by Doug Burleson
Synopsis: In the second article, Doug discusses how the benevolent nature of God must impact conclusions we draw regarding the benevolent work of the church.
Many words have been exchanged between members of the churches of Christ on the discussion of the means, beneficiaries, and purpose of Christian aid. I am aware of many of the things that have been written in the Gospel Guardian, the Gospel Advocate, and Truth magazines and in other settings and know that brethren still differ with regard to how Christians should benevolently care for others. Sadly non-benevolent attitudes have been exchanged between some brethren, yet many others throughout the years have been respectful in this endeavor. If you hold a non-institutional perspective I respect you and consider you my brother or sister. This applies to brother Kyle Pope whom I have come to know and appreciate over the last two years. I appreciate his conviction and courage to engage in this discussion without anonymity. We do not agree on everything, but do agree on most things. We both love the truth and desire to honor the Lord. I am especially excited about the opportunity to reflect on how we can work together as one body without having to compromise our convictions.
God has spoken and has also acted with kindness and love for all humankind. God has done this with incredible generosity from the beginning (Titus 3:4; cf. Rom. 2:4; Eph. 2:7). Generally speaking could we imagine a created world where the sun only shined on Christians or where the rain only fell on the faithful (Matt. 5:45)? Specifically with regard to God's covenants, aren't we thankful that God's covenant with Israel included corporate provisions and protections for the foreigners and strangers that sojourned among them (Lev. 19:9-10, 33; Deut. 10:18-19)? Don't we love how Jesus and His apostles ministered to those outside "the lost sheep of the household of Israel," including the daughter of a Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30), the citizens of Decapolis (Mark 5:9-20), and the centurion whose servant was sick (Luke 7:1-10)? Isn't it interesting to consider the reputation that Christians gained in Jerusalem for their service and sacrifices for the sake of brethren and their dependents (Acts 2:47; 4:32-37)? What does this trajectory of God's benevolent activity and call for His people to be generous indicate? There is no doubt that God loves humanity and has demonstrated that love to an incredible measure. When did that love first appear? In Titus 2:11 we read "the grace of God appeared" and that appearance brought the hope of salvation to all people. Certainly Jesus' atoning work and benevolent care was not limited! The same work and care could also be seen in His church. What the Spirit did in Jesus' ministry in Luke, the Spirit also did in the ministry of the church in Acts. Benevolence is not limited only to what God said, but also includes what God has shown us with great consistency throughout His Word. God's generous desire is that all people be saved and come to knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4), a desire that is evident both in the words and works of God.
Volumes have seemingly been written on the content and nature of Galatians 6:10. I would begin with some notes about my disappointment with the way this has traditionally been discussed. First, I do not think this discussion wholly depends on whether one considers the Galatians 2:10 contribution to be referring to the "Great Collection." Unlike Gibson, I date Paul's Galatians to around AD 49, early in the apostle's ministry before the Jerusalem council.1 If the council of Acts 15 had already happened when Galatians was written, the apostle Paul could have simply pointed to that event as the solution of the problem that prompted Galatians in the first place! In addition to this I would also suggest that the private visit of Paul, Barnabas, and Titus to the "pillars" of the Jerusalem church in Galatians 2 parallels Paul's "Jerusalem famine" visit of a similar nature in Acts 11:29-30, not Acts 15. While I agree that congregations cooperated in supporting those struggling in Jerusalem, including at the least their children and households (slaves, dependents), I do not think that one must associate the collection of Galatians 2 with the Jerusalem collection mentioned in Romans 15:27-31 or 2 Corinthians 9:13. Secondly, much that has been written about individual vs. corporate responsibility in Galatians 6 superimposes a post-Enlightenment milieu of individualism back into a predominantly group-oriented Greco-Roman setting. The patrilocal, group-oriented first-century context of the NT writers is far-removed from a context where individualism is primary in the mind of most post-Enlightenment readers. Finally, given the nature of Greek number and syntax any conclusion that suggests the context of Galatians 6 could only be for congregations or individuals is tenuous. The plural pronouns and verbs of Galatians 6 could be applied to individuals and congregations as indicated by a number of parallels in both Septuagintal and Greek NT contexts. This false dichotomy ignores the ambiguous nature of the plural pronouns or verbs, which also appear in 1 Corinthians 11. Paul wrote the letter of Galatians to Christians scattered throughout southern Galatia because of the apostasy of some as they moved towards the false doctrine of the Judaizing teachers. This was a corporate problem that had impacted many individuals to which the author responded by telling his own story (Gal. 1-2), comparing their experience to Abraham's (Gal. 3-4), and showing the results of God's activity (Gal. 5-6). In this context the corporate problem that had impacted many individuals cannot then be viewed as individual only in Galatians 6. After connecting v. 10 back to the previous context by means of the particles "therefore" (oun) and "then" (ara), Paul refers to "the appointed time" at hand (kairos) as he had in the eschatological context of v. 9. Then using the hortatory subjunctive, Paul urged his readers in the congregations at Lystra, Iconium, Derbe, and Pisidian Antioch to "do good" (ergadzōmetha to agathon) "to all" (pros pantas). This letter was likely read to the congregations in a single hearing and then left for all to share. Though some have offered delimitations to Paul's usage of "doing good" in Galatians 6, it is tied in context to bearing one another's burdens and even sharing good things (en pasin agathois) with those who taught them (vv. 2, 6). Every individual and/or congregation was to universally do good to all people, it was also particularly or "especially" (malista) to do good to those of "the household of faith" (tous oikeious tēs pisteōs). The exegete who wants to separate the individual from corporate responsibility in Galatians 6:10 must do so arduously without the support of the Greek grammar, syntax, or the social-setting of Paul's Mediterranean context.
If we cannot agree on how to interpret Galatians 6:10 can we agree to still seek to find common ground? Can we work together to support Christians in need? Perhaps this could involve relieving the saints in the aftermath of disasters and crises or serving alongside one another in agreeing to "remember the poor" (Gal. 2:10)? Even if we disagree with regard to whom Galatians 6:10 applies, we can certainly agree that Christians should be given priority ("especially"). Perhaps we could even find cooperation in our efforts as individual members of the body? Christians who differ on Sunday school organization or communion cups likely do not do these things together in the assembly due to conscience, but could they pray together, sing together, or study the Word together? We have historically made a hard break in an area that ought to be viewed as important to our faith and practice, but as a result have formed "parallel universes" of fellowship. I am saddened by that reality and, while persuaded benevolent aid offered to non-Christians is not sinful, refuse to allow this to become a wall that completely divides the Lord's people in areas in which we can work together. I do not want anyone to be "quarantined," but would prefer that we find a way to reflect the trajectory of God's kindness and Christian behavior, finding ways to benevolently work together in serving the saints.
1 Steve Gibson, Galatians 6:10 and the Great Collection: A Critique of the "Saints Only" Doctrine. Taylor, TX, 1990.
Author Bio: Doug serves as an Associate Professor in Bible at Freed-Hardeman University where he also is the Assistant Dean of the College of Biblical Studies. He labors with the Estes Church of Christ in Henderson, TN. The church website is esteschurch.org. He can be reached at dburleson@fhu.edu.
