Galatians 6:10 Commentary

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Galatians 6:10

Comments

The opportunity to do good is the gift of God, for Paul teaches us that ‘we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them’ (Ephesians 2:10). This is not just a general statement that God saved us with the intention that we should incline towards good rather than evil; every opportunity to do good and every unique circumstance is in God’s control. He creates the situation which calls forth our good works, and he teaches us what our good response should be, making us willing to do good in each specific situation. Just as God’s plan of salvation is not a vague thing, but, as we learn from the many very specific fulfilments of prophecy in Scripture which sometimes turn on a seemingly minor event, is a detailed plan which leaves nothing to chance. All things are predestined by God, and our good works form part of his plan. There is scarcely anything that we think is more our own, and for which we are more ready to take the credit than our good works, but Paul undermines all human boasting by saying that whatever it appears to us, God is the author of every good work. Paul says, ‘let us do good to all’, for in one sense our good works are to be indiscriminate and given to friend and foe alike. Certainly the fact that others do not return good to us should not stop us doing good to them, for we imitate our heavenly Father who sends sunshine and rain on the good and the evil alike. We of course still know the difference between the two, but now is the day of grace and we align with the purposes of our God. Our kindness to our enemies will be the means by which some are melted to repentance.However he also adds, ‘especially unto them who are of the household of faith’, for these take priority over the world. And if we do not have enough for both, then the Lord’s people must come first, for they are our family (Calvin) and we must care for our own family before we care for strangers. Consistent with this, Paul instructed the churches to send famine relief to the churches of Judea and not just to the people in general there (Acts 11:29-30). The people of God may be the last to be given aid by the world and therefore Christians have a special responsibility to supply each other. When the Lord Jesus Christ distinguishes his sheep from the unbelievers in the world, he points to this very thing as evidence: ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me’ (Matthew 25:40).

Application

We do not know the plan of God in advance, but from our perspective we are presented with a series of opportunities which demand a good response. We are to be on our toes, eager to act when the opportunity comes, and thankful to God for making us willing to see it through to the end. All the misery of this world and all the lack which others suffer becomes a field for us to work in. In our hearts there should be a settled intention to do good, so that when the opportunity comes, we do not need to rouse ourselves as if we have forgotten. It is not hard to do good if it has become our habitual, but if our own affairs are our highest priority, then we will have little or no capacity to help others, for our help will be limited to what does not disadvantage or inconvenience us.

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Galatians 6:10 Commentary and Bible Study