Galatians
6
English
Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)
Bear One Another's
Burdens
6
Brothers,[a] if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual
should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you
too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives
himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast
will be in himself alone and not in his neighbour. 5 For each will have to bear
his own load.
6
One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches.
7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he
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. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will
reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good
to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Final Warning and
Benediction
11
See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is
those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be
circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of
Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law,
but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by
which[b] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither
circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16
And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon
the Israel of God.
17
From now on 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.
The
IVP New Testament Commentary Series
Doing
Good (6:9-10)
Growth
in our relationships does not happen automatically; growth takes effort. Hard
work is required if broken relationships are to be rebuilt. In these two verses
Paul simply encourages Christians to keep on working at building their
relationships: Let us not become weary in doing good (v. 9). To say that Paul's
emphasis on faith means that he was against works is obviously an inaccurate
interpretation. Although he warned against relying on the works of the law as
the basis of blessing (3:10-14), he clearly taught that true faith expresses
itself through love (5:6) and in the hard work of serving one another (5:13)
and carrying each other's burdens (6:2).
One
of the greatest obstacles to rebuilding broken relationships is simply fatigue.
We can easily lose heart and run out of strength when we come up against the
same problems over and over again as we deal with others. Even Paul sounds
discouraged when he talks about his efforts to rebuild his relationship with
the Galatian believers: "I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts
on you" (4:11). Paul recognized that fatigue and discouragement might
cause Christians to throw in the servant's towel and quit. So he presents two
incentives to keep us from giving up when we grow weary of serving others in
love. First, he assures us of a reward for doing good: at the proper time we
will reap a harvest if we do not give up (v. 9). Sometimes the harvest is
experienced in this life. When we sow acts of love, we reap a harvest of love
in return. When we give generously and sacrificially to the needs of others, we
reap a harvest of gratitude as those needs are met. When we sow the seed of
God's Word in needy lives, we experience the joy of response. But we must
remember that reaping a harvest almost never happens on the same day as sowing
the seed. We may not even see a harvest in this life from what we have sown.
Nevertheless, we must never give up, because we know that at the proper time
our Master will return and reward those who have been faithful servants.
Second,
Paul motivates perseverance in service to one another by reminding us that we
are part of a great family: Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good
to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (v.
10). Although there are no limits placed on the scope of our service to all
people, our priority is certainly to serve the family of believers. Here Paul
picks up a central theme of his letter. All believers are children of Abraham
by faith in Christ, the seed of Abraham (3:6-29). All believers enjoy the full
rights of the children of God (4:4-7). All believers are the true children of
the free woman; the heavenly Jerusalem is our mother (4:21-31). These great
truths about the family of believers should motivate us to keep on doing good
to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We belong to one another in one family,
since we belong to Christ.
IVP
New Testament Commentaries are made available by the generosity of InterVarsity
Press.
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