Galatians # 28 Gal 6-1 thru 6-18
We're going to continue our teaching on the book of Galatians. Last time we ended in Galatians chapter 6, but I want to go back just a little bit so that we can refresh or memory to where we left off.
I) Galatians 6:1
A) The Word “FAULT” in this verse is sometimes translated “SIN,” but actually it means “DEVIATION FROM THE TRUTH.”
1) This differs from “SIN,” sin refers to intentional, where “FAULT” refers more to a “slip up, or unintentional error.”
2) So what Paul is saying here is that they unintentionally stumbled or have fallen into error. But they still have blundered.
a) 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.
(i) Religion and tradition has a form of godliness but denies the power thereof. It denies the power of God.
B) The 2nd part of verse 1 says, “Ye which are spiritual, restore such a one.”
1) 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.
a) A question that people have is, “How do I restore them?”
(i) The simplest answer is, “To lead them and guide them back into fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.”
b) 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.”
C) The last part in (Galatians 6:1) says, “In the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
1) Here again we see one of the fruit of the spirit, “MEEKNESS.”
a) 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.
(i) 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 every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.”
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 tying 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.
III) Galatians 6:6
A) In verse 6 here, Paul slightly begins to change his theme from "Bearing one another's burdens" to giving financial support to those who are teaching the true Word of God.
1) The King James translation for verse 6 is a little vague to us.
a) The Word "COMMUNICATE" in this verse is the Greek word "KOINONIA" which is often used to indicate fellowship, but it is also used in the sense of sharing finances or sharing things that you have.
b) That is the point that Paul is trying to convey in this verse.
c) Paul's meaning is brought out clearer in the New American Standard Bible. It says "And let the one who is taught the Word share all good things with him who teaches."
2) What Paul is introducing in this verse is the basic principle of sowing and reaping which will see in the next verse.
a) The Galatians have been giving a lot of money and goods to the legalistic teachers.
(i) But now Paul is saying that it is time to share the financial blessings with those who teach you the true Word of God.
B) Galatians 6:7-8
1) The 1st part of (verse 7) says, "Be not deceived." It's likely that this issue of giving financially arose because the legalistic Judaizers who came in behind Paul told the people to tithe to them.
a) There is a difference in Old Testament tithing and New Testament tithing.
(i) In the Old Testament the children of Israel were commanded to pay their tithe. If they did not pay it, it was taken from them.
(ii) In the New Testament we're not demanded to give our tithe. We freely give our tithe because we want to and because we have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside us, leading us to give our tithe.
(a) If you ask anyone who is truly born-again the question, "Do you want to give your tithe?" If they’re really true with you their answer will be "YES." Why? Because it's in their heart.
(b) Then why don't all give their tithe? Because the flesh gets in the way.
(c) Your spirit which is in fellowship with the Holy Spirit says, "Yes, let's give our tithe." But the flesh says, "Wait a minute." Then the mind begins to reason, "But what if I can't pay the rent or pay the electric bill?"
(d) So the person doesn't give and loses out on God's divine law of "sowing and reaping."
b) Giving your tithes to God is an indicator to where he person is spiritually.
(i) Of course, there are many things that indicate where a person is spiritually; such as do they spend time in prayer, do they read and study the Word, do they come to church and are they faithful at it, do they control their tongue, are the living a godly life, are they obeying the voice of the Spirit, and there are other things.
(ii) But in the area of giving their tithe to God, it reveals whether a person is flesh and sense ruled or spiritually minded.
(a) For those that are really spiritually minded, giving is not a burden, it is a joy.
c) It's a joy for two reasons.
(i) # 1 it's a joy because when you give God will multiply it back to you. When you make a financial investment and your money is doubled, you're glad.
(a) It's the same thing when you give to God, your money is being multiplied back to you.
(ii) The 2nd reason it's a joy is because the love of God has been shed abroad in your heart. When you give you know that more will hear about the Lord Jesus Christ and more will be set free.
2) Some have thought that tithing is under the law. There is New Testament references to tithing, but even beside that it was instituted before the law ever existed.
a) Abraham gave his tithes. Abraham lived before the Mosaic Law.
(i) Tithing is mentioned in the Mosaic Law, but so is the 10 commandments. We still keep them because they're written on the tablets of our heart.
(ii) Our want to's are different than the used to be in times past. We want to keep the 10 commandments and likewise we want to give our tithes to God because of the Holy spirit in our hearts.
C) The (second-half of Galatians 6:7) says, "God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
1) Quite often this verse is taught on the negative side, meaning that if we sin or do something wrong, our sin is going to catch up with us and we’re going to pay the price.
a) That is true, whatever we sow we're going to reap, but that's only the negative side. And evil harvest will occur where bad seeds have been planted.
b) But there's another side to this coin, and that side says goods seeds produced a good harvest.
D) The principle of sowing and reaping runs throughout the entire Bible. In the book of Genesis we see the law of seed time and harvest.
1) In Mark chapter 4 Jesus taught a parable about the sower and the seed.
a) Jesus told his disciples in essence, "If you don't understand this parable, you won't understand any of them." (MARK 4:11)
(i) What he was saying is that all teachings in the Word of God revolves around the sowing and reaping principle.
(ii) It's that simple: Whatever a person sows, that's what he will reap.
b) That's why Jesus taught the people of His day to be givers, because what they gave would be returned to them, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over. (Luke 6:38)
E) Let's read Galatians 6:8 again.
1) 1st of all Paul says if we sow to the flesh by ACTS of sin we're going to reap corruption. But there's another way to look at this, if we just sow our finances for the sole purpose to get money so that we'll have more, then we're being self centered and really sowing to the flesh.
2) It comes down to motives, if you're sowing your finances to further the kingdom of God then your sowing to the spirit, and you'll reaping harvest that will last throughout eternity and never see corruption.
IV) Let's go on to verse 9. (Galatians 6:9) read.
A) here are 2 ways to guarantee failure when sowing seed.
1) The 1st is sowing to the flesh.
2) The 2nd way to fail is to quit.
a) The seeds sown in good ground will never produce a harvest if the sower "FAINTS" because of tests, trials, and frustrations brought on by the enemy in order to steal from you.
b) Paul said, "We will reap if we faint not."
c) Let’s end by reading the rest of the book.
WOLCC Thursday, January 15, 1998