“The Mark of Quality”

Victor Paul Wierwille
November 7, 1976

– Sunday Night Teaching 834 (edited) Transcript –
New Knoxville, Ohio

Take your Bibles please and go to the book of Galatians. Tonight, I really felt that I wanted to share with you from God’s Word what I believe God’s Word indicates as the great “Mark of Quality.” The record in the 5th chapter of Galatians sets the pattern for me of this mark of quality. Galatians 5, beginning with verse 22. The “fruit of the Spirit”, the “fruit” of it, the “fruit.” Fruit, is the result of the operation of the manifestations spiritually. Like you don’t get apples until you have a tree. If you’re going to get the fruit of an apple, you have to have the tree. If you’re going to get the “fruit” of the spirit, you’ve got to have the spirit.

Now the fruit; things that you can see in evidence.

Galatians 5:22-26

…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

meekness, temperance: against such things there is no law.

And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live by the Spirit, let us walk by the Spirit.

Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

There is the great basic foundation and then comes this remarkable, sixth chapter that I want to share with you tonight.

Galatians 6:1

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

With the manifestations of the fruit of the spirit in operation, you begin the walk in here. And the Mark of Quality is the mark of the walk. The Mark of Quality is the walk! Now I couldn’t have that mark of quality if I didn’t have the Christ in me. That’s the new birth, Christ in you the hope of glory! That’s the new birth. That’s the creation of God’s spirit within you. But the walk is the mark of quality. Just what kind of walk are you manifesting? What are you doing in your walk? Do you carry that mark of quality that the word requires we should carry as born-again sons and daughters of God?

“Brethren” it’s in the walk. “…if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore…” The word “restore” basically is the word “correct.” All scripture is profitable for doctrine, reproof and correction. If you’ll flip over to I Corinthians 14:37:

I Corinthians 14:37

If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

And in this section he has been talking about “I would ye all spake in tongues” and a lot of other things... If you are spiritual then you will recognize these are the commandments of the Lord, and if you’re not spiritual then you’ll argue about it, recognize and say they are not things of the Lord.

Now he’s talking here in Galatians about a spiritual man that would be a spiritual man who recognized the things that are written in Corinthians and in Romans. See, Galatians corrects the doctrinal error that crept into the church due to the failure of adhering to the revelation given in the book of Romans and in Corinthians. It says if you are a spiritual person, you don’t push somebody down, you don’t trample on somebody. If you are a spiritual person, you correct the person, in meekness, in the spirit of meekness. Meekness is humility! Why? Considering yourself, also because you blew it at one time! Lest you be tempted to blow it again! See, it’s a walk of correction, but doing it with humility. Not with “Dang it, listen to me or else I’ll chop your head off - kind of attitude.” No! But look, God’s Word says this and I love you and I want you to have the best, you want to have the best, so you correct, you “restore such an one.”

Then it says in verse 2:

Galatians 6:2

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Bear one another’s burdens. Here’s a scripture that people have a lot of difficulty with because it says in verse 2, “Bear ye one another’s burdens” and it says in verse 5, “everyman bear his own burdens.” It’s a contradiction, if you can read English. The contradiction is in the English, but not in the original text.

This first word “Bear ye one another’s burdens,” the word “burdens” there is the word baros (in the Greek), and baros means to share. “Bear ye one another’s burdens” - help one another! The word “burdens” is something that you can lighten someone else’s load! You can carry somebody else’s burden. That’s this word baros. That’s love! If you restore someone in meekness, in humility, you share the word with them; you help to “carry” their burden. That’s the word baros and that’s its meaning! And as you do that, you fulfill the law of Christ.

I was checking that law of Christ again, because many times people talk about it, but they don’t know the practical side of it. In John 13 it’s given in that verse. John 13, verse 34, Jesus said:

John 13:34

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Also in the epistles, it says “how can we say we love God if we do not love our brother.” And this is addressed to “brethren”! This is not addressed to the unsaved, an unbeliever. You know, you don’t restore an unbeliever; an unbeliever needs to get saved! He needs salvation; he needs to get born again. But the born again people, especially in the family, in the household now, the born again people, we are to bear one another’s load! To help one another, where we can help one another! That’s what the word “burden” is here.

In verse 5 [Galatians 6:5], “…every man shall bear his own burden.” is the Greek word spelled phortion. The first “burden” back in verse 2 is the Greek word baros. That first burden can be shared. This second “burden” in verse 5, the word used there is something that you cannot share; nobody else can take it and help you with it. You understand it? That’s the difference in the two. Two entirely different words. Some things people can help me with. They can help me carry in the ministry. But then there are other things in the ministry, and in my life that nobody can carry but V.P. Wierwille. At those places where you can help to carry, it is the word baros. At the place where you cannot help me to carry my burden (or my responsibility), it is the word phortion. Boy, you talk about the accuracy of the Word, how’s that? There is no contradiction between verse 2 and verse 5. Verse 2 says “Bear ye one another’s burdens”; it doesn’t say think about it, it says do it! It says if I’m your brother then you help me to carry my load. If you’re my brother and you’re my sister then it’s my responsibility to help you carry yours.

Galatians 6:3

If a man think himself to be something [Context now, were talking about bearing burdens and you think that you’re a “sharpie” you know, the Word says:] …he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Did you ever hear of the fellow that says he’s a self-made man? Boy, if you ever look at him he’s lousy. “Self-made,” yea, a bunch of baloney! That’s right! Huh... He only deceives himself. If a man think himself to be something without carrying somebody else’s burden... “I don’t need anybody to help me....” That fellow is saying that’s nothing, he is deceiving himself, because in verse 4:

Galatians 6:4-6

…let every man prove his own work [and that is by the sharing that we have among the brethren] and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another.

[Verse 5] For every man shall bear his own burden.

[Verse 6] Let him that is taught in the word…

The word “in” is not in any critical Greek text, and it’s very beautiful without, “Let him who is taught The Word”, and the word for “word” is the word logos. Same one that is used in John 1.

Galatians 6:6

Let him who is taught the word communicate to (not unto, but communicate to) him that teacheth in all good things.

And that is by helping him to carry his burden. That is what he is talking about.

Galatians 6:7

Be not deceived…

In other words don’t get fooled! And when a person is deceived it’s got to be from the other source, because the adversary is the great, what? deceiver! So if you’re going to be deceived you’ve got to get it from the opposite God, you can’t get it from the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Galatians 6:7

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Everybody that reads this is always thinking about wild oats – oh nuts!... God is not mocked. That word “mocked” sets there like a diamond! It’s a great orientalism, the word mocked. When you wanted to really insult someone in the Bible, in biblical (eastern) culture, you tapped them on the cheek. You didn’t have to slap them hard, you just touched them with your left hand and that was really bad! The other thing they did was to spit at them. And the third thing they did was turn up their noses. The word “mocked” is the word “nose up”!

Be not deceived, God is not “nosed up”; he’s not someone you turn your nose up to! In other words, you don’t spit at God. You don’t turn your nose up at Him. The phrase “nose up” means in plain literal language - “you’re stinky”! When you smell something and you don’t like the smell, your nose goes up. God is not one you turn your nose up to! God isn’t “stinky”; God is not mocked. Boy, you talk about orientalism and figures of speech, and how they’re used. This figure is the thing that emphasizes the truth in that verse. The word “deceived” is not as important, man sowing is not important, man’s reaping is not important; the thing that is emphasized in that verse where God puts the emphasis, is “don’t you turn up your nose at God, and tell God he’s stinky about what He has just said” (that we’re to bear one another’s burden). Wherever we can lighten one another’s load we’re to help, because God so loved, now you so love that people can see God in Christ in you! That love is not aeros or phileo, it is agapeo. I think it will come up here; if it doesn’t, it will in the 5th chapter. It’s the love of God in the renewed mind; it’s that word agapeo (translated “charity” in the King James version). You don’t turn your nose up at God! “…for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

If you don’t carry anybody else’s burden, I want to tell you nobody is going to help you either, is what the Word says. If I’m your brother and you’re not willing to help me where you can help me, God say’s you’re turning your nose up at Him! For how can you say “you love me and I love you” and then we’re raising hell with each other all the time. I’m cutting you down and you’re saying bad things about me, that is the sowing in here and it hasn’t got anything to do sleeping in bed barefooted! This has everything to do with the great accuracy of the Word, and the Word is known from the individual verse in its context and here we’re talking about the walk! [It’s] the “mark of quality” of a Christian who really loves God and exemplifies it in his day by day walk, carrying the burden of other Christians, not pushing them down. That’s what it’s talking about! God’s not one you turn your nose up to.

Galatians 6:8

For he that soweth to his flesh...

The word “own” is in every text following the word “his”; “he that soweth to his own flesh, when he thinketh himself to be something, he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” In verse 3, that’s the man that soweth to his own flesh, and that person who does that as a brother,

Galatians 6:8 continued

...shall of that flesh reap corruption [He’s going to be the loser!]; but [in contrast] he that soweth to the Spirit…

And we just learned about the law of Christ and other things... now sowing that walk, to sow is to plant, it’s to walk! When I love you with the love of Christ I am sowing. When I do this in meekness, when you walk with the love of Christ you’re sowing, and what you sow you get back! If you give out hell, that’s what you’re going to get back! You give out bitterness, that’s what’s going to come back! You give out criticism, that’s what’s going to come back. You’re always “in”, in what you’re giving out. You give out heaven, you’re in it. You give out the love of Christ, you’re in it. Verse 8 (cont.).

Galatians 6:8 continued

…he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

It can’t be this eternal life because you don’t reap it by walking, you reap it by grace. “By grace are you saved, not of works, lest any man should boast. [Ephesians 2:8-9]” Here we are talking about work that reaps. What is the reaping? Well, when you deliver your hogs to market you get a check. When you take your corn to market you get a check. When you do a day’s work, or a week’s work in a factory you get a check. The reaping is that check! The reaping is the reward! People, Christianity is just so tremendously terrific, because not only do we have the joy of the abundant life now, but we have got all eternity for the rewards to enjoy! I tell you people have to be stupider than stupid who do not want to accept the Lord Jesus Christ and live the way of God and his Word. You’ve got to be stupid! That’s right! Because this is the only life of joy and blessing and peace. So just make up your mind whether you walk the way of God and the way of the Word or whether you’re going to walk the way of the world. And every man makes that decision! Every man, every woman. Reap live everlasting is the reward!

Galatians 6:9

And let us not be weary in well doing:..

Boy, sometimes you feel like throwing in the towel. It’s around 11 and you say nuts to the other four rounds. I know. I perhaps get to that point more than any man in the nation today. And yet, daily as I get to the Word you keep building and you just live. And you just can’t be weary in well doing. If people take advantage of you, people raise hell with you, people say you’re a bunch of counterfeits, so what! As long as you know that you’re walking for God and you’re right on, you have the joy of it now and you’ve got the joy of the reaping of rewards throughout all eternity! I would say that makes us traveling first class! “...not be weary” in what? - well doing. Just carry the burdens. You know if I had to wait for people to tell me how tremendous they loved me, because of the teaching of God’s Word, I’d of starved to death! That’s right! A lot of you do today, but there was 15, 20 years nobody ever said nothing! And yet it was the same Word of God. You see, my pay is not that people pat me on the back and say “oh, that was a great teaching on Galatians tonight.” I don’t mind hearing it... no more so than you would like to hear if you have done something well. But if you do something well and you’re dependent on hearing it, you’re going to starve to death baby! Our ministry is not dependent upon whether people like it or don’t like it. Is it the accuracy of God’s Word or isn’t it? And if it’s God’s Word that we’re standing for, then we get the credit from him. That abundant life is to know, that you know, that you know that you are right on with God. Not handling the Word of God deceitfully, as many do. Whose eyes are blinded by Satan as it says in Corinthians.

Galatians 6:9 continued

…for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

For in due season means proper time. “we shall reap” - we shall what? It’s in the absolute tense. It doesn’t say you “will”; it says you “shall”. “You shall” (or we “shall”) put’s it dramatically in the absolute tense. There are no “ifs”, there are no “ands”, there’s no “buts” about it! God said that you are going to reap! If we don’t slip up, if we don’t faint! To faint is to lay down on the job! ...just give up and say nuts! You get tired of being good to people...

Galatians 6:10

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all…

Do what kind of good? Bear one another’s burden, help one another, love one another in meekness, correct one another. Let us do good unto all. Then this great line.... sometimes I wonder why God didn’t leave it out of the Word, “especially...”, good unto all, all who? All born again believers. They’re in the family. Whether I like it or whether I don’t like it. If they are born again of God’s spirit, [then] they are in the family of God for they have the same God as we have. Especially good...

Galatians 6:10 continued

…especially unto them who are of the household!...

There’s a fantastic difference between “family” and “household.” Now you can’t have a household without a family. I guess. That’s true. Because in order to have a household in an earthly family you must have kids. A husband and wife don’t make a household. The “house hold” is made up of the children, mommy and daddy, (that’s the household) grandma and grandpa, great-grandma and grandpa, cousins, aunts and uncles, ... that’s the household.

Galatians 6:10 continued (not KJV)

...especially good unto them who are of the household of faith.

That speaks and this relates itself to the born-again believers who stay put together and walk as a household. For instance, Mrs. Wierwille and I have five children. As long as our five children and Dotsi and I and our family, we all stick together and we all walk, were in the same household. But now let’s say one of our children would say “nuts, I’m going out here and get drunk and I’m going to live like the devil,” would he still belong to the Wierwille family? [Yes,] but he’d be what? He just split himself out of the household. Got it? That’s the difference.

We are to be especially good, especially good, to those who stand on God’s Word and walk in the light of the greatness of this revelation. Especially good! I’ve got to be good to everybody, even in the family, but especially, especially that household! Isn’t that something? Especially good to the household. That’s the family that sticks together - that’s the household, in the Word.

Galatians 6:10 continued

...[and] of faith.

Text reads “of the faith” which is the family faith, the faith of Jesus Christ. The household, the family, the family, faith.

Then comes the great 11th verse, which so many scholars through the years have utilized to show how Paul was so severely afflicted, he needed 3 inch thick lenses for his eyes were affected with a very serious disease [laughter] because they would gladly have given him their eyes if they could have. For he had said,

Galatians 6:11

Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with my own hand!

[Laughter.] It doesn’t say that Paul had poor eye sight, it just said he wrote in large letters. What Paul is saying is that he wrote this letter with his own hand! That’s all it says. The remarkable thing is that he wrote it. He himself, who ordinarily had a secretary (a scribe) to do all the writing. He did it with his own hand, and the greatness of this revelation came out when this man was at the most unlikely place to get any revelation, and to know anything about love because he wasn’t getting any of it because he was in jail. He was in prison row! And by the way, Paul went to Rome, Peter never did make it to Rome in his lifetime. Peter was never in the city of Rome in his whole lifetime, if the Word is right! Paul was, but he was in jail. And out of the midst of that jail he wrote the greatness of this revelation, which is the “Mark of Quality” that I’m teaching you tonight! I want to tell you that’s beautiful in my heart and life. Tremendous revelation!

Galatians 6:12

As man as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; [The word “constrain” is “compel”] only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Do you know why Paul was suffering persecution for the cross of Christ, for what it stood for? Because Paul dared to teach the revelation of the Word of God, which God gave him. But the religious gang, the born again believers who were in the family but outside of the household, they were persecuting him, and who do you think were doing the persecuting? The circumcision guys! Today we call them the legalists. For example: “You’ve got to have beans for breakfast or you can’t be a Christian!” See these boys that didn’t really want to love one another and really hold forth the Word, they were saying: “Look man, you’ve got to get circumcised. If you’re not circumcised, you don’t have it.” They were legalists. Today, it could be water baptism, or could be the Lord’s Supper. Christians have killed one another over such disagreements in the past centuries. Christianity is the laughing stock of the world today, because as all the Eastern people would tell you from Buddhists, to other movements they’ll all say nobody has killed more people in the world than Christians! Then I look them straight in the eye and tell them they are a liar from hell! That’s right! Because Christians who are in that “household” and walking on the Word of God, don’t go around killing people! But now you can get out of fellowship and still be in the family and kill like crazy. Which they have done through the years many times, because they wouldn’t come to the Word.

Galatians 6:13

For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

Verse 14: There are two words missing in the King James Version that are just unbelievable that they would have missed it. The text reads: “But, for me”

Galatians 6:14 (not KJV)

But for me, God forbid that I should glory, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world [has been is the text] has been crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

That’s right! When Jesus Christ died, we died with him. When Jesus Christ was buried, we were buried with him. When he arose, we arose with him. When he ascended, we ascended with him. For Ephesians says, we are all seated in the heavenlies with him! That’s the cross. Paul gloried in what that whole cross accomplished in Christ Jesus. Our Lord Jesus Christ, “by whom the world has been crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

Galatians 6:15 (not KJV)

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision is anything [availeth is the verb “is” - Greek text] nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

Isn’t that beautiful? Whether you are circumcised or uncircumcised, whether it’s water or dry cleaning - no problem.

Galatians 6:15

…in Christ Jesus neither circumcision is anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation [creature is creation in the text].

Galatians 6:16

And as many as…

“as” is in the future tense meaning “shall.”

Galatians 6:16 (not KJV)

And as many as shall walk according…

“according” is the Greek word dia “by”

Galatians 6:16 (not KJV)

…by this rule…

What rule? The rule of the new creation where neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything! - for the flesh profits what? Nothing! The legalism is over with. It’s all in Christ Jesus and we live under a new law, which is the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. And that’s the walk of love!

Galatians 6:16 (not KJV)

And as many shall walk by this rule [bearing one another’s burdens, correcting, loving, tenderly], peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

It doesn’t say the Jews of God, it says Israel. This Israel of God is the born-again believer in the household. Israel is the believer! The believers of God. Nothing to do with blood line. Everything to do with believing. Here it’s called the Israel of God. Let’s look at Romans 9, verses 6 - 9:

Romans 9:6-9

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Issac shall thy seed be called.

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

See, they’re children of God. That’s the Israel of God. This here in verse 16 of Galatians 6 is the antithesis of this Romans section. The children of the flesh (of Israel), and the children of God (the Israel of God) - the antithesis of it in here. While you’re thinking about that, turn to I Corinthians 10:18.

I Corinthians 10:18

Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the alter?

There is Israel after the flesh. Israel after God is in verse 16 of Galatians 6. Look at Philippians 3:3, a beautiful passage in here.

Philippians 3:3

For we are the circumcision, which worship God (by way of the Spirit) and rejoice in

Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

That’s the Israel of God. We are the circumcision! This has nothing to do with the flesh, has everything to do with the spirit. The circumcision of the heart, which is wrought by the love of God in his grace and mercy. Peace and mercy on the Israel of God.

Now the great 17th verse in Galatians 6.

Galatians 6:17

From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Paul is saying: “From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I’ve got the Mark of Quality.” And the Mark of Quality is the mark of living this Word, which Paul was living for which he was thrown in prison and finally executed, but he never renounced the truth of God or his Word. That’s the Mark of Quality!

The word “mark” in the text, is the Greek word stigma. What Paul saw in his mind I’m sure, was the mark of a slave, the “branding”. Because every slave when he was bought had a brand put on him. A stigma, as it’s called in the Greek text. He was branded for the master in the ear lobe (or some place). That way you had your brand on the guy. And when he ran away you could send a notice around to the post office and put his “brand” up! Collect him back...

“From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the stigma, the mark of the Lord.” It didn’t mean he had been branded with an iron for Jesus Christ, but he had it on the inside people! You can get branded all over your body like you can get tattooed, but that doesn’t mean that you love God. What have you got on the inside? How is that new creation, that’s Christ in you, being manifested in the senses world? That’s the Mark! And the Mark of Quality is the walk whereby you love in meekness, you correct in meekness, you do not get weary in well doing, you just stay committed to God’s Word - that’s the Mark of Quality!

Galatians 6:18

Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

And as I have said, “Grace is God’s redemption at Christ’s expense.” And that’s what he did for us people. God so loved that he gave! You and I have the Love of God within us because we have “Christ in us the Hope of Glory.”

Now, the “Mark of Quality” is that we so love that we give. We so stand! We so walk! We stay committed to God and his Word that we just do not push. If we have to die, we’ll die standing for the Word! Standing with that meekness, that love, that correction, the greatness of that Word. That’s the Mark of Quality. We haven’t seen too much of this mark of quality in Christendom for the last 1800, 1900 years. A lot of religion, but little walk on the truth of God’s Word.

The Word of God is the will of God. God means what he says and says what he means. And if we want to bear in our body’s that Mark of Quality, we have to bear that walk that Galatians 6 is talking about. And then the grace of God, His peace, His joy is upon our lives.