Carrying each other
Galatians focuses on the difference between the Gospel of Jesus and other false gospels. It contrasts the belief in self against the belief in the all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ and His loving mercy towards us. When we really trust that we are saved by faith alone by God’s grace alone, it profoundly affects the way we behave. Having the humility that comes from confessing our own weakness and need for grace helps us to be more merciful and gracious in the way we treat each other. Are we treating one another in a way that is consistent with the Gospel of Jesus?
Scripture
Galatians 6:1-10 ESV Brothers, 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 fulfill 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 neighbor. [5] For each will have to bear his own load. [6] Let the one who is taught the word 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.
Bible Study Questions
Are we healing brokenness?
Those who trust in their own righteousness are prone to judgment and condemnation of the sin of others. Their aim is to point out the sin in others in order to hide their own sin. How does the process of healing brokenness detailed in Matthew differ from a process of exposing other’s sin in order to be seen as better?
Galatians 6:1-10 ESV Brothers, 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.
Matthew 18:15-17 ESV “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. [16] But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. [17] If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
The law of Christ vs the law of self
Those who seek to tick the boxes of the law (like the legalist who promoted the law of circumcision) seek to justify themselves whether their actions are beneficial to others or not. Those who seek to fulfil the law of Christ, seek to please God first and then to be a blessing to others. Did the “box ticking” of the legalists in Galatia help others to bear their burdens or did it add to their burdens? Are we adding to the burdens of others or helping them to bear them?
Galatians 6:2 ESV Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Matthew 22:36-40 ESV “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” [37] And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. [38] This is the great and first commandment. [39] And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. [40] On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Humility and healing
Those who trust in their own deeds tend to have a high regard for their own goodness and may exploit the weaknesses of others to make themselves look good. Humbly acknowledging our own struggles and taking responsibility for our own failures means that we cannot boast in our own goodness or use the failure of others to make us look or feel better about ourselves. How does this “bearing our own load” differ to bearing one another’s’ burdens?
Galatians 6:3-5 ESV 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 neighbor. [5] For each will have to bear his own load.
Matthew 7:5 ESV You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
Sharing good things
Those who don’t realise their own faults and see themselves as better than others may also be selfish with their material possessions. How does a humble desire to bear the burdens of others change the way that we share our possessions, and especially the way that we support the Church?
Galatians 6:6 ESV Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.
1 Corinthians 9:7-11 ESV Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? [8] Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? [9] For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? [10] Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. [11] If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
We reap what we sow
There are consequences to what we believe about God, ourselves and what Jesus has done for us. When we are self-centred we invest our time and resources in ourselves, but when we are Christ-centred we invest in His Kingdom. How can we expect to grow in our relationship with God if we invest our time and resources primarily in ourselves?
Galatians 6:7-8 ESV 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.
Romans 6:21-23 ESV But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. [22] But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. [23] For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Never give up
Imagine running an ultra-marathon like the Comrades and giving up 100m before the finish line. You would waste the pain and suffering of almost 90km of running and get nothing for all the effort. We don’t know how long we have to be able to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, let us never give up, we may only be a few 100m away from the finish line.
Galatians 6:9 ESV And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Hebrews 10:36-39 ESV For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. [37] For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; [38] but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” [39] But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Taking the opportunities
What opportunities to do good to others are going to be presented today, especially to those who are in our Church? Pray that the Lord Jesus will help us not to waste them.
Galatians 6:10 ESV So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.