Study of Galatians chapter 6
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Study of Galatians chapter 6
Study of Galatians chapter 6
Tonight we will be finishing out the study of Galatians chapter six as we have been study in Epistle for some time.
The book of Galatians has look a lot at the Law and how we are not under the Law as Christians, but we are free from its bondage.
This last chapter is only eighteen verses, and looks at how we are to bear one another’s burdens, that is as brothers and sisters in Christ we are to be there for each other and help each other through the struggles of this life.
As believers we are free from the bondage of the Law but should be living a life of service that is empowered by the Holy Spirit, that involved helping those that have fallen into sin, those that are burdened and just people in general.
Let’s see what the text says here,
1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
Here we are given a hypothetical case of a Christian who is caught in a sin.
The thought is that of someone running from sin and the sin being faster, the sin overtakes and catches him.
An example of this found in Scripture would be John 8:3-5
3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court,
4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”
A Christians should restore the brother or sister that has sinned.
The task of restoration is not to be undertaken by those that are weak or immature in the faith but by those who are spiritually mature and grounded in their faith, those that walk by the Spirit.
This delicate work must be done gently and with consciousness that no one is immune from falling into sin.
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
A serving Christian lends a helping hand with heavy loads.
Though the principle would apply to all burdens the context has special reference to the heavy and oppressive weight of temptation and spiritual failures.
While the mature Christians do the work of restoring, all believers are to become involved by praying and encouraging.
By helping others bear their burdens we are thereby fulfilling the law of Christ, what did Paul mean by that, well Jesus said in John 13:34
34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
When we bear one another burdens we are are showing this love that Jesus has commanded us too.
We are also showing the Love of Jesus to the world.
3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4 But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.
Something must be laid aside if a believer is to be a burden-bearer and that is conceit, an attitude that breeds intolerance of error in others and causes one to think he is above failure.
The remedy for self-conceit is found in verse four every is told to test his own actions.
This means that rather than comparing himself with others he should step back and take an objective look at himself and his accomplishments.
Then he can take pride in himself over what God has done in and through his life.
3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
The Greek word rendered pride, means personal exultation, not sinful pride.
5 For each one will bear his own load.
The Christian does in fact test himself by carrying his own load.
This does not contradict verse two because the reference there is to heavy, crushing, loads - more than a man could carry without help.
In this verse a different Greek word is used to designated the pack usually carried by a marching soldier.
It is the burden Jesus assigns to His followers.
30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
There are certain Christian responsibilities or burdens each believer must bear which cannot be shared with others.
Jesus assures His disciples that such burdens were light.
6 The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.
The who is taught that would be the congregation, the believers, the one who teaches him, is the pastor or the leader of the church or ministry.
As Paul is teaching on bearing one another’s burdens, he is telling the believers, to make sure that the one that is taking up the responsibility of teaching or preaching the Word of God is not overcome or overwhelmed with burdens.
Paul did not make a living being in full time ministry, we may say today, he was a tent maker, but he traveled, he was a church planter and missionary, but when he went into these cities there was places he stayed, people that feed him, and took care of him.
Jesus said in Matthew when sending the twelve out to cities to do work of the ministry.
10 or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.
Jesus is saying that the work you do will be worthy of being taken care of by those you do the work for.
Paul says to the Corinthian believers in
11 If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
Therefore, as the teacher, preacher shares the Word of God with you reciprocate that by sharing with them the good things back.
Make sure the man of God is taken care of.
I can say, Farmdale Baptist Church has done that for me and my wife.
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
These two verses elaborate on the previous verse.
First, a solemn warning is sounded that God cannot be mocked.
No man can snub God whose rule, a man reaps what he sows, is immutable.
Each sower decides what his harvest will be.
If I want to harvest black eye peas, then I must sow black eye pea seed, or I will not be able to harvest that.
If a person sows to please his sinful nature, that is, if he spends his money to indulge the flesh, he will reap a harvest that will face into oblivion.
On the other hand if he uses his funds to support the Lord’s work, or sows to please the Spirit, and promotes his own spiritual growth, he will reap a harvest that will last forever.
I have heard it multiple times before, if you want to see where a persons heart is devoted look at their checkbook, now in today’s society you cannot necessarily look at their checkbook, but we could say look at their bank statement.
Are they giving to God, and we must understand that giving to God is above and beyond that 10 percent because we are required to give that 10 percent, but Jesus said in Luke 6:38
38 “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”
We cannot out give God, Jesus also told the rich young ruler to go sell all that He had and give it to the poor and come follow Him.
Jesus also said, Matthew 6:21
21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Therefore, is what you are sowing going to reap anything of spiritual value.
9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
Christians may become discouraged with Spiritual sowing because the harvest is often long in coming.
Asparagus takes three years to grow.
In the face of this reality the apostle Paul charged the Galatians not to become weary or give up because the harvest is sure.
The reaping will come at God’s proper time, which may be only in part in this life and in full in the life to come at the judgment seat of Christ.
We must always remember that God’s timing is perfect, and we are not on our time line we are on God’s time line, and we may not see the harvest of the seeds we planted until we get to heaven, therefore, we have to keep our hand to plow and keep eyes on the cross.
10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
Christians have a measure of responsibility to all people to do good, when the occasions arise.
When Jesus fed the five thousand, both the save and unsaved participated.
The way that we help and serve others, shows the way that we love God.
In verse 11-18 Paul brings this letter to a conclusion by emphasizing some of the great issues discussed throughout the letter. The conclusion contains both a summary and final statement of the issues the apostle felt so strongly about.
11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.
These letters were written by hand, by a scribe, the words are from Paul, but they are actually transcribed, or written on the paper, by the scribe, who is generally a close friend, or a apprentice of Paul’s.
In this verse Paul takes the pen, the writing utensil and takes over the job of writing the rest of the letter.
The large letter he used probably did not refer to the length of the letter left but to the size of the letters he inscribed.
It may be that Paul wrote the conclusion in capital letters.
After his Damascus road incident Paul was believed to have bad eye sight from that point on, and therefore, the reason for the large letters.
12 Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13 For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.
Paul addresses the Judaizers who insisted that circumcision was necessary for salvation as seen in Acts 15:1
1 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
These Judaizers were only men-pleasers seeking to make a good impression outwardly; and were afraid of persecution; and wanted to boast about the number of Galatians they hoped to win over to circumcision as a religious and merit-earning rite.
The legalists knew the offense of the Cross would be softened if they openly proclaimed justification by faith and works and if they claim conversions to that position in Galatia.
14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
The contrast is vivid as Paul declared his boasting to be in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the Judaizers the Cross was an object of shame; for Paul it was the object of glory.
They gloried in the flesh, Paul gloried in the Savior.
The cross speaks of atonement of Christ with which Paul was identified and by which the world was crucified to Paul and he to the world.
The world system with with all its allurements, flesh displays, and religions of human effort was cast aside by Paul.
He looked at the world as if it were on a cross - and the world look at Paul as though he were on a cross.
Galatians 6:15 (NASB95)
15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
In view of the Cross of Christ and a believer’s new position with respect to the world, no outward religious symbol or lack of it means anything as way of salvation.
the only thing that matters is to be a part of the new creation by the new birth.
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
16 And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
Peace and mercy from God are available to those who walk according to this rule, that is, according to the message of salvation by grace through faith alone.
This blessing is pronounced on believing Galatians and on believing Jews.
Upon the Israel of God is a reference to the believing Jews, what we would call the Messianic Jews today.
The last two verses are what we call the benediction or the closing remarks of the letter.
17 From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.
Paul’s calling as an apostle and the message he preached had been challenged by the Judaizers.
He asked for an end to such trouble, and he offered as a final proof to his critics the marks of Jesus on his body.
These marks meant signs of ownership such as were branded on slaves and cattle.
Paul referred to the scars on his body, which were caused by persecution for Christ’s sake, 2 Corinthians 11:24-27
24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.
26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;
27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
These things demonstrated Paul was a slave of Christ and not just a people-pleaser.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
Paul’s final word of benediction is noteworthy.
While no greetings or personal salutations dim the formalities of the epistle, the apostle ended as he began, expressing his heartfelt desire that the grace of God would be their abiding portion.
How could the Galatians fail to respond in obedience to the persuasive and ultimately tender appeal found in this letter?
The letter to the Galatians was written to remedy a desperate situation, to call the early Christians back from the Mosaic Law to grace, from Legalism to faith.
It is an emphatic statement of salvation by faith apart from works and is as relevant today as when it was originally penned.
We need to also see that as Christians today, that we cannot be bound by legalistic ways because we are freed by grace, and that we cannot work our way in to salvation or heaven.
Salvation is through faith alone through grace alone, by a relationship with Jesus Christ.