Hovering over a verse in Galatians this morning — kind of an uncomfortable hovering.

Paul has been defending the gospel, the TRUE gospel. The good news that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13). The good news that “God sent forth His Son . . . to redeem . . . so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying ‘Abba! Father!'” (Gal. 4:4-6). A work in our lives begun “by hearing with faith”, intended to be completed “by hearing with faith” (Gal. 3:2-6). New creations in Christ with a new identity in Christ. And that, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone.

But in defending the TRUE gospel, Paul also contends for TRUE gospel community. If the first four chapters are about how the gospel is defined, then the last two chapters are about how the gospel is demonstrated. The gospel is marked by freedom (Gal. 5:1,13). It is marked by walking in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 25). And the realities of gospel freedom and Spirit leading are manifest through gospel community.

Freedom not as an opportunity to cater to self, but to “through love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13). Led by the Spirit, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, so that we would “not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another” (Gal. 5:25). Rather, just as the gospel that saved us in the past dealt with our sin on the cross, so too the gospel that sustains us in our present is the gospel which deals with sin through community.

Brothers [and sisters], if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.

(Galatians 6:1a ESV)

And the great hindrance to TRUE gospel community? It comes down to how we answer a question. Something or nothing?

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

(Galatians 6:2-3 ESV)

The gospel is messy business because the gospel, by design, is up to its eyeballs in sin. Jesus says so: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mt. 9:13). And while deemed righteous in Him, and while robed in righteousness through Him, until we are with Him, we people of freedom and the Spirit continue to battle recurring entrapment by the old nature (Gal. 5:16-17). Thus, from time to time — and more often than we’d care to admit — we get “caught in transgression”. Thus, the messiness continues. Thus, the gospel continues to be messy business. Thus, gospel community is gonna be a messy place. And if we think we’re above the mess, if we think we’re something, then we deceive ourselves and TRUE gospel community stops reflecting the TRUE gospel.

Instead, we are to think of ourselves as nothing. As Jesus did, we are to empty ourselves (Php. 2:5-7). Noodle on that for a bit and it gets a bit uncomfortable, doesn’t it?

I am a nobody who has been made somebody in Christ. But, says Paul, I am still to regard myself as nothing. For, it’s as I remember that I’m part of the mess and remember that through the TRUE gospel my mess was forever, and is forever, being dealt with, that I’m ready to participate in others’ mess and in TRUE gospel community. Engaging in others’ sin. Forgiving others’ sin. Helping others recover from their sin. But for those who think they’re something, they’ll “bite” others, “devour” others, consuming and being “consumed by one another” (Gal. 5:15).

Nothing. It’s the key to being something. And that something is found not in my consumption of, but in my participation in TRUE gospel community. Where what began by faith alone is completed by faith alone.

By grace alone. Through Christ alone. To God’s glory alone.

Amen?