Galatians 6:2 :
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
There is still a law for us as Christians. It isn’t legalism in the sense that we are trying to perform for the favor of God. We already have God’s favor. It isn’t that we are trying to obtain personal righteousness. We have already been made righteous in Christ. This law is a household law. It is the rule of our family. If you were following through our study of John you are already be familiar with this law. Let’s take another look at it:
John 13:34-35 :
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Our law is to love each other, but not just to love each other, but to also love each other like Jesus loved us. God gives us his Holy Spirit so that we have the power to love each other as Jesus loved us. Let’s take a moment to reflect on this.
Jesus put aside his position by leaving heaven. Then He also stripped most of His power in order to fit into a human body. He also took on a miserable task for our sake. He never complained about it. He was ultimately brutalized, knowing ahead of time that it would happen. He did it for the joy have having you and I in the end. He also did it knowing that many would still reject Him.
Our law is simply to do that for each other. Yes, I know; I can’t do it on my own either. That’s why, by faith, I am counting on Jesus’ life in me to make this a reality. He obviously knows how.
Notice that Jesus bore our burdens all the way to his own destruction. We need a passionate love for each other in order to do this!
Notice what this is not. It is not sending your money into a Christian television show. I am not saying that this is always bad because it can be done in love, but some television shows don’t have a burden at all, and some perhaps should be burdened with guilt. There are other people who God shows you that have a clear burden that they cannot lift.
Recently, one of the worst earthquakes in my lifetime destroyed a part of Haiti. Millions of people were affected. It is clear that they needed our help more than many television shows do. There are Christians there that are obviously suffering!
God does not call us to give what we don’t have. God doesn’t want you to suffer either, but He does want us to focus on the burdens of others and to help in whatever way that God has given us ability to help. We should be focusing on what we can do, not on what we can’t do. Praying is something we all can do!
It is difficult to fulfill this law if you cannot own anything. Did you notice that? If the government owns everything and they do all of the giving, you cannot fulfill the law of Christ. This is why Socialism is an evil lie. It craftily removes the Christians ability to give from free will. If we don’t follow Christ’s law, He could very well take the privilege away from us for a while. Once you can no longer give, you really understand this. The inability to give is such tragedy that I plan to work the rest of my days so that I have to give to others. May God help our brothers and sisters in Haiti and in other places less well known where there are real burdens and may He fill us with His power to lift burdens.