238 Galatians 6:1-18

Galatians   Talk 10 Galatians 6:1-18

This is the final talk in our series on Galatians. We have seen that the main theme of the letter has been to show that salvation is by faith and not by works. Faith in Christ’s substitutionary, all sufficient, atoning death is the only way to Heaven. Attempts to get there any other way will fail. The law of the Old Testament could not save us because no one, except Jesus, has ever kept it in its entirety. But Jesus’ death has set us free from the law. We must be careful to stand firm in that freedom and not to get entangled with the legal requirements of the Old Testament.

For Christians Jews – and particularly the Galatians – there was the threat of the Judaizers, those who were teaching that faith in Christ was not enough and that circumcision was necessary for salvation. And although this may not be directly applicable to most Christians today, there is always the temptation to trust in other forms of religious practice – baptism, confirmation, church attendance etc. – when none of these things can save us. With regard to baptism, for example, we should be baptised because we are already saved by faith, and because Jesus has commanded it, but not in the misguided hope that getting baptised will save us.

Salvation cannot be achieved by self-effort. It can only be received because of God’s grace by trusting Christ to save us. And when we receive that salvation we are enabled by God’s indwelling Spirit to fulfil the only law that really matters, the law of love, which, as we saw last time, finds wonderful expression in the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. But that now brings us to the final chapter in the letter, which Paul begins by giving examples of how the fruit of the Spirit will be in evidence among us.

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.

These verses had a specific application to the Galatians, and scholars have speculated on what that might have been, but it’s clear that the principles Paul is teaching may be applied to all Christians, and that’s how we’ll be considering them today.

1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

Who can fail to be moved by the sacrificial love shown by Christians like Mother Teresa? But although such compassion for the poor is at the heart of the Christian message (cf. Galatians 2:10), what’s even more important is, in the words of James 5:20, to turn a sinner from the error of his way and so save them from death and cover a multitude of sins. The greatest love we can show anyone, whether a Christian or not, is to warn them of the consequences of sin.

So Paul says that if we are truly spiritual (manifesting the fruit of the Spirit), and we become aware that a fellow Christian has been overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort (Amplified Bible) we are to seek to restore them gently (without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness). We need to remember that we too may be tempted.

2 Carry each other's burdens…

Carrying each other’s burdens could well mean helping our fellow Christians with any difficulties they may be facing, but bearing in mind what he has said in verse 1, Paul may mean that we are to be patient with their failings.

2 …and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

By carrying each other’s burdens we show our love for one another. And as we saw in chapter 5, love is the fulfilment of the law. The law of Moses contained numerous rules and regulations, but the law of Christ is love. If I love my neighbour I won’t steal from him, if I love my wife I won’t commit adultery. If we truly love, we don’t need the law, not even the Ten Commandments! We will keep them because we love God and we love our neighbour.

3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Still keeping verse 1 in mind, we are to beware of pride, especially when we are aware of the failings of others. We should watch out in case we are tempted in the same way. We are not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. This involves humility.

4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without

comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.

We are not accountable for the actions of others, but we are accountable for our own. Beware of the danger of comparing yourself with others. We should not think of ourselves as superior to them, even if they have sinned. And we should not think of ourselves as inferior either. We are to have a sober estimation of ourselves. We are what we are by the grace of God and we carry a responsibility to use what we are, and the gifts he has given us, for his glory and not our own. That brings us to verses 6-10 where Paul draws attention to the benefits that we reap if we sow to please the Spirit. Note the references to sowing and reaping as we read these verses.

6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

The underlying principle is these verses is found in verse 7.

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

A man reaps what he sows.

This is universally true, and here Paul applies it in a variety of contexts.

6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.

This demonstrates the responsibility of those who are taught to support financially those who teach them. Paul develops this more fully in 1 Corinthians 9:1-14. The principle that we reap what we sow financially is also very clearly taught in 2 Corinthians 8-9 (esp. 9:6-11).

8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature (flesh), from that nature (the flesh) will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

We pointed out in talk 8 that the translation sinful nature is not helpful. The word in Greek means flesh. Paul expands on this in Romans 8:1-9 where he concludes by saying that you are not in (the realm of) the flesh but in (the realm of) the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Before we became Christians we were all in the realm of the flesh because we were spiritually dead, but when we were born again we became spiritually alive.  

9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

In our last talk, when we were talking about goodness as a fruit of the Spirit, we referred to Colossians 1:10 where Paul says:

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

Now in Galatians 6 we are told that doing good works will reap its own reward. Note the following:

·       We should take every opportunity to do good to all people, especially to our fellow Christians.

·       This may cause us to become weary and there’s a danger of giving up.

·       But we reap what we sow, and if we persevere, we will be rewarded.

·       This will take place at the proper time. (This may be in this life or the next).

Now to the final eight verses:

11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand! 12 Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God. 17 Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

Paul usually dictated his letters, so it’s unlikely that he physically wrote the whole of Galatians. However, to prove its authenticity, these last few verses were written by his own hand, just as we might sign a letter that had been typed. What he writes here is very much a summary of what he has been saying throughout the letter. Have nothing to do with the teachings of the Judaizers.

12 Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh.

The Judaizers’ motives are entirely wrong. They want you to be circumcised because they want to make a good impression as far as their fellow Jews are concerned and to avoid being persecuted by them. They may keep the law about circumcision, but they don’t obey the whole law. Yet they want you to obey this particular part of it so that they can boast about you flesh.

14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Paul, however, would boast about nothing except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because it’s the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). Nothing else matters. As far as the world is concerned, Paul considers both himself and the law as dead. Compare Galatians 2:20. (Remember the teaching I gave in earlier talks in this series on our identification with Christ).

15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.

Paul couldn’t be clearer. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been circumcised or not. What matters is being born again.

16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.

Peace and mercy only come to those who follow the teaching of justification by faith. They are the true Israel, the Israel of God. It’s perfectly clear from all that Paul has said so far that God’s Israel, those whom God considers to be Israel, is comprised of all those, and only those, who, whether Jew or Gentile, have put their trust in Christ for salvation.

17 Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Paul has said enough. He does not want to be troubled again by this matter. His body bears the marks of his suffering for Christ. That’s enough trouble, without the addition of all the pain the Galatians were causing him by their forsaking the gospel he had preached to them (Cf. 1:6). But despite that, he prays for those who are truly his brothers that they will experience anew the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ by which they had been saved.

So what is the overall message of Galatians?

We are saved by believing and continuing to believe that Jesus’ death on the cross is all that is necessary for salvation. Trusting in anything else in addition calls into question the genuineness of our faith in Christ.

Are you trusting in Christ alone for salvation? There is no other way to be saved.

We have now concluded our series on Galatians. God willing, we will start a new series in September. So there will be no new podcasts during July and August, but, if you’d like to keep listening, there are over 200 to choose from, details of which can be found on my website: https://www.davidpetts.org/podcast