Jump Start # 1611

Galatians 2:4-5 “But it was because of the false brethren who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.”

  Paul wouldn’t fit in well with our political correctness, spirit of tolerance and never hurting the feelings of others times that we live in today. Paul tells us so much about these trouble makers. He calls them “false brethren.” He knew their motives and intentions. They had “sneaked in to spy” in order to “bring us into bondage.” That wasn’t going to happen. Paul said “we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour.” They were not given a platform to speak. They were not given a situation in which everyone gets a chance to say something. No, sir. Not happening here. They were false. They were crooked. They were up to no good. Paul wouldn’t have it.

Conflicts are hard to deal with. Some avoid them at all costs. But avoiding conflicts can be more harmful than engaging in them. Imagine the parent who doesn’t want a battle with her kids. So, she avoids them. The kids rule. The number one reason why people switch jobs has nothing to do with money. It’s all about conflicts with co-workers. We have coined the term, “Toxic relationships” to define what is going on in many work places. It is toxic. It is unhealthy. Some people thrive on conflicts. There are preachers like this. They aren’t happy unless folks are stirred up, upset and some controversy looms on the horizon. How we handle conflicts tells a lot about what we are like on the inside. It’s hard. Some do better at this than others. Some explode like a volcano. Some want to craw in a hole and will allow others to take cheap shots at them that are not only untrue, but unfair and unkind.

It is interesting to search the titles of books on conflict. The titles alone reveal much. Here is a sampling:

– Conflict coaching

– The cowards guide to conflict

– Leashing the dogs of war

– Don’t let the jerks get the best of you

– Thank you for being such a pain

– Working with the enemy

– When bad Christians happen to good people

– Dealing with people you can’t stand

– Bad bosses, crazy co-workers and other office idiots

Wow! The subject of conflict has two sides to look at. First, how to handle criticism from others. Second, how to give criticism that will be helpful. In all of this we must remember that we walk with Jesus. There is never a time that we lay that down. There is never a time to be ungodly. NEVER.

When dealing with the world, remember, they do not play fair, nor by the rules. Doing wrong does not bother them. They will think of self, first, last and always. They do not have a problem hurting you if it helps them. Lying and cheating are a regular part of their lives. Blaming others and criticizing others is easy for them. The result is that the child of God receives harsh treatment that is not right, fair nor just. It’s hard to do what you should when the other person isn’t.

Peter reminds servants to be subject to masters who are “unreasonable” (1 Pet 2:18). Jesus left us an example of being reviled but not reviling in return. He uttered no threats, even though He suffered. He did not become unglued because of the way He was treated.

Years ago I wrote the “Ten Commandments of Conflict.” Here they are:

1. You must remember to act like Jesus

2. Pray for those you are in conflict with

3. Do not sin with your mouth. Think before you speak.

4. Consider what is being said

5. Be careful in answering criticism. Not everything needs to be answered. Remember to have a “gentle answer.”

6. Stick to the issues at hand

7. Get all the facts

8. Practice the golden rule

9. Apologize when you are wrong and offer forgiveness when they apologize

10. Don’t let any situation keep you from Heaven. If that means you must leave a job or a congregation, do so honorably.

We allow the world to turn a good day into a sorry day. We allow others to dictate our moods. We allow others to determine our value and worth. Then there was Paul. He would not give them an hour. He knew it wouldn’t be good. Multiple times in Timothy Paul tells the young preacher to avoid certain questions. They are not constructive. They are not faith building.

Faith in Christ is what will help you deal with conflicts. Will all conflicts be solved decently? No. Will all conflicts turn out in your favor? No. Will everyone agree? No. Will everyone get along? No. Will mean people stop being mean? No. It’s as an old friend used to write in her books, “Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.” We can choose to be torn up on the inside by toxic people or we can get through it with the help of the Lord. How you handle conflicts may open someone’s eyes up to what Christianity is really like.

It’s hard not being liked. It’s hard to be on the receiving end of jokes that are intended to be cruel and hurting. But none of this compares to the nails that our Lord endured for our sake.

Someday, we will be in a place where there are no conflicts. Today, we are one day closer to Heaven.

Roger

Jump Start # 1387

Galatians 2:4-5 “But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the Gospel would remain with you.”

  Our passage today sounds like a suspenseful movie. There were false brethren, spying, people sneaking in, attempts to capture. This however, wasn’t a movie. This actually took place. The Jewish set was determined to disrupt and destroy the leaders of Christianity. They had some success. Stephen had been killed. James was killed. Peter and John were in and out of jail. The disciples had scattered. Yet, in all of this, Christianity grew. It continued to grow. It was larger than one person. It did not need one location to keep it going. Then, a leading persecutor, Saul, flipped over and became one of the disciples. The Jews turned on him and were set to destroy him.

There are several interesting expressions and words we ought to look at from our verse today.

First, there were false brethren. They were not true. They were not true to Christ. They were false because of the what they were doing. True brethren unite. True brethren seek to build up and grow. False brethren strive to divide. False brethren try to alienate, separate and destroy. The false brethren are not after good. The expression “false brethren” is concerning to us. Who and what were they? Had they been immersed as the true brethren had? Were they worshipping with the saints on a regular basis as true brethren were? Could these folks be the wolves in sheep clothing that Jesus referred to? We have a lot of questions and not a lot of information from the text. They were mainly false because they were not following Christ. They had a different agenda. Was it always that way with them or had they been bought out by the Jews?

A greater question, are there such things as false brethren today? Maybe not to the extent of these Jewish radicals, but a person who becomes a Christian for reasons other than salvation, their soul and Christ, may fall into this listing. A person may become a Christian because that is the only way to be allowed to marry someone that they have been dating. Their conversion, faith and walk with Christ is shallow and driven by the desire to get married. Once the “I dos” are said, they drop out and are rarely seen. They have not been converted. Someone else may do a similar thing just to grab attention. He sees others getting hugs and a lot of attention after baptism, and they hunger for that. So they get baptized, but they have not been converted. Still others, may see a great circle of clients to sell things to. Becoming one of them is just an attempt to gain confidence so as to make profit off of them. Using the brethren for ulterior motives. The heart of those that do such things is not changed and their sins have not been forgiven because they have not sought Christ, nor have they made Christ their Lord. What they have done was not an act of faith, but a selfish attempt to get what they want.

Second, these false brethren were sneaking in and spying on the brethren, and Paul particularly. It seems that these false brethren were flunkies doing the dirty work for someone higher up. They would get the dirt needed and then tell who ever sent them and then the curtain would fall on Paul. The problem with all of this mastermind plan was that Paul was above board. He wasn’t doing anything wrong. There was nothing to catch Paul doing that he would be ashamed of nor found guilty of. Paul was true to Christ and running on his convictions. He wasn’t like these Jewish spies who broke the law for their own convenience.

Among brethren today, there is no need for secrets. Available financial sheets, open communication ought to be the norm among brethren. It is when things are hush hush or only a select few are in the loop that suspicion arises. Trust, love and faith in Christ and one another eliminates all those things. Spying on one another is rather sick thinking.

Third, Paul wouldn’t give these false brethren any time. The expression is, “we did not yield to them in subjection, for even an hour.” Paul knew. He knew that these spies were spies. He knew the false brethren were false. They pretended to be genuine, but they were fakes. Paul recognized. One’s true colors show after a while. He would not give them a platform. He would not give them his ear. He would not listen to them. They were false and their agenda was to hurt and destroy and they were not allowed to have any influence upon the brethren.

Some folks shouldn’t be given the platform to speak. Most often today, it’s done from a pew during a Bible class. Someone has some gripes that they want to air. Someone has an agenda that he wants to parade before others. Someone wants to use the occasion to take some pot shots at the leaders or the church in general. They dominate time and express their agendas, often upsetting those who listen to their rant and little good is done. The purpose of the class is to study the Bible, instead, it becomes a time for rebels, radicals and those not committed to the kingdom to throw stones. I’ve seen it happen. It’s not pretty, nice, wise nor what God would approve of.

From our passage, Paul would not allow the false brethren even an hour. They are false. Their motives are not pure. They are not set for the kingdom of Christ. So hush up. Put your hand down. You will not be allowed to speak, give a talk nor address the congregation. Shepherds today must protect God’s people. There are times when these very actions must take place. Until someone can demonstrate and prove that they are wanting to encourage, help and strengthen souls, then they should not be given an moment of time. The church is not a democracy—the will of the people. It is a theocracy—the will of God. No, not everyone has the right to speak out. No, not everyone has the right to say what they want. If what being said, disrupts, distorts, hurts and is counter productive to the kingdom, then no, you don’t get to speak. It’s easy to cast stones, point fingers, accuse and then do nothing about it. It’s easy to upset, splinter and divide a group. This often happens by allowing anyone to say anything.

Paul wouldn’t put up with it. Not even for an hour. We stand with Christ. We hold to the one faith of the Gospel. If someone isn’t true to that, then change or hit the road. Years of good can go out the window in a few moments through the stirring things up by radicals. Years ago, I had a close encounter with such a spirit. He wanted to preach. He wanted to dominate class time. He thrived on controversy. He was upsetting folks. He didn’t want to talk in private. There was no one on one that he was interested in. It was the group that he was after. He loved to see folks stirred up and upset. His heart wasn’t right. I got with him finally, one on one. Just me and him. His tone was hostile and mean. He had little good to say about anything we were doing. He accused, pointed fingers and was extremely negative. I told him that every church building that I had ever been in, from little country churches, to big, large city churches, all of them had a front door. I told him if he wasn’t happy with us, leave. Go. Find another church. He was stunned. He’d never heard a preacher asking someone to leave. He tried to turn that against me. I read our verses today from Galatians. I told him that I had given him more time than Paul would have. He finally left. He bounced around unhappily for a few years. Worshipped in his house by himself for a while. The last I heard, he fell off the map and stopped his journey with the Lord.

Be like Jesus. Treat others like Jesus would. Live by faith, hope, compassion. Seek to do good as Jesus did. Build up. Strengthen others. Leave this place in a better condition than when you came. If you can’t do that and if you insist on being sour and troublesome, maybe it’s time to start looking for the door.

God treasures His word and His people. Be right with both.

Not even for an hour, would Paul put up with them.

Roger