What Really Matters to God in the End

I pastor a church in Northeast PA, and God has been helping us reach new people. Several months ago, I was teaching a Bible study on Galatians with a new convert, and his friend was also there, who had not yet made a profession of faith. As we discussed Galatians, I mentioned the word “circumcision,” because…well…it does come up!

I will never forget the mild look of surprise on this unsaved friend’s face as he realized that we were talking about that rather interesting word. Circumcision? Yeah, the Bible actually talks about circumcision! In a rather humorous way, I was reminded yet again how “hot-button issues” can change from one generation to the next.

What one generation fiercely argues about and debates can change dramatically in the next. What really mattered back then can sound almost weird today. What dominates discussion in one era can quickly become irrelevant in the next.

As a young person, I remember the hype surrounding the book 88 Reasons Why the Lord Is Coming Back in 1988. It was dramatic! It was sensational! But it was temporary, and ultimately irrelevant. Older generations will remember the Watergate scandal. Today, we face controversies ranging from the Epstein Files to…Greenland!? (Didn’t see that one coming!)

As a pastor, and more importantly, as a Christian, I am growing increasingly concerned that, like the Galatians of old, we are spending too much time arguing about the “flavor of the month” and too little time focusing on what really matters. You can argue about the trivial, or you can emphasize the eternal. Every day, we face that choice.

In Galatians 6:11–16, Paul is wrapping up his great epistle, and he has been contrasting:

• Law vs. Promise
• Flesh vs. Spirit
• External religion vs. inward transformation

Paul sums it all up by pointing us directly to the cross. It’s not about raging debates over circumcision (whew, kind of glad about that, actually!). It’s not about 101 other distractions, fierce talking points, or winning arguments. If we want to “win” or “glory,” Paul says, make it all about the cross of Jesus Christ—which, ironically, is not about winning or glory for ourselves at all. It’s all about Him!

So how can we live like the Apostle Paul in the midst of an argumentative world? Let me give you two values that I think the entire book of Galatians emphasizes.

Value #1

My main message as a Christian must always focus on the centrality of Christ, not the latest controversy or crisis. Before I tell you my opinion about masks (yes, I know, that’s so 2020!), let me tell you what really matters: that I love God with all my heart, that I am crucified with Christ, that I treat my wife and children with Christlike love in the privacy of my home. It matters that I am passionate about the Great Commission, and it really matters that I live what I profess. Once I clearly communicate that to you, then I might debate some other issue (maybe…if there’s time!).

Value #2

My main message as a Christian must always reflect the right spirit.

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of
righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 14:17 (ESV)

Like Galatians, the book of Romans shows that Paul continually faced controversy. In fact, in all of his epistles, Paul points believers to a higher way. The kingdom of God has never been about an endless series of disputes; it IS about living a life marked by righteousness, peace, and joy as we are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Some time ago, a troubling word picture came to mind as I thought about how Christians sometimes react—or OVERREACT—to issues. It can be summed up in this little phrase:

Empty Christians Arguing.

When we are not filled with His Spirit, and when peace, joy, and love are in short supply (see Galatians 5:22–23), it’s only a matter of time before our social media posts and personal interactions begin to reflect a spirit of harshness and bitterness. When it’s all said and done, it’s not about how many arguments I’ve won on Facebook. It’s about whether I kept Christ at the center of my life, my home, my ministry, and my joy.

And that, friends (insert dramatic pause here), is what really matters!