A common theme throughout Galatians has simply been that we
need to follow Jesus. Nothing else really matters. Rules, Law, rituals,
traditions, who we used to be, who we are today, rich, poor, or the color of
our skin, absolutely nothing else matters other than our faith in Jesus and
choosing to follow Him.
Choose to follow Jesus, relinquish control, and let the Holy
Spirit guide your life. Submit to Him, Depend on Him, and be who God created
you to be. Kick the garbage out of your life and let the fruit of the Spirit
grow.
It is fitting that Paul transitions from letting the Holy
Spirit be your guide to being there for your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Galatians 6:1
“6 Brothers, if someone is caught in any
wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a
gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be
tempted.”
So Paul is telling us that if someone is struggling with sin
we are to beat them upside the head with a club until they change their ways, that
should “restore” them to the way they should be. Oh wait, he goes on to talk
about having a gentle spirit I guess beating them into submission is not the
right approach.
Let’s look at this a little closer to see what he is really
saying. First off the person who is ‘caught in any wrongdoing’ might be better
translated as a person ‘who is trying to live righteously but is really
struggling to turn away from sin.’ This verse is talking about someone who is
trying to be who God created them to be. Someone who is trying to let the Holy
Spirit mold them and shape them, but seems to be falling down. Think of those
new Christians who are on fire for Jesus but struggle letting go of their past
lifestyles.
Since we have already established that we are not be beat
them upside the head or even kick them while they are down. If a brother of
sister in Christ is struggling with sin we are supposed give them a helping
hand. We are supposed to use the fruit of the Spirit love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control to help them
and to keep ourselves from falling with them.
It is easy to do the exact opposite. We see someone fall of
the wagon and start drinking again and what happens? People talk behind his
back and think poorly of him. Too often when a person is seen to be struggling
with something in their lives, others use it as an opportunity to elevate
themselves. They say ‘I am better than that’ or ‘I would never do that’. That
is really the same as beating them into submission. We need to let the Holy
Spirit guide us. Be there for the struggling believer, offer them a hand up, a
strong arm, or a shoulder to cry on. Assure them that their salvation is not
lost and that you and Jesus still love them.
Galatians 6:2
“2 Carry one another’s burdens; in
this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
If you are submitting to the Holy Spirit, He will guide you
to helping those in need. This principle applies to all burdens, struggles,
shortfalls, etc… but Paul is specifically talking about those that are
struggling with sin. If someone is in a spiritual battle, come along side of
them and help them. Let the Holy Spirit comfort, encourage, bring joy, and love
them through you.
John 13:34
“I give you a new command; Love one another. Just as I have love
you, you must also love one another.”
Fulfilling the law of Christ is to love others as Christ has
loved you. In other words, give of yourself to those who are in need. No matter
what the need is, give however you can.
Galatians 6:3-4
“3 For if anyone considers himself to
be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But
each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason
for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else.”
As I mentioned earlier it is common for people to compare
themselves to others, especially when that person is struggling. It is easy to
kick them while they are down. If we are depending on the Holy Spirit, letting
Him guide us, letting Him show us how to help others and serving others any way
we can, something has to change. To submit to the Holy Spirit and serve others,
especially when others are struggling, you must stop focusing on yourself. To
truly be a servant to others you will need to remember that you are a sinner
just like they are. You will need to remember that you will struggle in life,
just like they are. You will need to remember to not compare yourself to
others.
Romans 12:3
“For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among
you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead,
think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one.”
Don’t compare yourself to others, instead look at your life
to see if God is at work in you. That is what really matters. Remember we are
all different with different callings on our lives and hence success or
accomplishment will look different for each of us. Our true measure of if we
are doing what we are supposed to be doing, is by understanding if you are
letting God work in you or not.
Galatians 6:5
“5 For each person will have to carry
his own load.”
The burden in verse 2, was an overwhelming burden that one
could not carry on their own. Here is a burden that is rightsized for all
believers.
Matthew 11:30
“30 For My
yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Each of us were created to do something! It is not an
overwhelming burden; it is something that was designed specifically for us. The
question is, are you doing it? Are you carrying the load that Jesus has given
you? Are you following the leading of the Holy Spirit? That is something that
only you can answer, but please pray about it and ask God to guide you to the
answer.
Galatians 6:6-8
“6 The one who is taught the message
must share all his good things with the teacher. 7 Don’t
be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also
reap, 8 because the one who sows to his flesh will
reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will
reap eternal life from the Spirit.”
Support the work of the Lord. Take the things that God has
blessed you with and spread the blessing so that God’s work continues and can
be a blessing to as many people as possible.
Don’t throw your resources towards the sinful things of the
world. Don’t invest into the things of your flesh. If you blow your money at
the bar with your buddies, that is feeding your sin. If you spend your money
gambling at the race track, casino, and even the lottery you are feeding sin.
Sowing to the flesh reaps the flesh. Giving to sin, strengthens the control
that sin has over you.
Instead we are to sow, give, to the work of God. That is
what is meant by sowing to the Spirit. Give of your time, money, resources, and
strength to support the work of God and you will reap the benefits. Not only
will you see the Holy Spirit work in your life on this side of Glory you will
be able to spend an eternity with the true King of Kings. Take whatever you
have been given and support the work of God. Starve the flesh and feed the
Spirit.
Galatians 6:9
“9 So we must not get tired of
doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.”
Farmers sow and are able to watch their crops grow and a few
months later it is harvest time. In serving God, sowing with the Spirit, it is
not as easy to see when the harvest will come. As faithful believers we need to
make sure that we do not become weary, make sure we keep doing what God has
created us to do, so that we will reap the benefit when the time comes. We
don’t know if that is going to be on this side of Glory or the other, so we
need to make sure we keep doing what God created us to do.
Galatians 6:10
“10 Therefore, as we have
opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those
who belong to the household of faith.”
As Christ followers doing the work that the Holy Spirit
leads us to, we are to serve all people. Saved and unsaved, people we like and
people we would rather not be around. When Jesus served the 5,000 both those
who believed and those who did not believe were blessed. Our service needs to
be to everyone, but we do need to make sure we take care of our brothers and
sisters in Christ.
Think of it this way, you family needs are to be met first
and then you reach out to those outside of your home. Serve your brothers and
sisters in Christ, sow your seeds in your local church first, and then move
outwards from there. Be a blessing starting right here and then be a blessing
wherever you go.
Galatians 6:11-13
“11 Look at what large letters I use
as I write to you in my own handwriting. 12 Those
who want to make a good impression in the flesh are the ones who would
compel you to be circumcised—but only to avoid being persecuted for the
cross of Christ. 13 For even the circumcised
don’t keep the law themselves; however, they want you to be circumcised in
order to boast about your flesh.”
As is his custom Paul takes the pen from the scribe and
finishes the letters himself and gives us a summary of his writing as only he
could.
The false teachers in Galatia and the false teachers in the
world today, are only interested in pleasing men. They are focused on what they
are going to get out of it. More money, recognition, fame, etc… self-centered
desires. The false teachers are sowing to the flesh.
We need to watch out for those that would lead us astray.
The only way to protect yourself is to stay in the Word of God, talk to God
constantly, and make sure what you are being taught is the Truth. Remember to
Trust but Verify.
Galatians 6:14
“14 But as for me, I will never boast
about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been
crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world.”
Jesus and Jesus alone. Nothing else is needed, simple faith
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that you are a sinner, and that His death
and resurrection paid for your sins as none other could. That right there is
what is important and that is what we need to be taking a stand on.
Christians and Southern Baptist sadly are known for the
things that they are against or the stances they take that have absolutely no
impact on a person’s salvation. Before we take a stand on something to first
make sure our motives are pure, our guidance comes strictly from the Bible, and
however we move forward that it is done in love. Out actions need to glorify
Christ.
Galatians 6:15
“15 For both circumcision and
uncircumcision mean nothing; what matters instead is a new creation.”
Another reminder that simple faith in Jesus is all that is
needed. No rituals, no Law, no tradition, nothing but Jesus. It is through our
faith in Jesus that our sinful self is wiped away. His blood cleansed us of our
sins and made us Holy. We are a new creation in Christ Jesus, a child of God, a
co-heir with Christ, and we have been grafted in to the promise given to
Abraham. Simple faith leads to an eternity in Glory.
Galatians 6:16
“16 May peace come to all those who
follow this standard, and mercy to the Israel of God!”
Peace and Mercy to all who believe that salvation is a gift
that is given freely by our Lord Jesus to all who believe. Remember that we are
saved by grace through faith. It is not something that is earned, but it is a
gift freely given out of love.
Paul closes with this.
Galatians 6:17
“17 From now on, let no one cause me
trouble, because I bear on my body scars for the cause of Jesus.”
Paul has been marked or branded as belonging to Jesus.
Paul’s life belongs to Him and no matter what happens Paul will continue to
serve God. If you are a child of God, His mark is on you. Serve Him at all
cost, it will be worth it in the end.
Galatians 6:18
“18 Brothers, the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”
The letter to the Galatians draws to a close as well as our time
here does. I pray that the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with each of you.
May the Holy Spirit Guide you as you serve others.
God Bless,
Robert
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