Verse 1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Brethren refers to fellow converted Christian believers. The Greek word translated as “fault” is “paraptoma” and it means a lapse or deviation from truth and uprightness, a sin, or a misdeed.
Application: Notice that the Apostle Paul says that those people who are spiritual are to “restore”, and therefore not those who are not spiritual. To be spiritual means to be filled with and governed by the spirit of God, the Holy Ghost. A religious person is not a spiritual person. Why did the Apostle Paul specify this condition? Because those who are not operating in and through the Holy Ghost/Spirit are unsaved souls, unrepentant sinners themselves, and they should not tell others who are saved but caught in sin of some kind how to correct the situation they are in. Churches are full of unsaved religious people who interfere in a Christian’s life and only make the situation worse by giving unsound advice. The believer who is going to restore another believer must do so with the leading of the Holy Ghost/Spirit and not with his/her own fleshly desires and attitudes. The one who is restoring the sinning believer should have the mind of Christ and realize that the same temptation and sin could easily be a part of his/her life, and so condemnation is not the way to restoration, but an attitude of love and mercy along with truth is the way to restoration.
Verses 2-5 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
The Greek word translated as “bear” is “bastazo” and it means to take up with the hands, to take up in order to carry or bear, to put upon one’s self something to be carried, to sustain, and to support. The Greek word translated as “burdens” is “baros” and it means heaviness, weight, burden, or trouble. The “law of Christ” is to love God and to love each other. By bearing the burdens of others, the Christian believer is loving others as commanded by the LORD Jesus Christ and so fulfilling the Law.
Application: Often there are people in churches that make a great show of helping others in their times of trouble, but they are helping in order to receive applause and praise from others. Their pride is being fed through their “good” works. And often they are helping because they believe they are the only ones to have the answers to other peoples’ difficulties and they want to be in charge, to have power in other peoples’ lives, to feel superior, and/or to receive any credit for a positive outcome. Their motives are not pure and Christ-like. They are functioning in a helping capacity in order to receive fleshly rewards.
Verses 6-8 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
The Greek word translated as “communicate” is “koinoneo” and it means to come into communion or fellowship with, to become a sharer, be made a partner, or to join one’s self to an associate. The Greek word translated as “good” is “agathos” and it means of good constitution or nature, useful, good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished, upright, and honorable. So those who receive teaching in the Word of God are to have an agreeable and pleasant and useful relationship with the one who teaches.
Application: To paraphrase the verses above, be nice to the pastor, Sunday school teacher and evangelist. Why? Because God expects His children to operate in the Spirit with each other and not in the flesh. Assuming that the pastor, teacher or evangelist is also operating in the Spirit, they have been called of God to minister to the sheep or the congregation, and to others needing to hear the Gospel. They are His chosen servants. And so each truly saved believer should be agreeing with and encouraging the efforts of those in leadership positions within a particular church or the Church in general. When a good seed is planted in the ground, good fruit is the result. When bad or weed seed is planted in the ground, bad fruit is the result. The analogy the Apostle Paul is using of sowing in the verses above means that those believers who are carnal and not walking in the Spirit may yield to the desires of their flesh, desires that will feed their pride. This can lead to actions and attitudes that are spiritually corrupting and may affect their eternal destination. Their fruit is bad. When believers are walking in and with the Spirit, they humble themselves and do not feed their pride, but seek to build others up in the Christian walk and their fruit is good, leading to everlasting life in Heaven with the LORD Jesus Christ.
Verses 9-10 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
So continuing the thought from verses 6-8, converted Christian believers are not to get tired of doing good because the reward for their right attitude and actions will be received when in Heaven. This is not to say that rewards do not happen while living in the flesh on this Earth. They do. God is always rewarding His children for representing Him in a pure and holy manner. Those who give of their resources will not be lacking. Those who give of their time will see others giving to them. Those who give of themselves in prayer and intercession will see answers to those prayers and grow stronger in their faith. So whenever the opportunity arises, believers are to “do good” not only to fellow Christians, but to all who God sends into believers’ lives.
Verse 11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.
Much debate has happened over the health of the Apostle Paul. The “thorn in the flesh” spoken about in 2 Corinthians 12:7 has been speculated many times over, and many teach that this thorn was an eye disease or problem and that this was the reason for the Apostle Paul having some of his epistles written by others as he dictated them. This writer has not found any historical or Biblical writings to support this theory. The thorn is clearly explained in the same verse to be an evil spirit that constantly tried to harm the Apostle Paul and interfere with his ministry. And since evil spirits can cause sickness and infirmity, it is possible that the Apostle Paul was plagued with some physical problems. And the brutal beatings, stoning, and prison time would most likely have taken a toll on his health. But the verse above is not proof that the Apostle Paul had any problems with his eyes and therefore his vision. The fact that he wrote these six chapters of the epistle to the Galatians with his own hand indicates that he was able to see just fine and to write legibly with his hand. Which brings up the possibility that he may have injured his hand at some time and so found it easier to dictate his epistles rather than write them. However, being a tent maker all his life indicates that his hands were able to function well enough for that process. So what is the point here? Don’t read into Scripture what is not there and what cannot be confirmed by other verses in Scripture. Bible proves Bible, plain and simple.
Verses 12-13 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. 13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
The very people attempting to intimidate the Galatian Christians into following the Old Covenant Law and demonstrate their doing so by being circumcised were not keeping the Law themselves. The Jews who were circumcised did not keep the law, but they wanted to put these new Christians into the bondage of the Law and it was not to glorify the LORD Jesus Christ, but to bring glory to themselves.
Verses 14-15 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
The Apostle Paul was not seeking glory by starting the Church at Galatia, The only glory he wanted to participate in was the glory of being a servant of the LORD Jesus Christ. He was not boasting about his ministry accomplishments, but he was boasting about the goodness of God in sending His Son to die on a cross so that all who will come to Him can be saved from sin, death, and Hell. And he finishes the discussion by stating categorically that being circumcised or not being circumcised does not matter to God. What matters is repenting, being baptized, being filled with the Holy Ghost/Spirit and becoming a new creature in Christ Jesus. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Verses 16-18 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. 18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. To the Galatians written from Rome. (Galatians 6)
What rule? All believers are to glory in the LORD Jesus Christ and not in their own flesh (accomplishments), and they are to see the world as dead to them and they as dead to the world so that they come out from the things of the world and separate themselves to be a holy people unto the LORD Jesus Christ. “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17 The Apostle Paul finishes his epistle by asking that they no longer trouble him and question what he has taught them as the scars on his body prove that he has been and continues to be a faithful servant of the LORD Jesus Christ.
Application: Separating from the things of this world is not an easy task as Satan has infiltrated every facet of life through every institution, every societal custom, most manufactured products, the entertainment industry, every government at every level, and most churches. He is the deceiver, and he has deceived the majority of people alive on the Earth today. One example is square dancing which has been around for a very long time. Square dancing has originated from witchcraft ritual and from the maze in which one travels in one direction and then in the opposite direction. Those people involved in this form of dance have no idea that Satan has his design throughout. Is square dancing evil? Not necessarily, but it has roots in witchcraft which is Satan’s religion. Another example is the insistence of churches calling themselves Christian to celebrate Easter and a Sunday sunrise service. This is nothing but witchcraft and paganism, but the churches think that putting a religious slant on this celebration makes it acceptable to the LORD Jesus Christ. Again, Satan is the deceiver and has infiltrated everything in the world today. The Christian believer needs to weigh everything by Scripture and if there is not a verse in the Bible to support whatever is being considered, don’t do it, don’t buy it, don’t vote for it, and don’t attend it if it is of the world and not of God.