Galatians 6 FSI - HEAR, O EARTH

> [!title|noicon] **Galatians 6 Notes** > [[Galatians 5 FSI|<Prev]] > [[Galatians 6|Verse list view]] > **Galatians 6 Overview:** *Living Out the Faith* > > At the close of the last chapter, Paul exhorted the Galatians to walk in the Spirit. Now, he shows them the way to live out such a spirit-led life. He indicates how they are to relate to God, to other Christians, to teachers of the Word and to people in general. He then concludes the letter by reiterating the key points that he has discussed. ^gal6-overview > [Galatians 6:1](Galatians%206.md#^1) note > > The word "fault" here is from the same Greek word that normally is translated "trespass". Thus, the first phrase can be read, "if a person be overtaken in a sin." And "ye which are spiritual" refers to those who are living and walking in the Spirit. > > Before we go further, let me hasten to point out that this verse is not a license for Christians to go around finding fault with others. Elsewhere in the Bible, God repeatedly instructs us not to judge others. For example, we read in [Romans 14:10](Romans%2014.md#^10), [13](Romans%2014.md#^13): > > *But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ....Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.* > > **Authorities** > > In the Bible, God has given just three groups of people the authority to judge others. First, parents have the authority to point out the sins in their children. As they carry out their duty to raise them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, they can guide and chastise them, even using the rod on them, if necessary. But they are not to provoke them to anger. > > Secondly, in the church, the pastor and the elders or deacons have the authority to admonish and look for the sins in the congregation. As spiritual leaders, they assist the congregation in getting victory over those sins. But they also have the right to excommunicate those who persist in sinning. > > Finally, there are the civil authorities – the policemen, the judges and so on. They must pass judgment on the people over whom they rule. They are established by God to point out wrong-doing within society and demand penalties. They have a right and a duty to do that. > > **Restoration** > > Here in verse 1 of Galatians 6, God is not talking about passing judgment on others. He is talking about restoring someone who has been overtaken in a sin. The Bible has indicated at least two areas where a believer caught in a sin needs to be restored. > > When a born-again believer is convicted by the Holy Spirit of having sinned, he becomes very bothered. The guilt weighs heavily on his soul. Sometimes, such a Christian would seek help from a fellow believer. And that's when we are to help restore him. > > Notice that we are to do it in a spirit of gentleness. That means we must be careful not to have a reproaching attitude, realizing all the time that we ourselves are wicked sinners saved by the blood of Christ. Rather, we are to patiently and compassionately encourage him to seek God's guidance and comfort from the Word of God. We should also pray with him as well as pray for him. [James 5:16](James%205.md#^16) teaches, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye maybe healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." As he confesses his sin to God, his burden will lighten. > > **The Excommunicated** > > An example of the second area of restoration can be found in 2 Corinthians 2. There, the apostle Paul tells the Corinthians to forgive and comfort someone "who has caused grief" ([2 Corinthians 2:5-8](2%20Corinthians%202.md)). Though we cannot know for sure, he is likely talking about the man whom he had ordered to be excommunicated in [1 Corinthians 5:1-5](1%20Corinthians%205.md). > > That person was a member of the church of Corinth. He thought he was a believer, but because he was engaging in the terrible sin of incest, he evidently was not. So, the apostle Paul instructed the church to excommunicate that person, not in the spirit of hatred, but to impress upon that person that he was not saved. That person has since come to his spiritual senses. He has repented. And now he wants to be restored into the congregation. And so, Paul tells the Corinthians to bring him back into fellowship in the spirit of love. > > Not too many people are being excommunicated nowadays. Nevertheless, the principle behind that example still holds. A former member of the church may have gone back to live a worldly life, thereby indicating that he was not saved. But now, if he truly repents and desires to live a new life for Christ, we need to help restore him. > > **Spirit of Meekness** > > Note that we are to do it in the spirit of meekness. That means we must be careful not to have a reproaching attitude, realizing all the time that we ourselves are sinners by nature. The last part of this verse says, "considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." It warns that we need to watch ourselves, making sure that we do not fall into sin in the process. > > The latter could happen, for instance, when we violate the trust of a troubling believer who has confided in us in confidence. This is a sin that can generate all kinds of gossip. We may also be tempted into sinning if we think of ourselves as being more righteous than others. The Bible says, "Pride goes before destruction and a fall," ([Pr 16:18](Proverbs%2016.md#^18)) and "God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble" ([Ja 4:6](James%204.md#^6)). So, if we proudly think that we would never commit such a sin, watch out. That's the time when we are most likely to fall. > > Finally, we need to make sure that all the advice we give is scriptural. Sometimes, in our eagerness to be compassionate, we are tempted to offer worldly solutions or condone behavior that is contrary to the Word of God. If we do that, we will just be blind leaders leading the blind. ^gal6-1 > [Galatians 6:2](Galatians%206.md#^2) note > > Remember back in Chapter 2, we talked about the Jerusalem Council? In the letter that the Council wrote to the Gentile believers in Antioch, we read in Acts 15:28-29: "For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols.." and so on. From the context, we saw that the word "burden" refers to the special responsibilities that Christians have to carry as they live out the life of a believer. To obey God's commands in a world that flouts those commands is a burden. > > As a child of God, we are also subject to being chastised by God. It is His way of showing His love for us. We read in [Hebrews 12:6](Hebrews%2012.md#^6), [7](Hebrews%2012.md#^7), [8](Hebrews%2012.md#^8): > > *For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. If ye endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.* > > Chastening by God serves to strengthen our faith and increase our dependence on Him. > > Still another kind of burden believers have to shoulder is the affliction and persecution that result from our standing up for Christ. Jesus warned, "In the world ye shall have tribulation" ([Jn 16:33](John%2016.md#^33)), and, "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" ([Jn 15:19](John%2015.md#^19)). > > All of this encompassed by the command that we are to bear one another's burdens. The Bible teaches that we are not an island. If at all possible, we are to be a member of a congregation. We all belong to one body. When one part of the body hurts, we all hurt. We are indeed our brother's keeper; we must have a concern for one another. > > Remember [Galatians 5:14](Galatians%205.md#^14)? It reads, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." We saw that the love that we are to have for our fellow man is that he might be saved and experience the love of Christ. Here in Galatians 6:2, the same principle shines through. As we bear one another's burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ because we personally experience the love of Christ working through us. ^gal6-2 > [Galatians 6:3](Galatians%206.md#^3) note > > Paul now begins to discuss the manner by which believers are to live before God. > > In [Luke 7:36-50](Luke%207.md), we read about Jesus dining in the house of Simon the Pharisee. A woman, who was possibly a prostitute, came in and began to weep over Jesus' feet. She broke a box of ointment and anointed His feet with it, and then wiped His feet with her hair. The Pharisee was upset by this, saying, "Don't you know, Jesus, that this woman is a sinner? How can you let her touch you at all?" > > This is the kind of attitude against which God is admonishing us in this verse. If we think that we are something when we are nothing, we deceive ourselves. The fact is, outside of Christ, every one of us is nothing but a dirty rotten sinner on the way to eternal death. > > As a child of God, therefore, we have to walk very humbly, recognizing that every good gift has come from above. God has given us the health, the skill and the mind to make a living. We must give all the credit back to God. ^gal6-3 > [Galatians 6:4](Galatians%206.md#^4) - [5](Galatians%206.md#^5) note > > Back in [verse 2](Galatians%206.md#^2). We were told to bear one another's burdens. Isn't it a contradiction for this passage to say that every man shall bear his own burden? Not at all. We are looking at two different Greek words. In verse 2, as we have already learned, the burdens involved have to do with the problems and trials that believers go through as they live out their Christian life. They are burdens that come after one has become saved. > > The "burden" here, however, has to do with salvation itself. We find this particular word used in [Matthew 23:4](Matthew%2023.md#^4): > > *For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.* > > There, God is indicting the Pharisees for telling people that they had to perform all kinds of works to become saved. So, this burden relates to the way one is to become saved. > > **Self-Examination** > > With that in mind, we can better understand why it says here that we are to prove, or to examine, our work to see if there can be rejoicing. We have to ask ourselves whether or not we are right with God. Will the path that we are following bring us to salvation so that we can rejoice? > > The salvation program of the Bible is a personal one. Yes, we can pray for others and witness to others. But ultimately, whether a person is saved or not depends on whether his sin problem has been taken care of. Just because your parents are saved or just because you have come from a long line of missionaries does not mean that you yourself are a child of God. > > When we test our own work and find that our best works are as filthy rags, and when we realize that the only basis for our salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ, then we cannot rejoice in ourselves. We rejoice in the fact that Christ has become our personal Savior. ^gal6-4-5 > [Galatians 6:6](Galatians%206.md#^6) note > > "Communicate" is an old English word that means to provide for. We see this in [Philippians 4:15](Philippians%204.md#^15), where Paul writes: > > *Now ye Philippians, know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.* > > You see, God is laying down a principle here that those who are blessed by the Word of God through faithful teachers and preachers are to provide for the physical needs of those teachers as a thanksgiving to God. This is a principle God first set forth back in Old Testament. The priests who offered the sacrifices in the temple received their food from the sacrifices. They were paid from the tithes that were brought by the Israelites. > > This is alluded to in [1 Corinthians 9:13](1%20Corinthians%209.md#^13). It reads, "Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?" The next verse then brings it up into the New Testament age, saying; "Even so hath the lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." Thus, if a congregation has a pastor who works full time to care for the spiritual needs of the flock, that congregation has an obligation to share all good things with him. In fact, this is the obligation of every individual member of the congregation. Note that this verse in Galatians uses the singular pronoun "him" in the phrase, "Let him who is taught the word..." > > This principle also covers, of course, those who teach the Word through para-church ministries. We who have benefited from their teaching have the obligation to provide for them as well. Today, many Christians are actually getting more spiritual feeding from such ministries than from their local churches. > > Oh this subject of giving, God gives us this additional information in [2 Corinthians 9:6](2%20Corinthians%209.md#^6) - [7](2%20Corinthians%209.md#^7): > > *But this I say, he which sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.* > > Thus, when God tells us to supply the needs of those who have brought us the Word, He is saying, "Now don't do this grudgingly. Don't do this with an attitude, 'Oh, I guess I have to do it. I guess I better write out a check somehow.'" No, God wants everyone to do it cheerfully. ^gal6-6 > [Galatians 6:7](Galatians%206.md#^7) - [8](Galatians%206.md#^8) note > > Still on the subject of providing for teachers of the Word, Paul admonishes that we must have our priorities right. We must sow to the Spirit, not to the flesh. In the Bible, sowing sometimes refers to the sending forth of the gospel. The parable of the sower found in Matthew 13, Mark 4 and Luke 8 is a good example of that usage. Jesus Himself explains that [what the farmer sows is the Word of God](Luke%208.md#^11). > > But in this Galatians verse, where sowing to the Spirit is contrasted against sowing to the flesh, it has to do with the use of God given resources. In fact, that is how God uses the word "sowing" in [2 Corinthians 9:6](2%20Corinthians%209.md#^6) - [7](2%20Corinthians%209.md#^7) that we just looked at with Galatians 6:6. > > So, God is warning us here that we cannot mock God about how we are using our wherewithal. When we use them to satisfy our sinful nature, we will only be deceiving ourselves. While we may think that we have become saved, we will in fact be reaping corruption, which means that we are still under the curse of God. > > Conversely, when we give cheerfully to help carry out the Great Commission, when we put the money God has entrusted to us to use in His kingdom, we reap life everlasting because it is an evidence that we have indeed become saved. > > **Reciprocal** > > In Luke 6, there is a beautiful statement on this subject of giving. We read in [Luke 6:38](Luke%206.md#^38): > > *Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.* > > In other words, as we give bountifully, God will fill our cup of blessing to overflowing. It's as though He's pressing the content and shaking the container to make sure that every void is filled so that our cup really runs over. That's the way God comes to us with His promises. We find the same truth in II Corinthians 9. After having told us that God loves a cheerful giver, He says in [verse 8 of 2 Corinthians 9](2%20Corinthians%209.md#^8), "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." > > Now, it doesn't mean that when we give, we seek a reward or a large "investment return", of some kind. Then, we will not be giving with the right motive. On the other hand, when we give generously and cheerfully because we want to do the will of God, He will bless us so abundantly that we will abound to every good work. In II Corinthians 9, God gives us a further reason why He wants us to give cheerfully. We read in [verse 12 of 2 Corinthians 9](2%20Corinthians%209.md#^12), > > *For the administration of this service not only supplies the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God.* > > In other words, as we give generously, we not only are obeying the command that we are to supply the needs of the saints and those who teach us the Word of God, but are showing our thanksgiving to God at the same time, and giving cause for others to express thanksgiving. We are expressing in a practical way our gratitude for the wonderful salvation that God has provided for us. ^gal6-7-8 > [Galatians 6:9](Galatians%206.md#^9) note > > This is a very practical admonition. Sometimes, we just grow weary of giving our life, our time and our resources to serve God and His kingdom. When we are being persecuted, when our evangelistic efforts don't seem to generate any response, when those we minister to do not show any appreciation, we wish we could sit back and indulge in our own creature comforts for just a while. > > Well, the Bible says, don't be weary in well doing. In time, you will reap. We may not see many of the benefits immediately in our life, but when we come into the presence of the Lord, we'll he greeted by those who have been saved because we have been faithful in sending forth the Word. > > Remember, this verse comes in the context that begins in verse 6. The well doing that we are not to be weary of has to do with sowing and reaping. We sow by laying our life on the altar of service, by making our money and time available to share the gospel with others. We do so untiringly because in due season, we shall reap. A very beautiful verse in this connection is [1 Thessalonians 2:19](1%20Thessalonians%202.md#^19) - [20](1%20Thessalonians%202.md#^20). It reads: > > *For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.* > > We will have great joy when we come into the presence of the Lord and see all those who have been saved because we have laid down our life on the altar of service. > > **Eternal Friends** > > This truth is underscored by the parable of the unrighteous steward, which Jesus told in [Luke 16:1-8](Luke%2016.md). This sinful steward, who was about to be fired, told those who owed his master various goods to take their bills and reduce the amounts they owed. He did that to make friends, as he prepared for the time when he would no longer be working for this master. [Verse 8](Luke%2016.md#^8) then reads: > > *And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.* > > What a terrible indictment that is. The unsaved of the world are wiser in their generation, that is, in their environment of wickedness, than the children of light in the kingdom of God. They are wiser because they intuitively prepare for their future in this world, whereas we believers give little thought to the future in the kingdom of God other than knowing that we have become saved. We don't think much of the future as stewards of what God has entrusted to us. > > In [verse 9 of Luke 16](Luke%2016.md#^9), we read: "And I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." What we should really do with the money of this world is to make eternal friends so that when we go home to glory, they will be there to greet us. Yes, if we faint not, in due season we shall reap. ^gal6-9 > [Galatians 6:10](Galatians%206.md#^10) note > > Is this verse telling us to do more good to believers than to other people? It certainly seems so, according to the way we normally use the word "especially". But the Bible does not use the word "especially" as a means to zero in on one group among a larger group. > > In Acts 25, for example, there is the account of Festus talking to King Agrippa about the apostle Paul. Festus told Agrippa that while the Jews wanted Paul killed, he found that Paul had done nothing deserving of death. But because Paul had appealed to Caesar, he, Festus, had to send him to Rome. But he didn't know what to charge Paul with. So, Festus said in [Acts 25:26](Acts%2025.md#^26): > > *Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O King Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.* > > The word "specially" there is the same word as "especially" in [Galatians 6:10](Galatians%206.md#^10). Note that when Festus said, "I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee", he was not selecting a part from a whole; both "you" and "thee" referred to King Agrippa. The second phrase is to emphasize that King Agrippa is the very one from whom he needs some particular thing. Let's look at another passage, [1 Timothy 4:9](1%20Timothy%204.md#^9) - [10](1%20Timothy%204.md#^10): > > *This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe.* > > We know from everything else in the Bible that Christ is the Savior of all who will believe, not all human beings. "Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." So here again, the "specially" is not meant to put extra emphasis on a small group of people among the whole human race. The second phase is meant to let us know in particular whom the "all men" are. > > The same holds true in [1 Timothy 5:8](1%20Timothy%205.md#^8): "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." Again, "his own" and "these of his own house" refer to the same people. The word "specially" is used mainly to give added emphasis. > > So, here in Galatians 6:10, God is defining for us that the "all men" to whom we are to do good are all those who belong to the family of God. That includes these who will come into the household of faith as well as who are already saved. We do good to them by bringing the gospel to them and then feeding them with the Word of God. ^gal6-10 > [Galatians 6:11](Galatians%206.md#^11) note > > At first glance, this verse seems out of place, having little to do with what this letter is teaching. But it really isn't. From the middle of Chapter 5 up to verse 10 of this chapter, Paul has shown the Galatians how they are to live as believers. Beginning with the next verse through the end of the letter, he will summarize the important points that he has written in the first four and a half chapters. This verse thus serves as a transitional statement. > > More importantly, the reference to the "large letters" (which is a better translation for “large a letter” in verse 11) underscores that what he is about to say deserves special attention, It also serves to remind the Galatians once again of his bad eyes, and of the affection they once had for him, when they "would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me" ([Gal 4:15](Galatians%204.md#^15)). > > Finally, Paul sometimes dictated his letters to a scribe. In the last chapter of his epistle to the Romans, for instance, we read in [Romans 16:22](Romans%2016.md#^22), "I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord." Tertius was the one who transcribed Paul's dictation. But here, Paul takes pain to tell the Galatians that "I have written," this letter himself in spite of his eye problem. It stresses his personal involvement in the spiritual well-being of the Galatians. ^gal6-11 > [Galatians 6:12](Galatians%206.md#^12) note > > Paul now begins to reiterate the primary reason for having written this letter to the churches in Galatia. He wants to impress upon them that salvation by grace is the only true Gospel, and that those who have been telling them to become circumcised have been doing so for ulterior motives. > > For one thing, those false prophets are interested in making a good showing, or having a large number of people circumcised. They did not really care whether those people have truly become saved or not. For another, they are advocating circumcision to avoid being persecuted by the Judaizers themselves. > > A parallel situation exists today in Christendom. All too often, individuals, churches and evangelistic organizations like to talk about the number of people that have "made a decision" to receive Christ, answered an altar call, or prayed "the sinner's prayer" as a result of their witnessing efforts. They don't really care whether those people have really become saved. > > Then, there are those pastors who privately concede that salvation comes entirely by the grace of God, and that man's works contribute nothing to it. But to placate the pride of the people they preach to, they've opted to teach that an individual has to make a free-will decision to accept Christ. In short, they have substituted the truth with the grace-plus-works gospel because they are afraid that they would otherwise be persecuted for the cross of Christ. ^gal6-12 > [Galatians 6:13](Galatians%206.md#^13) note > > Paul goes on to expose the inconsistency of the legalists by noting that the Judaizers do not really practice what they preach. Previously in Galatians 5, Paul has declared "that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing, For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law" ([Gal 5:2](Galatians%205.md#^2) - [3](Galatians%205.md#^3)). > > But while the Judaizers are telling the Gentiles to be circumcised, they themselves are not keeping other parts of the Mosaic law. They no longer celebrate the feast days the way such feasts were supposed to be observed, and they no longer offer animal and other sacrifices at the temple. > > The word "glory" in verse 13 means *to boast*. The legalists in the Galatian congregation want to boast about the number of people that they have persuaded to follow their teaching. They just want numbers. Again, the same problem exists today. In order to boast about the number of people they supposedly have converted, many doing evangelistic work have effectively become high-power salesmen of the “gospel”. > > To prepare the mind-set of their audience, they follow some well-formulated steps, using some specially-prepared tracts, slides or a movie to make their presentation. At the end, they ask the big question: "Do you want to receive Jesus into your heart and get all these blessings?" By that time, the people have become so mesmerized that many are ready to say "Yes" even though they don't really know what it's all about. Thus, as this verse points out, these evangelists glory in the flesh of the "converts". They boast about the large number of "decisions made" after each presentation without really knowing or caring whether any have truly become saved biblically. > > But salvation isn't a matter of selling the gospel or the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not a production line that needs to be made more efficient and profitable to produce higher outcomes. Salvation doesn't have to do with getting a person to agree to a certain series of statements. Salvation has to do with God applying the gospel to a man's heart, causing him to realize that he is a sinner and that only by trusting in Christ can he escape eternal damnation. ^gal6-13 > [Galatians 6:14](Galatians%206.md#^14) note > > That is the big truth. My glory, my boast, is all in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's because my salvation is altogether in Christ. He is the One who died on the cross to pay for my sin, and He is the One who has given me the faith to believe on Him. Because God has saved me, a death has taken place between me and the world. This truth can be seen from two vantage points. First, the world is crucified unto me. That is, the world has been put to death by Christ. It no longer has any hold on me. It cannot enslave me anymore. > > Secondly, I have been crucified unto the world. I am dead to the world. The things and pleasures that it offers don't appeal to me anymore. I have lost my interest in these worldly things; I just want to live for Christ. > > These statements that Paul makes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit really clip us, don't they? It hits us very hard. It should make us desire more than ever that our life might tell for Jesus. It makes us realize that when we put life in its proper perspective, the things of this world are so unimportant. What does it matter how many suits we have or how big a house we live in? What does it matter how much money we have in the bank? Our life on earth is short; sooner or later we will die, if the Lord tarries. And when He returns, this whole universe will be destroyed by fire. What really matters is that we'll be with the Lord throughout eternity. That's the only thing that counts. ^gal6-14 > [Galatians 6:15](Galatians%206.md#^15) note > > Here, Paul encapsulates succinctly what salvation by grace is all about. There are no conditions to our salvation. Whether or not we have been circumcised does not mean anything. We are saved only if we are in Christ. And we are in Christ only if we are a new creature, or a new creation. > > Does any one of us have the power or potential to make of ourselves a new creation? Of course not. We're a human being. Physically, we grow for 20 years or so and then after a period of leveling off, our body begins to age and weaken. We might do some exercise to keep in shape a bit longer, but that isn't a new creation. > > Only God can create. And God has made us a new creation by giving us a brand new soul or spirit essence. And He has given us the Holy Spirit to ensure us that on the last day, He will give us a brand new body as well. There is nothing that we have done, or we can do, to create a new soul or a new body. Our salvation is altogether a gracious gift from God. ^gal6-15 > [Galatians 6:16](Galatians%206.md#^16) note > > Salvation does not come in all colors and descriptions and paths and highways. There is only one walk that we are to walk, and that is the way of the cross, the way of the Lord Jesus Christ, the way of grace alone. We are to walk by that rule. It is a very narrow path and very few find it ([Mt 7:14](Matthew%207.md#^14)). These who find it are the remnant chosen by grace whom God has drawn. > > Narrow is the way and constricted is the gate that leads to eternal life. But broad is the way, and many there are thereon, that leads to eternal destruction ([Mt 7:13](Matthew%207.md#^13)). The ones who walk by the narrow path, the narrow rule of grace alone; are the ones who are at peace with God. They also have God's mercy. This is the first time the word "mercy" appears in the Book of Galatians. What does that word mean? In the Bible, it is used to describe the forgiveness of God to those who are in a pitiable, helpless condition. > > Before we were saved, we were in a terrible spiritual condition. Because of our sin, we were destined for eternal death. But God saved us. It's not because we were worthy and because we reached out for God. It's only because God had mercy on us. God says in [Romans 9:15](Romans%209.md#^15), "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy." In His magnificent mercy, He saved us. He has forgiven our sins. Those who walk by this rule, the rule of salvation by grace alone, have obtained mercy. They are the Israel of God, they are the seed of Abraham by faith in Christ. ^gal6-16 > [Galatians 6:17](Galatians%206.md#^17) note > > Paul started this letter by documenting the fact that he was a hand-picked apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ to establish his credentials. Now, as he closes the letter, he reminds the Galatians that he is a loyal servant of Christ, as evidenced by the marks or scars of his sufferings. He does so to warn the false teachers there that they had better not cause him any more trouble henceforth. > > Paul has indeed suffered a lot for the cause of Christ. He describes some of his experience in II Corinthians 11:23-27: > > *Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.* > > Actually, Paul considers it a privilege to share in Christ's sufferings. He wrote in [Colossians 1:24](Colossians%201.md#^24), "(I) who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of a Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church." > > As we do our part to help build the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, therefore, we also should expect to endure sufferings of one kind or another. Christ Himself set the precedent. He endured enormous suffering on the cross, of course. Even before that, He was stoned, scourged, mocked, maligned and spit on and He endured it. But then, we read in [Philippians 2:9](Philippians%202.md#^9), [10](Philippians%202.md#^10), [11](Philippians%202.md#^11): > > *Wherefore, God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.* > > Yes, to share in that glory, we who are children of God should expect to share in His suffering. In [Romans 8:17](Romans%208.md#^17), God says: > > *And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.* ^gal6-17 > [Galatians 6:18](Galatians%206.md#^18) note > > What a beautiful closing statement that is. May the grace of the Lord be with the Galatians. Paul's deepest desire is that the Galatians would turn from their dangerous path and again seek the gospel of grace. > > Notice that he says the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit instead of be with you. This ties back to the idea of believers being a new creation. When we become saved, it is only our spirit that is altogether new. Our body will not be resurrected until the last day. When the Lord returns, the grace of the Lord Jesus will then be with our body as welt as our spirit. > > The closing word "Amen" means "truly" or "So let it be". Everything that Paul has written in this letter, as well as his loving concern for the Galatians, is absolutely true and totally trustworthy. That's because he, moved by the Holy Spirit has written it on behalf of God. > > May all of us take these truths to heart. May we never be snared by a gospel other than the only one that gives eternal life – the gospel of grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. ^gal6-18 *This Galatians study was conducted by Harold Camping of Family Radio.* Tags: #New_Testament #Galatians #True_Gospel #FSI