Saturday, October 5, 2024

Galatian Study: Chapter 6-Burdens, Generosity, and Do Good

 Galatians Chapter 6


-Bear and share in each others’ burdens

-Finish what you start

-God needs to know He can count on us 


“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (Timothy 4:7).


“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).


“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).


-Today’s times are intense, but be faithful unto death so you receive the crown of perseverance as you are an overcomer


We are in the efforts business 

God is in the results business 

-This purpose is established by God 

-The mission is from God to stay in the battle


Vs. 1 Spiritually Restored

Paul is speaking to believers:

-he is calling out sinful Christians

-Paul warns believers not be overtaken, caught, detected, or surprised by trespasses(sins)


“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6: 1-2).


-repentance is the key 

-the spirit of gentleness is the fruit of the spirit

-sinful Christians hurt fellowship 


Vs. 2 Who takes the Initiative

-do not break people down

-focus on mending and healing your fellow believer

-have concern in your voice

-have compassion in your heart

-use care in your words 

-examine your own work (heart), motives, and actions


Vs. 4-5

-burden: means to bear your own load

-bearing: means to lament in another’s load, to take care of, come along side,

-bearing: means to take care of

-bearing: means to come alongside

-bearing: means to share in the weight as Jesus does with each person


Fellowship:

-being together in the word diligently studying daily

-receiving blessings

-having a shared connected of spiritual oneness

-having a Christlike intimate special relationship with one another


Vs. 6

 ***Christians should be on the same page with scripture


Vs. 7 God will not be mocked

-what a man sows to the spirit will spiritually reap which will be everlasting

-what you sow = thoughts, attitudes, deeds, and actions


“For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Galatians 6:8).


Banquet of Consequences:

1. What is sown in secret will harvest all that is hidden

2. As time passes the crop ripens = the harvest never fails

3. The seeds we scatter = the harvest will be revealed

4. We know the tree by its fruit = the harvest is greater than what was sown

5. You can’t replant past harvests = sow the seeds of future harvests

**Which field are you? Will you reap of the flesh or of the spiritual?


Vs. 9 In Due Time

-today we are in the age that you can see God is sifting the church 

-today God is separating the disobedient church from the obedient church

-God sees the church who walks in grace

-God sees the church who holds to the standard of living entrenched in the canon of scripture

-God sees the church who is sowing and reaping the total Word of God

-God see the church that compromises the Word and Work of Christ 

-do now grow weary

-do not lose heart

-reward is in the Lord



Vs. 10

-people grow weary when they need to feel appreciated

-human nature seeks recognition of men

-take care of the household of faith 

-perseverance (long-suffering) is a fruit of the spirit

-in suffering have a sacrifice of praise as a fruit of the spirit

-even when weary sow the fruit of the spirit 

-know your true purpose-following men 


“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the places you can, at all times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you can” (John Wesley).


Vs. 11

-large letters = Paul is yelling at the church, highest level of emphasis


“See what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!” (Galatians 6:11).


Vs. 12-13 

-legalists: no freedom or a labor of love

-legalists: have left their 1st love = God and God only

-motives of the Judaizers was not to seek God’s approval

-Judaizers were validated by men which is of the flesh 


Vs. 14 Age of Grace

-only boast in Christ now own achievements

-glory in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ 

**Choose the cross of Christ


Vs. 15

-you are a new creation in Christ

-being transformed is an internal matter

-do not allow outward appearances have a hold on you


Vs. 16

-God knows his own

-Note: Paul says “Israel of God” not just the “God of Israel”

-”Israel of God” = all mankind = all people have choice to be part of God’s kingdom


Vs. 17

-bear the marks of Christ

“From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus”

-Paul was a slave to Christ not to men

-Paul had suffered and literally had the scars on his body as he followed Christ

-Paul knew rituals does not impress God

-Paul challenges us to bear your own scars in ministry

***Paul asks what cost have you paid for the cause of Christ?


Vs. 18

-Paul sends his prayers for grace and that Christ would be in each of our spirits


Paul's resume is outlined in 2 Corinthians 11: 23-29

“Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?”


Galatians Study: Chapter 5 Part 2-Fruits of the Spirit

 Galatians Chapter 5 Part 2

-people naturally want to know how they rate against each other

-people use external standards to measure


ex. college degree vs. trade school, social media: thumbs up or likes or followers, lifestyles of the rich and famous vs. factory worker, salary, titles, etc..

-the church also uses external standards to compare spirituality

Ex. ranking sins like I don’t watch porn like that sinning believer, while gossiping about that person to another (judge and you will be judged), volunteer for show-look at me I am so spiritual because I volunteer so you all see my sacrifice, titles, positions in the church, clicks, etc..

Paul: warns that this rating system is a trap that the pharisees fell into


True Liberty:

-What is the test of spirituality = fruit of the spirit

-What is the fruit of the spirit = your character in practice


Paul also spoke to external and inward tests of spirituality in 1 Corinthians 13:1:

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.”


Differences:

-gifts of the Spirit 

Just because the Spirit gives the fruit of the Spirit it doesn’t mean you walk in them 

VS. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

-walk in the Spirit

VS. 16 Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

-led by the Spirit

VS. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.


Works of the flesh:

-laws does not change people

-grace is the only Spirit that changes behavior and empowers freedom


List of the natural  products of the  flesh because of our fallen nature:

-there are 17 sins listed divided into 4 categories

-these are a spectrum of sinful activity

-these are practices at will continuously, unrepentant, demonstrates walking with Christ


1st: Sexual Sins

-Adultery: breaking the marriage vow brings nothing but pain and sorrow

-fornication: having sex is giving part of yourself to the other, so when it is used or passed around it break the heart and spirit

-uncleanness: lustful thoughts leads to physical lust, movement from being obsessed with impure minds that it becomes the act(lewdness)

-lewdness: lust of the flesh, not care that sex is on display


2nd: Religious Sins

-idolatry: anything that you put above God and can be things like pride, ego, status, men’s acceptance, worship of self or men 

-sorcery: numerology, Tarot cards, churches of prophecy, putting self as a God or above God 


3rd: Social Sins

-hatred: 

-contentions: argumentative spirit, causes strife, quarrels, never anything good to say about anything or anyone 

-jealousies: not accept own life as a gift from God, but want to live the life of others

-outbursts of wrath: fits of rage that causes physical, mental, and spiritual abuse

-selfish ambitions: manipulates power for self 

-dissensions: takes joy in causing fractures in relationships

-heresies: (verb) meaning to choose, so you choose to walk in selfish-pride, self-righteousness, etc..

-envy: means bitter, so you are full of rage over what you do not have but others do 

-murders: heart problem as the act of murder begins in the mind and heart-to choose to take another’s life in any form that is not in self-defense or in times of war

4th: Over indulgent Sins (both always linked)

-drunkenness: drink so much you have no faculties to make good decisions, to the point of black-outs, destruction of others when drinking

-revelries: orgies, wild parties. 

***Paul ends this list with “and the like” which is like “fill in the blank” of what I didn’t have on the list 


Notice:

**Works of the flesh is plural as they are the deeds man can do

**Fruit is singular showing unity and how they compliment each other 

-Fruit reshapes your heart through sanctification

-it is an inner make-over

-the root is Love 

-Love manifests the rest of the list 


Fruit of the Spirit: Is Love

-If you Love then you put the rest of the list  in action

-the list is in a specific order for a reason 

-understand each is in order as you must master the 1st to move to the 2nd, etc..


List of the productions of the fruit of the Spirit:


1. Inner-attitudes

-Joy: act of thanksgiving even during turmoil, illness, or bad circumstances

-Peace: with God means you are right with God (not separated from God), of God means you have unity with God that comes from a relationship with God through Jesus Christ


2. Relational qualities

-Longsuffering: act of patience through day to day events, may be able to take revenge but chooses not to, not easily offended 

-Kindness: act of sharing truth, nice is not a fruit of the Spirit, so if you love then you speak truth 

-Goodness: act of being generous and kind 


3. Personal qualities

-Faithfulness: act of serving others 

-Gentleness: act of being teachable 

-Self-Control: act of obeying, mastery over desires and passions

***Crucify sin, passions, desires through Christ 

**Boundaries are important so if you know your weaknesses then remove yourself from the person, people, or events 

**you need a battle plan to have victories in areas of sin as the Spirit brings a harvest from Love = Fruit 


Fruit should be exhibited in our lives daily!

VS. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 


“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6: 43-45).