Doing Good To All
Morning Bible Study Lesson
"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:10)
These words give authority to the church, or Christian community, to be involved with benevolent work and for supporting charitable institutions. They give the Christian and the Church a mandate and expresses what ought to be the motivating principle of the heart of the people of God. Whether individually or collectively, Christians should indeed be involved in "doing good" to all men.
We "do good" to men when we support the poor and weak (Acts 20:35; I Thess. 5:14), a thing the apostles testified they were very eager and quick to do. (Gal. 2:10) This "doing good" is but the manifestation of true "brotherly love" and the fulfillment of the command of God to love our neighbor as ourselves.
We are told in scripture that Jesus "went about doing good." (Acts 10:38) This involved helping the poor and sick, but it also, more importantly, involved providing men with the means and opportunity of salvation and forgiveness of sins, and in teaching them divine truth. Notice these words of Jesus that were sent to John the Baptist when he was prisoned.
"The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." (Matthew 11: 5 KJV)
Christians do good when they promote both healing and help for the body and the soul. Christians are concerned for the entire well being of their neighbors, albeit the chief concern is with the state of their souls before God and his law.
James said that "pure religion and undefiled before God" is one that is expressed in the activities of "visiting the fatherless and widows" in the time of their afflictions. (James 1:27) These are styled "good works (deeds)" and are such activities that God is pleased to see his people involved in.
Churches and Christians are to be "good Samaritans."
Wrote John:
"But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" (I John 3:17)
This is not simply our "brother" in Christ, or "brother" in our particular church. This is evident from two considerations.
First, all men are to treated as our brothers in Adam, with brotherly love and affection (so Paul taught saying, to all men, believers and unbelievers, "we are all God's offspring" -- Acts 17:28).
Second, when Paul says, "especially to those who are of the household (family) of faith," he pictures two familys, the family of man and the family of God. Christians are members of both families and have responsibility to each, only in their proper order and concern.
This "doing good" is to have a priority attached to it. Our brothers in Christ, in the church, come first before those who are not Christians. So, Paul says, "do good especially to the family of God," the body of Christ. We do make this distinction.
Jude also spoke of making this distinction, this discrimination, when he wrote:
"And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." (Jude 22,23)
We must provide "for our own" first, but this ought not to negate our interest in doing the same to "all men" with the hopes that God will be glorified thereby.
"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." (I Tim. 5:8)
Here Paul again speaks of the distinction in our giving to and support of others. We have our immediate family and our extended family. Which is to come first when there is limited supply? Again, the immediate family is to come first. This is true with regard to our natural family as well as our spiritual family, the "family of God." (Eph. 3:15)
The immediate family (the church of our membership) should come first. But, if there are additional resources, then we are to help the extended family of God (members of other churches) and then "all men," who form the larger circle of the families of which we are members.
What "good" are we as Christians? I thank God for all the good that the church and Christian community have done in this regard. Some decry this work, arguing that the church ought not to collectively be involved in such things, saying the church is only to be involved in spiritual activities as preaching and praying. But, they are wrong, and the verses above show it to be wrong.
My Christian friend, let us keep our mandate ever before our eyes and always be eager to help our brothers. God is well pleased when we do.
Of course, none can do any spiritual "good" in his sinful fallen state. The scriptures teach that "there is none that does good, no not one." (Psalm 14: 1-3 & Romans 3: 10) Yes, moral good he may do, and such conforms to the law of God, but spiritual good, good deeds done with love for God and from faith in him, are what make a moral deed a spiritual deed well pleasing in the sight of God, and a deed to be "accepted" and "rewarded."
"Without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6) and this is why the "plowing of the wicked" (a good moral deed) is sin (not a spiritually accepted deed)." (Proverbs 21: 4)
Men must have "faith" to "do good." They must do things with the right motive, for the glory of God and from a heart that loves him and delights in obeying him.
"Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Romans 14: 23 KJV)
"But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." (Hebrews 13: 16 KJV)
Here Paul refers to the good deeds of the saints as "sacrifices," as pleasing and acceptable sacrifices. This "doing good" involves our "communicating" good things to others, both of our "carnal things," such as food and clothing and help for the body, but also of our "spiritual things," the means of salvation, or the message of the gospel, that is, it involves help for the soul. (Romans 15: 27 & I Corinthians 9: 11)
"I follow the thing that good is." (Psalm 38: 20 KJV)
A good soul cannot help but do good, just as a good and healthy tree cannot do anything but produce good fruit.
"Doing" good is to "follow" the good and to not follow evil.
"See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men." (I Thessalonians 5: 15 KJV)
Notice how there is duty to the household of faith, which is always first and foremost, and to the family of man in general, as regards our doing good to others.
All Christians should seek to be "well reported of for good works" and those who are described as having "diligently followed every good work." (I Timothy 5: 10 KJV)
"Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?" (I Peter 3: 13 KJV)
"Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God." (III John 1: 11 KJV)
posted by My Daily Bread @ 5:53 PM
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