Galatians
6 New International Version (NIV)
Doing Good
to All
6
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit
should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be
tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law
of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they
deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can
take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5
for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives
instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.
7
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever
sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever 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.
Not
Circumcision but the New Creation
11
See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!
12
Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh 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 keep the law,
yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision
in the flesh. 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, through which[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the
world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts
is the new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to[b] 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 and sisters.
Amen.
NIV
Application Commentary
Galatians
6V7-10
People
will have to stand before God. [Paul's] point here is clear: since we will
stand before God, we must live now before God, and that means living in the
Spirit. Put differently, we must do good to all people, especially to the
church, which may well have been neglected by those caught up in the divisions
at Galatia.
That
the antithesis of flesh and Spirit has been in Paul’s mind since he began these
injunctions at verse 1 becomes clear with verse 8. What we envision here is a
divisiveness that was leading to shunning sinning brothers and sisters, to
arrogant leadership, to comparing one’s righteousness with another’s, and to
outright ugly treatment of teachers. Such kinds of behavior are “works of the
flesh” (5:19–21).
So
Paul enters with the strongest foundation that one can perceive: God is the
Judge, and people cannot sneer at him. Paul knows that “moral indifference
would be an imperfection in God, not a perfection.” If a person lives to the
flesh, that person will “reap destruction” (condemnation); if a person lives
“in the Spirit,” that person will “reap eternal life.” What Paul is saying is
what I have said on numerous occasions in this book: while works do not save
us, no one is saved without works. Why? Very simply, because works are the sure
indicators of a person’s heart, orientation, and status before God. Every
judgment in the Bible is a judgment according to works (cf. Matt. 7:13–27;
16:27; 22:1–14; 25:1–46; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:11–15). A person’s final standing
before God will be determined by that person’s relationship to Jesus Christ as
revealed in his or her works. While it is absolutely true that our grounds of
acceptance is the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on our behalf, our connection to
that sacrifice is by way of a faith that works itself out in the many good
works in a person’s life.
So
Paul speaks of “doing good,” because doing good is what it means to sow “to
please the Spirit.” We should not become weary in doing good because, he
repeats, our judgment is based on this (“we will reap a harvest if we do not
give up”; v. 9). Paul then argues that the Christian is to do good “to all
people,” regardless of their culture, nation, or sex (3:28). But the
Christian’s deeds of mercy are especially (though not exclusively) to be
directed toward “the family of believers.”
In
sum, Paul interweaves two highly fundamental ideas for Christian ethics: mutual
accountability and personal responsibility. Indeed, John Barclay sees the
alternation between two themes as the structural impulse behind our section. He
uses the terms in a reverse direction (personal accountability to God and
corporate responsibility to others), and I shall change them to my terms to
ease understanding. His structure (changed in terms only) is as follows:
The Bible
Panorama
Galatians
6
V 1–5:
BEARING BURDENS
The outworking of the previous teaching to the Galatians means that the
Christian bears the burdens of others. This means a genuine desire to restore
those who have gone astray, in a humble and gentle spirit, and a realistic
assessment of one’s own ‘nothingness’ apart from Christ. Self-examination is
called for.
V 6–10: SOWING SEED Generosity is a
hallmark of a spiritually alive person. He will constantly support those in
Christian work, sow generously God’s word in his own life and in others’ lives,
and do good to others. He will reap a bountiful harvest and not lose heart.
Christians are to be his special target of good works.
V 11–15:
CHRIST’S CROSS
Paul adds a note in this letter in his own handwriting. Although those who
insist on circumcision will continue to persecute Paul, he is determined that
his only boasting will be in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. That cross not
only deals with his sin: it deals with his heart. It crucifies Paul to the
world, and the world to Paul. It has become the instrument making him into a
new person. Circumcision can never do that.
V 16–18:
WISE WALK
God’s peace and mercy rest on those who walk with God. The apostle, seeing
himself as crucified with Christ, prays for the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
to be with the spirit of those who have received his crucial letter.
The reason
for your life part 6 Elim Missions
Coming
to the end of this year we have examined how Paul defends his purpose for
living. 10 points:
1.
Living with purpose keeps the important issues important.
2.
Living with purpose leaves no concern for popularity.
3.
Living with purpose can be taught but also caught from God.
4.
Living with purpose is caught in the desert places.
5.
Living with purpose builds your testimony.
6.
Living with purpose brings confidence.
7.
Living with purpose will have to be defended.
8.
Living with purpose is a solid foundation.
Galatians
6
9.
Living with purpose holds to personal values.
v1
forgiveness and restoration, not judgement and rejection.
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.
v2
carry problems of others
Carry
each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
v3
get rid of pride
If
anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
v4
continually self-assess.
Each
one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without
comparing himself to somebody else
v5
be personally responsible
for
each one should carry his own load.
v6
support someone else
v7-9
Don’t give up – sow well reap well.
v10
Use every opportunity to bless.
10.
Living with purpose will be attacked, v17, you will be branded for Christ.
Conclusion:
So
often we shy aware from self-examination and instead we analyse the
circumstances of our life or people in our lives.
However
if we become people who simply follow our purpose in life we will be led less
by circumstance and people and driven by purpose.
Now
is the time to put these principles in place. If we do, we will rise again and
again over every opposition that comes our way.
Lets
all sign up to be people of purpose.
Part
3 Words for The Wise, The Fellowship of the Faithful, Galatians 3, English
Standard Version (UK)
No comments:
Post a Comment