Galations 6:6-10 (ESV)
6 One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. 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.
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Favor them in what regard? As mates or as people in general?
I couldn’t find the chapter that this quote is from. Could you give me a little help. I’m a bit of a novice when it comes to navigating the bible.
Galatians 6:6-10
Entire chapter here:
http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=gal+6&src=esv.org
I suppose that if you’re not “neglecting the assembly”, that the people you’ll come into contact with will often be the “household of faith” anyway.
By going out of our way to do good to people who are also following Jesus, we set in community an example of love in behaviour that is winsome. The law Christ gave us was to love one another, which is something we do tangibly with actions, and intangibly by disposition. Perhaps this is why it is especially for the household of faith.
Since the most loving thing a Christian can want for people who don’t know Jesus is to effect a saving introduction, then this is a vicarious act of service. It would be difficult to convince someone of the reality of the good news about Christ if we were to refuse to serve the very people who teach us about it, and with whom we claim brotherhood. The dissonance would equate to disgrace, so we must treat those of the household of faith with special care, and not cause others to stumble. This is essentially “walking by the Spirit”, or as James puts it:
if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world…