We're going to pick up where we left off last time on the book of Galatians. Last time, about a month ago, we left off at the fruit of the spirit.

I) So turn with me to Galatians 5:24-26

A) We have already seen in (Galatians 2:20) that we were crucified with Christ so that the life we now live in the flesh we live by the faith of the Son of God Who loved us and gave Himself for us.

1) Even though we are free from the driving force of the flesh, which pushes us into sin, we still have a responsibility to live our lives in accordance with His will and desire.

2) (Galatians 5:25) says, “If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit.”

a) When was it that we started living in the spirit? At the time of the New Birth.

(i) From that time we should be daily walking in the Spirit.

(ii) These Galatians did not seem to realize this important truth. So Paul is telling them it’s time to wake up and that they would be who they are in Christ Jesus and begin to allow the spirit to bring their outer walk into conformity with their reborn inner nature.

(a) That’s living in the spirit, the essence of Christianity.

3)  (Galatians 5:26) says, “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”[1]

a) If we are now new creatures in Christ, Who freely gives us all things to enjoy, there is no longer any need for our seeking after power or position to make us “SOMEBODY” in the eyes of others.

(i) We are not of this world, we do not need to act like unbelievers. The world seeks power, but we are to seek the kingdom of God.

B) Galatians 6:1

1) The Word “FAULT” (or trespass from the NKJV) in this verse is sometimes translated “SIN,” but actually it means “DEVIATION FROM THE TRUTH.”

a) This differs from “SIN,” sin refers to intentional, where “FAULT” refers more to a “slip up, or unintentional error.”

b) So what Paul is saying here is that they unintentionally stumbled or have fallen into error. But they still have blundered.

(i) Where was it that the Galatians messed up? It was in the trap of legalism. Sometimes legalism, tradition, ritual, or religion sounds good, but really religion is in the natural and not following after the spirit.

(a) Religion and tradition has a form of godliness but denies the power thereof. It denies the power of God.

2) The 2nd part of verse one says, “Ye which are spiritual, restore such a one.”

a) The point that Paul is trying to make is that if you see someone who has missed the mark and fallen into error or sin; if you are spiritual restore them.

(i) A question that people have is, “How do I restore them?”

(a) The simplest answer is, “To lead them and guide them back into fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.”

(ii) But there is still a restoration that we can do even if you never have a chance to talk to the person, and that is “To refuse to talk about their sin, and if they’ve repented, restore them to their position.”

3) The last part in (Galatians 6:1) says, “In the spirit of meekness (or gentleness); considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

a) Here again we see one of the fruit of the spirit, “MEEKNESS (or gentleness).”

(i) We are to be MEEK, GENTLE, AND HUMBLE when dealing with others who have fallen because if we get haughty, we ourselves are liable to fall.

(a) Among the seven sins listed in (Proverbs 6:16-19) which are an abomination unto the Lord, “A PROUD or HAUGHTY LOOK” is listed as No. 1 of the sins God hates.

II) Galatians 6:2-5

A) In looking at verse 2 and verse 5 they seem to contradict each other. Verse 2 says, “Bear each other’s burdens,” but verse 5, says, “For every man shall bear his own burden.”

1) We’ll look at that a little more in detail when we cover verse 5.

2) Right now I want to look at WHY we are to share in carrying each other’s burdens.

a) The last half of verse 2 says, “And so fulfill so law of Christ.”

(i) What does Paul mean when he speaks of sharing one others burdens is fulfilling the law of Christ?

(ii) We are to love our neighbors as ourselves, if we do we’ll refrain from doing wrong to him, and actually seek to do good to him.

(a) And when we seek to do good to one another, we are helping them to bear their load.

(iii) But this word “BEAR” is still referring to the person that is overtaken in a fault.

(a) The Word “BEAR” from the Strong’s concordance means, “To take up in order to carry, to sustain, uphold or support.”

(b) If you see a brother or sister that is overtaken in a fault, those of you, which are spiritual, should uphold and support that person. And there may even be times that you’re going to have to carry them.

3)  Now (Galatians 6:4) says, “But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.”[2] NKJV “But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” KJV

a) Basically what Paul is saying in this verse is that we should step back and take an objective look at our own actions, rather than comparing ourselves to others.

(i) When we see that we are doing what we are supposed to be doing and doing what God has told us to do, we can rejoice.

(a) Now Paul is still tieing this together with bearing one another’s burdens.

(b) Look back and see if you’re doing it in a spirit of meekness if so then you can rejoice.

4) (Galatians 6:5) says, “For every man shall bear his own burden.”

a) This is the verse that we said seems to contradict verse 2, which says that we should bear one another’s burdens.

(i) The reason that sounds contradictory is that the Word “BURDEN” in verse 2 is a different Greek word than the word “BURDEN” in verse 5.

b) In verse 2 the Word “BURDEN” means, “A LARGE AND BURDENSOME WEIGHT.”

(i) In other words, we are called upon to help shoulder a weight that has become too heavy for one individual to bear by himself.

(ii) What Paul is talking about here would be legalism, but it also refers to sin.

c) But in verse 5 the word “BURDEN” means, “ASSIGNMENT, TASK, or SERVICE.”

(i) We are to carry out our own individual assignments, tasks or service.”

(a) We all have been given a job to do in the body Christ. We need to do it as unto the Lord.

WOLCC Thursday, December 18, 1997

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[1]The New King James Version. 1982 (Ga 5:26). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[2]The New King James Version. 1982 (Ga 6:4). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.