A study of chapter 6 of the book of Galatians.
Outline
- Addressing the Sins of Others
- Sowing and Reaping
- Boasting in the Cross
Scriptures:
- Galatians 6:1-5
- James 1:26
- Ephesians 4:29
- Galatians 6:6-10
- Galatians 6:11-18
- Romans 16:21-22
Review
Galatians Summary
Galatia is a region not a city or a single church. There are many churches in that region. We know of:- Antioch
- Iconium
- Lystra
- Derbe
Paul was writing to address two issues:
- A group of Christian Jews who, known as Judaizers, were teaching that Gentile Christians needed to follow the Jewish law and become circumcised to be saved
- The Galatians were starting to revert back to following their pagan customs and traditions
Paul emphasized that:
- Salvation is by faith alone and not works
- No amount of good works can save us
- No amount of bad works can make us lose our salvation
Most other religions are based on self righteousness. Where people attempt to please God or achieve a higher state of consciousness by their works.
If we trust in our works to save us we will be lost. We are believing the wrong gospel if we think our salvation is based on:
- Our good deeds
- How often we go to church
- How much we give
- How much we pray
- How many people we help
- Whether we sinned recently
If our own works could save us then we wouldn't need Jesus
The gospel is:
- Jesus Christ is the son of God
- Jesus Christ died for everyone’s sins, was buried and rose again
- All you need to do is believe in this and you will be saved
Review of Galatians 5
- Paul further emphasized the point that Gentiles don’t need to be circumcised to become Christians
- Gentiles don’t have to first become Jews to become Christians
- Gentiles don’t have to follow the law for salvation
- Although he stated, that if they did get circumcised thinking that it was required for salvation then they were required to follow the whole law
- This can be extrapolated to show that what you believe can influence your requirements for salvation
- We discussed that the phrase “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself” means that you should want for your neighbor the same things you want for yourself
- If you want shelter for yourself you should want your neighbor to have shelter
- If you want riches you should want your neighbor to have riches
- If you want a loving spouse you should want your neighbor to have a loving spouse
- We looked into the fact that the “idols” that we turn to that take us away from God fall into 3 categories:
- Control: a longing to have everything go according to our plans
- Comfort: a longing for pleasure and relief from stress
- Approval: a longing to be accepted or desired by others
- The key to overcoming these idols is to replace them with a love for God
- Paul gave a list of sins such as immorality, witchcraft, jealousy, envy, anger and
- drunkenness, and said whoever partakes in these will not inherit the Kingdom of God
- We saw that inheriting the Kingdom of God did not mean going to Heaven, but instead it means submitting your will to God and living for Him
- Inheriting the Kingdom of God means accepting Jesus as your King
- The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit
- Those who inherit the Kingdom of God will inherit the fruits of the Spirit
- We examined some of the reasons why people commit sins including:
- Not being indwelt by the Holy Spirit
- Not being healed from childhood trauma, occult activity, or generational curses
- Emotional agreement with the enemy including: unforgiveness, fear and rejection
- We concluded by saying that we aren’t expecting to live a sin free life, but we should expect to see improvement in some area of our life each year
Addressing Trespasses of Others
Galatians 6:1-5
1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore [katartízō] such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
- Restore [katartízō] : signifies to set in joint, like a dislocated bone
2 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4 But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.
5 For each one will bear his own load.
3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4 But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.
5 For each one will bear his own load.
My Brother’s Keeper
Example: see someone carrying 5 bags of groceries
- Options
- Keep driving and and pretend I didn't see him
- Keep driving and tell other people how I saw him struggling
- Stop and give him advice on how to carry it
- “You shouldn't have to carry those bags”
- Stop and help carry them
- Now both of us are carrying two bags
- It's the same way when we catch someone in a trespass
- You have to take on some of the weight yourself in order to be helpful
- If you’re not willing to take on any of the burden then you aren’t helping
- If you're just running around telling other people you are of no help
When Paul wrote this the church shared their lives together
- They lived in community
- You need to be in close proximity to restore and to be restored
- You need to have built trust
We are supposed to love our neighbor as ourselves
- When Jesus was asked who we should love He told the story of the Good Samaritan
- Jesus ties love with inconvenience
- You can measure your love for someone by how Willing you are to being inconvenienced by them
- Love Does Not Consume
- Lust wants to take
- Love wants to give to the needs of the other person
The flesh operates on the principle...your life for me
- You sacrifice your needs to serve mine
Jesus Christ came saying...my life for yours
- Love says my life for yours
- I’m going to sacrifice my own needs to cater to yours
When to Address
Notice the word of caught
- It's not from hearsay
- It was witnessed by someone with a good reputation
- Or the person confessed the trespass
Caught in the act of doing what?
- Could be breaking the law … sinning
- works of the flesh
- Could be for not living in the grace of the gospel
- Paul confronted Peter in Gal 2 for being legalistic not for sinning
- Paul confronted Peter for following the law by not associating with Gentiles
- Paul confronted Peter for following the law
- Not for disobeying the law
- Paul confronted Peter for not showing grace to others
Who Should Address Them
James 1:26
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.
Comparison
People want to compare themselves with others to make themselves feel better
Example: Uncle’s funeral
- Overcoming self doubt
- People base their self worth on being better than someone else
We all have a deep need for recognition and acceptance
- God has put in us a need to get recognition and accepted by Him.
- If we aren’t getting it from God we try to get it from other places.
- One way is to compare ourselves with other people to make ourselves feel better.
Some people have an inferiority complex and look at someone else and say “at least I’m better than them”
- They always focus on faults of others
- Or worse they look at someone else and say, I’m not as good as them.
- That's what creates envy and jealousy
Only someone with selfless motives should address the person caught in a trespass
- Not someone who is making themselves feel better by it
- If you're that type of person you shouldn't be addressing anyone
It's often the one who is proud and claims they don't sin and are judgmental that wants to point out someone else's sin
- They claim to live Holy
- Even though they don't have any fruits of the Spirit
- You shouldn't be addressing anyone
Who should address someone who has sinned
- Paul says: you who are spiritual
- Those who have the fruits of the Spirit
- Not those in authority
- Not those who have been saved the longest
- Not the one who can pray good or knows the Bible
- Those who are filled with: love, joy, peace, patience, self control, and kindness
- Those are the ones who should be addressing people
How to Address Them
Ephesians 4:29
29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
How to address
- With grace
- With a spirit of gentleness
- Privately
It doesn't say announce it to the church
- We feel entitled to know everything
- Why do you think you have the right to know someone else’s sins?
- If you sinned would you want it announced to the church
- Love your neighbor as yourself
- Do unto others as you would have done unto you
If you’re going to correct someone it should be out of love.
How can you tell?
- Are you willing to be inconvenienced by them?
- Do you have time to help them?
- Are you willing to carry their bag?
Sowing and Reaping
Galatians 6:6-10
6 The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will 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 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will 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 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
You should reward the teacher materially
- People supported the Rabbis they walked with
- Example: Israel “follow the Rabbi”
- Paul only took from those who he had already taught
Sowing to the Spirit
Sowing to the Spirit is doing good works
Whatever we put our life into we are going to reap
- You reap more than you sow
- You reap in a different season than you sow
- If you live for yourself you'll reap the outcome of the world
- If we live in the flesh we reap corruption if we live in the spirit we reap rewards in Heaven
Sowing into Spiritual things gets you rewards in Heaven
- “ Don't let your left hand know what you're right hand is doing”
- Jesus says If you tell others what you did you get your reward here on earth
- If you don't you get rewarded in Heaven
Example: Prince
- Jehovah’s witnesses can’t tell of good deeds
- He helped found many organizations to train low-opportunity youth and bring people out of poverty
- Donated millions to organizations in New York for children and the arts
- But he never told anyone
- We only found out after he died because his close friends came out and told the media
Sowing into the Spirit is not something you brag about
Sowing to the Flesh
Sowing to the flesh is satisfying your desires
Having Bad addictions and habits drive you to make bad decisions
- They make us live by instinct instead of reason
- What should be considered bad becomes normal when we do it enough
You can’t win the battle against the world if you can’t win the battle against your own mind.
--Will Smith
You can't beat the demon you enjoy playing with
--Facebook quote
A lot of our problems are because we gave satan access to our lives
- We gave satan authority through
- Sex: soul ties we’ve built with people
- Witchcraft, occult activity, psychics
- Unforgiveness
Penalty of Sin
Our sins don’t determine whether or not we're saved
- But they can still have negative consequences here on earth
- All negative consequences aren't necessarily caused from God
Example: witness for big case is above the law
- We are in the witness protection program too
- Jaywalking vs killing a gang member
- Not the punishment from the law
- Since we know our works don’t get you into Heaven some may think that they can do whatever you want
- “God won’t be mocked”
- He set up the world in a way that you will get negative consequences without His judgment or punishment
When we sin there are consequences from:
- Other people
- Nature
- The enemy
So the consequences can either be:
- Natural (other people, human nature, sickness, emotions, nature, etc.)
- Supernatural (God, satan, demons)
Sowing and reaping means it's a consequences of your actions
- But It wasn't done by God
- It was a natural consequence of your actions
Reaping what you sow is talking about all consequences other than from God
- If you have sex you can get: pregnant, sick, STD, heartbroken, soul ties
- If you lie: live in fear of getting caught, live a life not trusting anyone
- If you’re envious you’re never content and don’t have peace
We need to repent from sins
- Repenting is not just saying “I’m sorry”
- It’s saying “I’m wrong”
Boasting in the Cross
Galatians 6:11-18
11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.
12 Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13 For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.
14 But may it never be that I would 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 For neither is the circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
16 And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
17 From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
12 Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13 For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh.
14 But may it never be that I would 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 For neither is the circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
16 And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
17 From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
- The Israel of God are Christians
- The Judaizers were asking them to follow the law, but weren’t keeping them themselves.
With His Own Hand
Paul wrote this with his own hand
- He usually only wrote the ending of the letters himself to prove it was from him
- Paul wrote the whole letter to the Galatians himself
- This was very important to him
Romans 16:21-22
21 Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
22 I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.
The Popular Doctrine
Paul preached against circumcision even though it was unpopular at the time
- Preaching against circumcision would get you persecuted
- The popular doctrine isn't always right
Throughout the whole Bible there are many times when the majority of the people have a wrong believe or are following a wrong believe.
- God would then have someone go to the people and tell them that they are wrong.
- Ezekiel, Jesus, Jonah, many of the prophets.
- Throughout the Bible the majority has again and again been wrong.
Some modern day examples include:
- Islam
- Salvation by Works
- Loss of salvation through sin
- Praying to Mary or Saints
- Prosperity doctrine: God promised material wealth to all Christians
- The rapture: Christ will come back two more times
What Should We Boast About
The Judaizers wanted to boast on the number of people they had circumcised.
- They wanted to boast on how many converts to Judaism they had
- Just like many churches today
- Example:
- God punished David for counting his army
- It was based on pride
What do people boast about
- Their political party
- Their sports team
- Their race/ethnicity
- Their children’s achievements
- Their education
- Their bank account
- Their pastor
Example
- My Pastor is a big thing
What do we boast in?
When satan accuses us or when we feel down what do you turn to to make us feel good?
- I'm a good father
- I go to church regularly
- I go to bible study
What do we boast in?
Or what do you always seem to bring up?
- Whenever you meet new people what do you always bring up?
Some people boast about their problems
- They define themselves by their pain.
- keep meeting the wrong men,
- went through a painful divorce
- have a disease
If you're telling to everyone including people you just met you're boasting in it
Paul chose to “boast on his weakness” too
- But not in that way
- Paul chose to boast on the cross alone
Conclusion
When your affirmation, recognition, acceptance and glory come from God
- You don't have to suck it out of everyone else
- You don’t have to compare yourself to others in order to feel better
- You don’t have to seek out the faults in others
We need to realize that our value isn’t dependent on what we do or don’t do
- Our value stems from Jesus’ work not our own
- Jesus’ death on the cross is what makes us worthy
- We don’t need to boast on our good works
- We don’t need to convince people that we're Holy
Paul chose to boast on the cross alone
Paul had a lot he could have boasted about
- He could have boasted about being a Jew and a Pharisee
- He could have boasted on being a Roman citizen
- He didn’t boast about being thrown in jail for the Gospel’s sake
- He didn’t boast that he healed the sick and made the blind see
- He didn’t boast that he was stoned for Christ
- He didn’t boast that he was shipwrecked 3 times
- He didn’t boast that 5 times he received 39 lashes
- One lash less than death
- He didn’t boast that he spent a day and a night in the cold, deep, dark ocean
But instead he boasted in his weakness
- Meaning that he boasted on what he couldn't do
- Not what he did do
- He boasted that he couldn't keep the law
- He boasted that the good he wanted to do he didn’t always do
- He boasted that he had a thorn in his flesh
- He boasted on the fact that he couldn't obtain his own salvation
- So he needed a savior
- He boasted that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead
- He boasted in the cross
Because He knew it wasn't an empty tomb that saved us but it was a bloody cross
Boasting in the cross means that we boast in the fact that it is Jesus’ death on the cross that saves us
- Not our own works
- We don’t boast on the good works that we’ve done for Jesus
- God gets the glory
- We boast on what Jesus did for us
We boast in Christ alone
Presenter: Michael Leadon
References
Galatians 6:1 to 18
Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Galatians 6 - KJV Bible Baptist Preaching, independent, fundamental
Tim Keller—“Boasting in Nothing Except the Cross” (Galatians 6)
A Call to Live in Freedom
Extra
1 Corinthians 9:11-14
11 If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share [g]from the altar? 14 So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.
My Brother’s Keeper
Carry your own load
- Carry one another's burdens
- You can only boast on your own load
“each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted”
- Don't compromise yourself in order to approach them
Boasting in the Cross
2 Corinthians 11:22-30
22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;27I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?
30If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.
