Galatians Chapter 6 Verse 1

 Legalism had leaked into the church and inevitable cousins of

legalism are competition, criticism, harshness and ultimately

condemnation. We know from previous chapters that Paul has written

this letter for this reason and as a result of what was happening in the

churches of Galatia, there were those that were “biting and devouring

one another.” (Galatians 5:15)

 So, this statement by Paul is the corrective instruction as to how to

deal with someone that is in some sort of error. It’s not condemn them,

or compare them to yourself, it’s restore them. Which doesn’t flow in

a legalistic environment. What flows in a legalistic environment is

restore yourself or you’re not welcome here… Why? Because you’re

not good enough, and certainly not as good as us/me!

 Paul says if someone is overtaken in any trespass… The word

overtaken means that someone is openly detectable… That it doesn’t

take any investigation… It is readily known by all… There are those

that seem spiritual through prying into other’s business to discover

things that need fixing or their commentary. Peter calls those “busy

bodies” and ranks them equal to murderers, thieves and evildoers in 1

Peter 4:15…

 So, if there is a Christian in our circle that is obviously and blatantly

not living up to the standard that God has laid out for us in His Word,

here’s what we ought to do. Restore them. God’s desire is not to

damn the sinner, but to restore them. The word restore carries with

it the idea of mending. When you set a bone that has broken, is it

immediately fixed? No. Is it immediately strengthened? No. This word

carries with it an air of patience…, which is a reward of love (we

learned that one last week).

 So, we set the bone (if you will) and we do it not Gladiator style but

with a spirit of gentleness (another result of love), that word also

meaning humility and meekness, why? Because there’s no one in the

human race under heaven that doesn’t have broken bones

themselves… Sin just looks a lot more sinny on others…

 That word “restore” was also used in Mark 1:19 where we read,

“When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son

of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending

their nets.” Two things. We are training each other in how we correct

and serve and love each other. Those that are harsh were typically

trained to be harsh by folks being harsh to them. Those that are

unloving and uncaring were typically trained to be unloving and

uncaring by folks being unloving and uncaring to them.

 Those nets being mended will be put back into the water to fish

again… Just like those Christians you are condemning… The gospel

accompanied with a spirit of condemnation is no gospel at all…, and

it won’t catch men… What it will catch is animosity and hardened

hearts towards the things of God. Mend your nets. Don’t condemn

them… Untraining evil is part of my job as a representative of the

Kingdom of Light…

 So let me put it this way. Paul says, “you who are spiritual.” In other

words, you who are walking by the Spirit, bearing the fruit of the

Spirit… If you aren’t, then the ministry of correction is not for you…

Receive this statement…, damage will be done to the kingdom

through Christian carnal correction… If you can’t correct in the Spirit,

practice a HOLY HUSH!!

Galatians Chapter 6 Verse 2

 That does not mean that you fix everyone’s problems or that you are

responsible if someone is sinning around you to relentlessly badger

them with instruction, correction, reproving and teaching until they

change. That will almost certainly drive you to legalism and away

from the heart of God. That is not what Paul means here and we are

sure of it because in verse 5 he says, “For each one shall bear his

own load.”

 Bear one another’s burdens in Galatians Chapter 6 means what it

means in other places of the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says, “Love

suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade

itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own,

is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices

in truth; BEARS all things, believes all things, hopes all things,

ENDURES all thing. Love never fails!”

 To bear the burden of another is to love them through their falsities.

To care for them unconditionally although there is present within them

countless reasons not to… I am not responsible for you, but I am

responsible to love you, to serve you, to build upon what God started

in your life when He gave Himself for you. That, my friends, is FAR

more of a burden than to take your problems on as my own… Which

is wholly inappropriate for me to do. I have enough problems of my

own…

 And so, the law of Christ, found when Jesus Himself was asked which

is the great commandment in the law and He responded in Matthew

22:37-40, “Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with

all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the

first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love

your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the

Law and the Prophets.”

 How do you fulfill that…? All that Jesus Himself has given us to do?

ALL that He has given us to do because without this, there’s no fruit,

no abiding in Him, and without abiding in Him we can do nothing…

How do we do this one thing Jesus has commanded of us? Love those

that simply on their own, on their own qualifications and conditions,

are not lovable… That is the very heart of God Himself because God

Himself (1 John 4:8) is love! Can you love someone and correct them?

Yes! Can you love someone and rebuke them? YES! But don’t,

unless you love them! (Well, what can I do if I don’t love them?

PRAY for them and lead them! That’s what! Invite them to church!

Repent of your carnal unChrist-like heart that you can’t prioritize them

over! There’s actually FAR more that you can do for them if you don’t

love them! That’s how works work, HA!)

Galatians Chapter 6 Verses 3 – 5

 It’s not what everyone or anyone else is doing or not doing… That’s

not what is primary for me in my life. Its what I am doing… Am I

looking for and concerned with goodness from others…, or am I

concerned with goodness from me!? This is the chasm the separates a

legalist in their heart of hearts from the heart of Jesus. Interesting,

perhaps you could say the legalist will read this verse as, “Expect

others to bear your burdens,” but that’s not what it says… And that

rendering yields negative returns.

 How do you deal, by the way, with self-deception? Self-deception is

fooling yourself, tricking yourself, manipulating yourself to accept

something as good and acceptable that is in opposition to God (who is

perfect). How do you do with that? It’s a super interesting question to

ponder…

 When someone else deceives you…, and you discover it…, is there

anything that stings worse than that? That’s a deep cut especially if it

is someone you should be able to trust. Someone close to you… Why

is it that we have an intense visceral response to being deceived by

others but when it is ourselves, “well, that’s just how I am...” When

cast in that light, self-deception is actually far worse… And so many

just go on about their business being besties with their own self-

deceiving ways… Isn’t that just a wild situation!?

Galatians Chapter 6 Verse 6

 You all are welcome to bring and leave good things for me on the

stage after the teaching today! HA! Just kidding, I mean, unless you

want to… LOL. Yet today no one has paid my house off as many

times as I’ve used that as an illustration for atonement for sin! I mean

come on man! HA!

 Yes, this verse means that… For sure. The callings of God and the

positions of the church, whenever pastor is mentioned, teaching is

mentioned also. Ephesians 4:11, “And He Himself gave some to be

apostles, some prophets, come evangelists, and some pastors and

teachers.” 1 Timothy 3:1-2, “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires

the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must

be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of

good behavior, hospitable, able to teach…” Titus 1:5-9 also…

 A pastor teacher is to protect the flock and feed the flock the good

stuff. The Word of God. Heavenly Chik-Fil-A, the Lord’s chicken, and

in so doing, the sheep follow the shepherd because he teaches them the

Word and they grow and remain healthy. And, there is a protector in

him also. From wolves, from cliffs, from pits, from sheep that get all

uppity and think they’re something…, ha! This is the role, calling and

far more-so the privilege of the pastor teacher…

 And Paul says if you are taught, share all good things with him who

teaches. This is ministry to the minister. Some take this and monetize

it… I don’t see that explicitly in the Greek, and yet we know 1

Corinthians 9:14, “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who

preach the gospel should live from the gospel.” Meaning it is

appropriate for a pastor teach to make a living in preaching the gospel.

 Far more than speaking only about formal pastor teachers, Paul’s

statement is here is broadly addressing those that teach the Word.

Which could be a friend, a parent, a wife, a husband, and so on.

Sharing in all good things…, what is good. Only One is good…, this

simply means to bear the heart of God for them. Because teachers

aren’t perfect, just like Paul wasn’t perfect… All good things is one

thing and that one thing is love. This is ministry to the minister…

Simply to love them… Just as you are loved by God.