or another, they start turning out books and tapes (for profit) warning everyone that Jesus is about to come back real soon. They state that, in the Bible, a generation is forty years. Israel was established as a nation in 1948. Hence, in or about 1988, the signs of Matthew 24 were to have happened with Jesus coming back some time in that year. Folks, this is 2004 and nothing has happened yet.
The religious world places a good deal of value upon the idea of “soon”, that way they can sell their books and tapes and keep people afraid. If one is living right, they should look forward to the return of Jesus in the sky, where the Scriptures teach is where we will meet Him. He will not come back to earth to set up His kingdom, which He has already done in the first century. As long as you give them the word, “soon” they can cover their tracks. Prophecy will not allow them to set a date because God does not want us to know when (Matthew 24:36).
IS IT A SIN TO MARRY OUTSIDE YOUR RACE?
Sin, a missing of the mark, is transgression of God’s law. If something is sinful, it is because God has declared it to be so. You and I do not set the standard; God does through His Word. We, then, turn to His Word to address the above question.
There is no one race superior to another in terms of access to God. All who have obeyed the gospel have equal access to God (Galatians 3:26-28). God loves the whole world, regardless of their nationality (John 3:16). The love of God, then, in our hearts, will not allow us to view any one race as being inferior to us. Marriage, by the very nature of it, is one of the closest relationships that we can enter into. We should desire to marry someone who will help us go to heaven. If the love of God is in our hearts and we seek to treat all men alike because of that love, then the consideration should be will this person help me go to heaven?
It is not a sin to marry out of one’s race, but it may not be wise depending on the circumstances or the culture where the Christian lives. Children born of such marriages may be deeply loved by their parents but they will have to face a hostile world. The more things that people have in common the better it is in marriage. It is, therefore, a question of judgment on the part of the adults involved. Choices that will affect the rest of our lives should always be carefully weighed as to where these choices will lead.
IS GOD'S NAME REVEREND?
This comes from Psalm 111:9. There, the passage states that the name of God is holy and reverend. If we mean by the question that God’s name is reverend in the sense that my name is Blair, then the answer is “no”. Both of the words here are adjectives that describe the name of God. God’s name is holy and it is reverend. One of the commandments that God gave His children was that they were not to take God’s name in vain (Exodus 20:7). Hence, we have the idea that, under the Old Testament, and in our times, as well, the children of God should respect and be in awe of the name of God. God’s name by description is holy and reverend.
What about religious titles? If one wears the name “Reverend” he is not wearing the name of God. He is, by such actions, violating the will of the Son of God. Jesus warned against wearing titles that by their very nature tended to make a difference among people (Matthew 23:7-10). One can be, for example, an evangelist if he strives to evangelize the world according to the Word of God. A preacher can be a pastor if he serves in such a role with other men having met the requirements of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. He could not be a pastor, that is an elder, unless he met the qualifications of said office.
We should read Psalm 111:9 and study the meaning. Once we do that we should come away with a deeper respect for the name of God which is what God was trying to convey to His people through this particular psalm.
WHAT IS MEANT BY THE ANTI-CHRIST?
First of all, forget Hollywood and all the ideas that they try to convey through film. Do not listen to all of the television evangelists who profit from the sale of tapes and books warning people about the coming of the Anti-Christ. The place to go is the will of God revealed in the written Word (II Timothy 3:16).
John tells us that when an individual denies the truth that Jesus came in the flesh, this is the spirit of Anti-Christ (I John 4:3). John, likewise, tells us that the spirit was already at work in the first century. This spirit is described also as one who denies that Jesus is the Christ (I John 2:22). On one hand, you have those who deny that there was a Jesus that is from heaven and others who deny that the historical character of Jesus was God. Jesus was indeed an historical figure who lived around 2000 years ago. The question then and now is, Who was He? The Scripture declares that He was and is God (John 1:1).
Much effort has gone into trying to make out one specific man who is the Anti-Christ. These efforts are used to convince the world that Jesus is coming back and setting up an earthly kingdom, wherein He will reign for a thousand years. The next time Jesus comes, it will be in judgment over the world (II Thessalonians 1:8,9). No matter what time we live in, God’s people will always have to deal with the spirit of Anti-Christ. It is an attitude, not so much a particular individual.
IS IT WRONG TO EAT IN THE BUILDING?
I would ask, what is the purpose of the auditorium? That is the place where the church comes together to worship. What are those rooms off on the side of the building? Oh, those are our classrooms so that we can teach different age groups. What about those other rooms? You know, the ones with computers, desks and books in them. Oh yeah, that is office space. What about the area out in front before you go into the auditorium? That is called a foyer, where people stand around and talk. You see, there is a good deal of activity that goes on in our buildings. Someone, then, has a problem with eating in the building.
What days can you not eat in the building? You see, I need to know because I come into my office and eat an orange every morning and then eat here at lunchtime. How can I eat in my office and not be eating in the building? Is it just on Sunday when we cannot do this? The church at Corinth was condemned because they were mixing together a common meal with the Lord’s supper. The church at Troas ate in the building according to Acts 20:7-11. The issue in both places was not eating in the building but rather doing what was acceptable and doing what was not acceptable.
It is not a sin to eat in the building. If one’s conscience is to the contrary, then do not eat in the building. Do not accuse me of being unsound because I do eat in the building. Such a charge is not Christ-like in spirit and we wish to avoid that.
DID PAUL HAVE THE SAME MIRACULOUS POWERS AS DID THE OTHER APOSTLES?
Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians indicated that there were some who questioned whether or not Paul was an apostle (I Corinthians 9:1). Paul’s argument is that the Corinthians were the proof of his apostleship (verse 2). In his second letter to them the signs of the apostles were wrought among them in signs, wonders and mighty deeds (II Corinthians 12:12). Because of his conduct before he became a Christian, he considered himself the least of the apostles (I Corinthians 15:9). Yet, in terms of his authority, he was not behind any of the apostles (II Corinthians 11:5). What he wrote was Scripture (II Peter 3:16).
We speak of, from time to time, about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The record of such baptism occurs in Acts 2 and Acts 10. In Acts 2 it was on the preachers while in Acts 10 it was on the audience. Peter declared that the gift in Acts 10 was “like” the gift in Acts 2 (Acts 11:17). They (those at the house of Cornelius) could speak in a foreign language, in which they had not been trained, to show God’s acceptance of the Gentiles; but there is no evidence of them having the same power, as did the apostles.
Paul did possess the same power. The twelve apostles, Judas falling and Matthias taking his place, and Paul were the only ones in possession of this kind of power. In the absence of an apostle these gifts could not be passed on today (Acts 8:15-18).
WHAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHURCH TO ALL THE BENEVOLENT CALLS THAT COME IN, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE HOLIDAY SEASON?
We are to do good to all men as we have the opportunity, especially those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). James teaches us that if we see someone who needs something we could give and we do not help them, we do not have the proper faith (James 2:15-17). Jesus will tell the righteous at that last day that they could enter into the joy of their Lord because they fed “Jesus” when He was hungry (Matthew 25:35). The righteous will reply, “When did we ever see you like that?” (verse 37). Jesus will answer that when you did it to the least of these, My brethren, you did it to me (verse 40). These are truths from God to motivate us all to reach out and help those who are less fortunate and need our help.
The benevolent calls that the church receives, especially around holiday time, for the most part, do not fall into the above categories. Some churches, because of a misunderstanding of the Scriptures in paragraph one feel obligated to help everyone who calls. The reality is that we do not help them except to encourage them in lawless behavior. People get rude and hang up the phone if you do not agree to buy toys or turkeys for them. Some individuals just travel from city to city developing a story line that will help them try to fleece honest brethren.
Those who need help in a legitimate sense should receive it. Others should be encouraged to give up their lazy lifestyles.
WHO HARDENED THE HEART OF PHAROAH, GOD OR PHAROAH?
Paul tells us the action of God is involved in showing mercy or in hardening (Romans 9:18). In verse 17 of the chapter, Pharaoh is cited in particular. The question becomes how does God show mercy or how does He harden someone? In the case of Pharaoh, the Scriptures show that he hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:15). How, then, does God harden the heart? God gave Pharaoh a command to let Israel go. Had he obeyed the command, then his heart would not have been hardened. God then moved to show some ten plagues before Pharaoh. Pharaoh would then relent and then when the plague was lifted he went back to his same stubborn position. The plagues (signs) could have had the effect of causing Pharaoh to accept the power of God. He chose to harden his own heart with the final result being his own death at the Red Sea.
The Scriptures show us that God saves us according to His mercy and not by some scheme that we have come up with (Titus 3:5). How does God do that? The passage in Titus tells us it is by washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Peter tells us that we purified our souls by obeying the truth (I Peter 1:22). God uses the gospel to save men, that is to extend mercy (Romans 1:16). If an individual refuses to obey the gospel, he hardens his own heart.
HOW DO ELDERS RULE?
There should be no question about the power they have to rule (Hebrews 13:7, 17). Every organization must have someone in control to accomplish what the organization is trying to do. The church is no different. We need leaders who meet the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. I often like to add to that 1 Peter 5. It is in 1 Peter 5 where the manner in which an elder rules is addressed. They are not to lord over the flock because it is, in reality, Gods heritage and not theirs (1 Peter 5:3). They are to assume this work because they want to help Gods people in terms of leading them in the right way (verse 2).
An elders judgment can be called into question by the members. Such is not an attack upon Gods system. If a man begins to teach something contrary to Gods will, his fellow elders or brethren within the church should use the Scriptures and show him the error of his way (I Timothy 5:20). It is a system of checks and balances set up by God to keep a man from lording over Gods heritage. As long as the elder is guided by the Scriptures and his judgments rendered upon biblical principles, we should obey. Under such rule they can guide the church in the right direction. A failure to be corrected or silenced upon the part of the membership will not produce a good rule. Pray for those who rule well and obey them.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN 1 CORINTHIANS 5 ABOUT DELIVERING A ONE TO SATAN?
The case here in 1 Corinthians 5 was about a man who was committing fornication with his fathers wife (1 Corinthians 5:1). Paul corrected the brethren there by telling them their attitude toward the man lost in sin was all-wrong. Instead of being sorry that this brother was caught in a sin, they were puffed up about it (see todays bulletin article). The next time they assembled together action needed to be taken (1 Corinthians 5:4). There had to be a way for them to express sorrow and to clear themselves in the matter.
This action was a judging by the congregation there against the conduct of this man (1 Corinthians 5:12). They, as Gods children, were to have no company with any person wearing the name of Christ and yet living a lawless life (verse 11). How could they not have company with him? At some point, an action would have to be taken that said to this man we can no longer fellowship you as long as you continue in sin. That action is what is meant by the expression, deliver such a one to Satan. The church, regardless of what the man did, was to affirm to him and the world; we cannot accept you as part of the family as long as you behave in this way.
The success is seen in that the church changed its attitude and the wayward man was restored as recorded in II Corinthians 2:1-11.
WHAT IS MEANT WHEN SOME CHURCHES HAVE CONTEMPORARY AND TRADITIONAL WORSHIP?
The Scriptures declare that there is one Spirit (Ephesians 4:4). We have the Bible today in completed form because of the work of the Spirit (II Timothy 3:16). The Spirit of God in all of His revelations from Genesis to Revelation never allowed men to worship as he pleased. God in the Old Testament called for the wood to be laid a certain way and the kind of animal to be killed as well as the manner in which it was killed. God never allowed man the luxury of doing what he pleased. Worship and life is about pleasing God, not us (I John 3:22).
How, then, can you have two different kinds of worship? The New Testament church engaged in five acts of worship. One may alter the arrangement of those acts but cannot alter the acts themselves. For the most part, contemporary worship deals with songs that are nothing more than warmed over Pentecostal ideas rejected in days gone by. It often times is an effort to imitate the shows on television where emotion is the engine driving the train.
In so many places today we need a return to simple worshippers coming before God with a willingness to follow His will. Their faith is built up by obeying the commands of God and they leave the assemblies closer to God and to each other. What else do we need?
WHAT IS COLLECTIVE GUILT?
It is a tool used in past days by the Communist world to make everyone but them be guilty. Because my forefathers engaged in the practice of slavery, I am supposed to feel guilty and then do something to repay those who suffered because of slavery. The Japanese people locked up in this country following the attack on Pearl Harbor should be paid something by those of us living now. The lands of the American Indians were stolen by my forefathers and therefore I need to pay them something for that. The basic idea is that we are to feel guilty for what our forefathers have done.
Christian living teaches us to live in today. As regards yesterday, we have inspiration fro God telling us to forget those things from behind (Philippians 3:13). My task as a Christian is to treat all men as I would want them to treat me (Matthew 7:12). I can read history books and feel sadness about the decisions that some of our forefathers made. Such knowledge should give me the motivation to not make the same mistakes. What do I owe them? The question is, what do I owe my Lord? I owe my Lord to treat each person that I come in contact with as a servant of the Lord. If I am serving Him as I ought, then I will not mistreat others.
Learn from the past, prepare for the future and build on today.
HOW MUCH DOES ONE HAVE TO KNOW TO OBEY THE GOSPEL?
Ones soul is purified by obeying the truth (1 Peter 1:22, 23). Mathematical truth or scientific truth cannot remove sins. Even a good healthy knowledge of moral truth will not remove sins. Hence, the truth that one obeys to get rid of sins in their life is the truth dealing with Jesus. He is the Savior of the world and there is no other. The fundamental question of the first century world was who do men say that I the Son of Man am (Matthew 16:13)? One must come in contact with knowledge about Who Jesus is in order to obey the gospel.
The answer to Who Jesus is should lead the prospective convert to understand that they must do what Jesus said. His blood was shed to redeem men from their sins (Ephesians 1:7; Revelation 1:5). An individual must be taught how to contact that blood in order to get rid of their sins. I know who Jesus is and them I know what He wants me to do, is that enough?
Following Jesus is a life of service to Him. Where would one serve the Lord? Since the Father receives glory in the church through Christ, one should be taught about the church and how they are to serve the Lord in that church (Ephesians 3:21). Know Who Jesus is, how to get rid of your sins and how to serve Him should be enough to bring one into saving faith through obedience to Christ and His commands (Mark 16:16).
WHEN GOD CREATED MAN AND TOOK A RIB FROM HIS SIDE AND MADE WOMAN, DOES THE BIBLE SAY WHAT COLOR OF SKIN THEY WERE? I DON’T FIND WHERE IT DOES. IF IT DOESN’T, WHY WOULD SOME TEACHERS SAY OTHERWISE AS A FACT?
I cannot possibly answer for some teacher or teachers who would make such a statement. Having not heard the statement or the context, I cannot comment on what was meant by the statement. What I can do is strive to answer based on what the Scriptures reveal, as well as what we now know as a result of the knowledge we have gained over all the years of research and study.
Here is a quote from an article that appeared in Apologetics Press in August 1990 entitled “The Origin of Races” by Bert Thompson (one can gain such articles by going to Apologetics Press website and typing in the kind of article you are looking for). Here is the quote, “The apparent differences in color are merely differences in the amount of the melanin found in the skin, not differences in the type of color. There is only one coloring agent for the human race; the shade of color depends upon how much melanin a person possesses.”
Adam was the first man (Genesis 1:26, 27; 1 Corinthians 15:45). Eve is said to be the mother of all living (Genesis 3:20). Since animals were created before Eve, her being the mother of all living is another way of saying that everything in terms of genes and/or color of skin came from Adam and Eve. After the flood, all humanity would have come from the eight souls who survived the flood. Get the article cited above for a more in depth study. Our concern today should be less for the color of the skin and more for the content of the heart.
WITH THE MEL GIBSON FILM ENTITLED THE PASSION ABOUT THE SUFFERING OF CHRIST, ARE PEOPLE MORE AWARE TODAY OF WHAT ALL CHRIST WENT THROUGH?
Hollywood strives to “act” out events and do it in such a way as to cause the audience to experience some event. Many today argue about how “graphic” the movies are. In my growing up years, you would watch movies and see someone get “shot” and fall off horses and so forth. Today because of special affects we “see” the bullet hitting the flesh and the “blood” coming out. All of this is done to create the illusion that you are there when the event takes place.
Mr. Gibson took the tools that are available to movie-makers and applied it to the hours preceding and up to the death of Jesus. The portrayal of the graphic nature about this event has had an affect on the minds of many people. It could be that people seeing an individual portraying Christ has caused some to think more soberly about all that Jesus indeed went through on our behalf.
Words can be very graphic themselves. God who gives us language could certainly have filled the scriptures which graphic language to convince us of what the Lord went through on that day. God however, chose to speak about His Son being scourged, abused and finally crucified. Here I think is a question we need to ask. Since this movie came out how many people now serve the Christ who they can now understand went through so much? We can be touched but can we be moved?
WHAT IS MEANT BY SAVING FAITH?
The Word of God speaks about different kinds of faith. Jesus commended one man for his “great faith”(Matthew 8:10). Jesus calmed a storm on the sea. He then charged the apostles with being fearful. He said to them that they had “no faith” (Mark 4:40). James speaks about a “dead faith” (James 2:17). Christians are encouraged to add to their faith and hence you have a growing faith (II Peter 2:5). In the lives of different people then you have degrees of faith manifested in their life.
God tells us that we are justified by faith (Romans 5:1). There is, therefore, a saving faith. How are we justified by faith? In this same verse of Romans 5 is mentioned the idea of peace. Throughout Scripture, real peace is when an individual is right with God. God teaches us that He is pleased when individuals believe that He exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Saving faith must of necessity call for a diligent seeking for God.
One cannot find out what God wants them to do unless they come to Scriptures in order to find the will of God (Matthew 7:21). Saving faith is always based on a person understanding what God wants them to do and then doing it. Noah was moved with fear and built an ark. He could not have had saving faith until he was willing to put it into practice by building the ark. We are saved by faith today if we do what that faith demands through the scriptures. Faith then is never alone but always accompanied by obedience. This is saving faith.
WHAT ROLE DO PARENTS PLAY ONCE A CHILD GOES ASTRAY?
Let us divide the answer based on the children themselves. Those who still live with their parents, either by virtue of age or by circumstances in life and those children who no longer live at home but are on their own either by marriage, job, or educational pursuits. The child who is at home by virtue of age should be influenced by both parents to serve the Lord (Ephesians 6:1). The influence would come by teaching from God’s Word and by living that Word in front of the children. Those children, who are at home because of circumstances in life, should feel the influence of godly parents who continue to offer them advise and guidance for their choices.
Children who are out from under the “roof” of their parents home again should be influenced by what they were taught when they were at home. Because of the influence of friends and or marriage partners, those who were once faithful may go astray. Parents have a tough job in this regard. On one hand it is your child. On the other hand it is a soul headed for eternity. The role for parents would be much the same as spiritual brethren seeking to restore wayward ones back to the Lord (Galatians 6:1). They ! are not to be treated as enemies nor are they to be void of “admonition” from loving parents.
In short the job of teaching is never over. As long as they live we strive to influence them for good and toward eternity. We teach by word and by life. Answer? Keep teaching.
DOES THE SONG PRECIOUS MEMORIES SING PRAISE UNTO GOD?
Singing, as an act of worship, must be in spirit and in truth (John 4:24) . To sing in spirit means that one sings with a proper attitude. It is not an issue of singing the right notes or being able to sing the right part. When we sing we must be sure that our attitude (spirit) is in harmony with the will of God by the lives we live. To sing in truth means to sing according to the way God dictates to sing. Our limitation placed by God is ! that the songs must be “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs”.
Our 17 th lectureship was on singing. Brother Ken Burleson gave this explanation about “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs”. The “psalms” type of songs is those that lift high the name of God, His attributes, power and works. Hymns are songs of thanksgiving, praise and supplication. Spiritual songs are those that inspire and cultivate feelings of spiritual devotion. Our songs then ! must be in truth, that is, according to the will of God. They must be songs that meet the kind of definitions of which brother Burleson spoke about in the above lecture. We are not allowed to sing error any more than we can teach error.
Since there are three types involved (psalms, hymns and spiritual ) a song may fall into different categories. Some songs deal directly with the idea of exalting the name and or power of God. If a song does not fall under that heading it does not mean that it is not scriptural. For example the song “Angry Words” deals more with spiritual songs, that is those that encourage us and cultivates feelings of spiritual devotion. The song “Precious Memories” falls more into this group than the other two types. &n! bsp; I see nothing in the verses of this song that violates any truth of God.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE STATEMENTS IN MATTHEW 5:17 AND EPHESIANS 2:15?
The law of Moses was, in the time of Christ, the standard which God’s people appeal to in all matters to do with their relationship with God. Christ’s law could not come into effect until the Old Law of Moses was removed. It could not be removed until Christ died (Hebrews 9:16,17). Those who heard the teachings of Jesus as per the events here in Matthew 5 could see that Jesus was making changes. Jesus then tells them that the present system (law of Moses-heaven and earth) would not pass until the law had been fulfilled (Matthew 5:18). Jesus had as His task to fulfill the Old Testament law of Moses which enabled it to be removed (Colossians 2:14).
The passage in Ephesians 2 deals with the law after it had been fulfilled. Paul then directs our attention to the death of Christ on the cross. What did it accomplish? When He died He took away the law because it had been fulfilled. The purpose being to make of Himself, one new man. Hence we are all baptized into “one body” (I Corinthians 12:13). We could not be baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins until the law of Moses was removed through the death of Jesus on the cross (Romans 7:4).
There is no contradiction in the two passages. One looks to the fulfilling of the law while the Ephesian passage deals with the aftermath of the removal of the law. There are those who think we are not under law today. They need to read their Bibles again because they seriously miss it. The following passages speak about the law we are under. Romans 3:27; Romans 8:2; Galatians 6:2; and James 1:25.
WHAT IS MEANT BY THE BESETTNG SIN OF HEBREWS 12:1?
The encouragement in verse one is for us to lay aside “every weight”. Anything that would hinder our journey toward heaven must be discarded. Jesus used the example of the “right eye or right hand” to press home this truth (Matthew 5:29,30). Our minds must be made up. Serving God and going to heaven is what life is all about. If we are not willing to pay such a price, heaven will be missed. It requires us to set our affections (things we love) on that which is above and not on things of this earth.
The sin that does so easily beset the Christian could fall into one of two categories. One is that each Christian has his own weakness and life is about keeping that weakness under control. We know the power to achieve such is only through the Lord (Philippians 4:13). Knowing what our weakness is, we work to avoid people, places or things that would make the temptation grow stronger. The idea here then would be a sin that could easily get us and so we make every effort to avoid it or anything which would encourage it.
The second category that I think the writer is here speaking about is the sin of unbelief. The writer of Hebrews spoke about those who depart from the living God as having hearts of “unbelief” (Hebrews 3:12). We are encouraged to labor in order to enter that rest. If we do not labor to enter that rest, then we fall after the same example of unbelief (Hebrews 4:11). The 11th chapter is one of individuals who lived and died in faith, not unbelief. Since they are the “great cloud of witnesses (12:1), I understand the besetting sin to be that of unbelief in leaving God.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN GALATIANS 6:10 ABOUT DOING GOOD TO ALL MEN?
The chapter begins with the idea of restoring a wayward Christian. Those who are spiritual (faithful Christians) should strive to restore the one who has been overtaken in a fault. In this regard, we see such action as “…bearing one another’s burdens” and by so doing, fulfill the law of Christ (verse 2). The attention is not to be on us but rather on the Lord who helps us in the matter of restoring the Christian who has been overtaken in a fault (verse 3). If our work proves successful then we can rejoice in ourselves, that is not in public “patting ourselves on our own backs” (verse 4). In this sense we bear our own burden (verse 5).
The context here is that the one who is restored (by teaching of the Word) should communicate or share with him who helped to restore him (verse 6). Since the reference is to one that “…teacheth in all good things”, the idea here would be of the restored one, giving back to the church the gift of his money on a weekly basis. God will not be mocked. If one is restored, then the restoration should be reflected in all that he does for the church of our Lord.
The charge in verse 9 is that we are not to be weary in doing that which is right. If we do not give up we will reap the benefits of a faithful life. Since the chapter begins with the individual who had given up, this in the context encourages us to not give up. The statement in verse 10 extends the same care to those outside the body of Christ who may need our help in matters that are not spiritual but physical. As we have the opportunity we should do good to all we can, both in the church and out of the church.