GCC has started this on Thursdays while Nadia and I were away in Asia. So we came back joining half way, at around chapter 3. We have just about finished with chapter 4 last week. Since I don't have nor know any series on this by Stephen Tong, I shall look for the common sources.
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Chapter 1
v.1: not of men, neither by man. The first part is common, for all ministers are called by God and not men. However, "neither by man", "belonged in a peculiar manner to the apostles...not ordained elders/by votes of the people Act 14:23" - Calvin.
In studying this part, I believe I may have been wrong in following a preacher's notion on the 12th apostle that was elected to replace Judas, that this was of human invention and thus not valid, until God picked Paul and was to be interpreted as the 12th and never Matthias who was chosen by casting lots. Here Calvin points out that because Matthias was not voted by men, he was thus not like ordinary ministers. This should make Matthias' apostleship justified. The counting should not matter here, just as the 12 tribes of Israel were not always a matching to their corresponding tribal lands. Matthias' role should be revered as if appointed by God. This is important for understanding the concept of fellowship.
Calvin also called those who have been led to the ministry not by a good conscience but "by ungodly motives", to be just regularly called. He did not quickly call such to be false prophets as many critics today love to do.
v3. "from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" - It would be hard for the non-trinitarian to treat both Lord and God as separate objects of worship.
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Gal 5:19 vs. Gal 5:22 => Works of the flesh vs. fruit of the Spirit:
The contrast of these two is so important that many missed it as I realized in our Bible Study on Thursday. Only a few commentators make such contrasts. Those who missed it, often fail to see the fruit of the Spirit as the RESULT, not our fleshly work. They may even recognize the fruit as a RESULT, but yet they fail in such a way when they speak of this fruit as works of the flesh: Just try to have longsuffering, try to be kind, try to be loving, etc. When you try for the sake of trying or obedience, you are falling back to the works of the flesh. There is command to love and such, but here we are talking about fruit. So when in obedience, we do not look at this as fruit, we are still failing to be free from the burden of the flesh.
Chapter 6
Pastor Chris complained a few times lately about the kind of "Evangelicals" he was used to, those who make it all about themselves, look at our VBS, look at us, look at how many converts we brought, etc. I had wanted but found myself without such opportunity to say: If you go that "evangelical" route, you are going back to the works of the flesh in Gal 5:19.
I do need to remind myself recently that I'm not like the likes of Pastor Chris and the many fundamentalist-turned-reformed, that I do not get trapped by the polar opposite of the "Evangelicals" that they speak against. As if the alternative is only to do exactly their opposite. So the right view of evangelism is as what Stephen Tong has constantly taught, as Tim Keller puts it in the distinction of Gospel-centeredness and Gospel-supporting. That a faithful church of God should see to be great for God. The key is the motive. Christianity is a religion, the only religion of motive. That it's okay for a faithful church to die out. I would disagree with the pastor here that depending what you mean by a church dying out (i.e. Martyrdom or shrinking in numbers, etc.) In most cases, it's not okay for a faithful church to die out. It behooves us to search ourselves deeply rather than just chanting the prayer of "Lord forgive us, for we sin everyday". This is also a very bad exegesis of the book of Job.
v.10: Opportunity...especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Some in the Bible Study had interpreted this as "don't just be settled with your own Christian group, but help other non-Christians too". I think the reverse is true of the verse. That Christians often times especially today are showing kindness to outsiders (non-christians) more often than those within the churches. While we do good to all, we must especially and not forget to do to those who are of the household of faith. John Calvin nailed this one.