Galatians Part 35 - Galatians 6:6-10

vs. 6-10. 1. From “...every man shall bear his own burden” (v. 5), Paul notes an aspect of ministry in v. 6. A. Gospel ministers are burdened with the word of the Lord Who expects them to bear it or else. MAL 1:1 c/w 1CO 9:16-17. (1) Preachers are to heed their own ministry they have received of the Lord. COL 4:17 c/w 2CO 10:13-16; ROM 15:15-21. (2) Paul (and Barnabas) was particularly called to the Gentiles. GAL 2:7-9. (3) Paul was justified in resisting the intrusions of the troubling Jewish teachers who had presumed to horn in on Paul’s leadership to the Galatians, not only on the basis of their doctrinal errors but also on their lack of appointed authority. B. Church members also have a burden relative to the ministry: supporting the minister financially with appropriate communication. c/w PHIL 4:14-16. (1) communicate: trans. To give to another as a partaker; to give a share of; to impart, confer, transmit (something intangible or abstract, as light, heat, motion, a quality, feeling, etc.). Const. to. (2) Those who sow spiritual things should reap carnal things of those whom they teach. 1CO 9:11-14. (3) Such communication is a God-pleasing sacrifice. HEB 13:16. (4) Giving to the Lord is also a matter of each man bearing his own burden. Each should lay aside according as God has prospered him, not another. 1CO 16:1-2. (5) “...in all good things.” Don’t try to impart to your minister evil things to make yourself feel better about your sin. Ministers need to be on guard here. 1TI 5:22. 2. vs. 7-10 treat of the principle of sowing and reaping, a figure used often to describe spiritual things and general proverbs of living. A. Consider these verses: (1) “...they that...sow wickedness, reap the same” (JOB 4:8). (2) “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy” (PSA 126:5), a call to reward and hope. (3) “He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity” (PRO 22:8). Sin is unprofitable. (4) “They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns...” (JER 12:13). God can frustrate efforts as a judgment. (5) “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind...” (HOS 8:7). Sins can have serious blowback. Galatians 1-1-17 Page 64  (6) “...both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth and another reapeth” (JOH 4:36-37). The prophets sowed and the apostles reaped. We should obey regardless of personal or immediate reward. (7) “If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?” (1CO 9:11). The laborer is worthy of his reward (1TI 5:18) and here both the sowing and reaping are alike honorable sacrifices. (8) “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully” (2CO 9:6). a. This can apply to the self-deception of GAL 6:7. b. Men may think that they can cheat God with impunity and end up hurting for it and wondering where things went wrong. MAL 3:8-9; HAG 1:9. B. vs. 7-8 have general application in our Christian walk and we should not deceive ourselves about this. c/w ROM 8:5; 1CO 15:33. (1) Paul is not implying that the flesh has natural desires and needs that should never be satisfied. In fact, he is quite practical. EPH 5:29; ACT 27:33-35; 1CO 7:1-2. (2) The flesh may have valid needs and desires which are given inordinate attention to the disregard of higher spiritual principles. LUK 14:16-24; 10:38-42. (3) The flesh may have valid needs and desires which one satisfies by sinful means. Examples: fornication instead of marriage, theft instead of honest labor. (4) The flesh is subject to all manner of concupiscence (eager or vehement desire for carnal things, esp. libidinous desire, sexual appetite, lust). ROM 7:8. (5) In each of the above three areas we must guard against making provision for them. ROM 13:14. (6) The tale is told of the old Indian chief who described the warfare within himself as being one of two fighting dogs, one evil and one good. The one which wins is the one he feeds the most. (7) One’s heart will be directed by what he values most. MAT 6:19-21. (8) The Pharisees who sought praise of men and material gain had the tawdry reward they sought, no more. MAT 6:1-5. (9) “...but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (v. 8). a. He shall reap now the essence of everlasting life: Christ-likeness by increments through gospel assimilation. EPH 4:13-16. b. He shall reap everlasting life itself of the Spirit, the good end of all who put their faith and hope in Christ and live according to His Spirit. ROM 6:22; 8:11-14. 3. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (v. 10). A. Let us not be as those who wearied of true religion. MAL 1:13. B. Well doing: (1) can put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. 1PE 2:15. (2) should persist in spite of blowback. 1PE 3:17; 4:19. (3) should persist in spite of delayed reward. LUK 14:13-14; ROM 2:6-7. C. Christ is our best model here. HEB 12:3-4. 4. “As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (v. 10). A. The good Samaritan comes to mind here. LUK 10:30-37 c/w MAR 14:7. B. Even “...do good unto them that hate you...” (MAT 5:44) but believers of like precious faith have priority in our charity. ROM 15:25-26. Galatians 1-1-17 Page 65