Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
The immediate context of this verse concerns the collection of an offering designated for the saints in Jerusalem. Paul had plans to make a trip there and help the believers when he arrived. It was no small undertaking.
The believers, so far from Jerusalem, had to be stirred to care for people they would likely never meet this side of eternity.
- They had to be made to see that Christians in other places faced struggles unique to their area.
- They had to overcome prejudices regarding the differences between Jews and Gentiles.
- They had to develop an appreciation for their own spiritual heritage as it rested in Jerusalem.
The money had to be collected, given an account of, and handled honestly and ethically. There is so much to learn from that.
What I want to focus on is that no matter where the church was, the orders for the collection were the same. Time, culture, distance, and economy changed nothing about the orders. As they were instructed and ordered in Galatia, the orders in Corinth were precisely the same.
We pride ourselves on our independence. We preach heavily on the autonomy of the local church, and we are right in doing it. But we must also keep in mind that, as independent of a human hierarchy as we might be,
- All our churches have the same head, Jesus Christ.
- We all have the same Great Commission, and
- We all receive our orders from the same book.
We are then to be of like faith and practice.
To my readers:
Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.
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