Galatians 6

Galatians 6:1-5

Apostle Paul had just finished explaining to the Galatian churches how to identify those among them who are under the bondage of the Jewish law. He also explained how to identify those who are living in the freedom of the gospel, which is in accordance with the proclamation of Jesus Christ who said, "if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).

Now his concern was that they would use this insight appropriately. If they were to discover anyone in a trespass, by observation of their manifested works of the flesh, Apostle Paul wanted for those living by the Spirit to "restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness" (Galatians 6:1). Gentleness should be evident Spiritual fruit in the life of every believer. So, he warned Spirit led Christians to consider themselves lest they "also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). This admonition, for them to consider themselves, was meant to help them understand that they too were responsible before God to honor "the Spirit of grace" (Hebrews 10:29). He told them the same thing he said to the church in Rome; that those "who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves" (Romans 15;1). To the believers at Thessalonica he said, "uphold the weak, be patient with all" (1 Thessalonians 5:14). By bearing one another's burdens regarding honoring the Lord, they would "so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).

Earlier in this letter, he demonstrated to the Galatian churches that no one should think "himself to be something, when he is nothing" (Galatians 6:3), by not giving any great honor to the other apostles, nor to himself, above any of the brethren in the Galatian churches. Apostle Paul had also said, "those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me" (Galatians 2:6). Including himself as nothing when it comes to the true gospel, he said, "even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8). He also said, "neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything" (Galatians 5:6), by which he indicated that no one is more than nor less than anyone else, whether Jew or Gentile.

Here in Galatians 6:3 he said to the believers, as he admonished them to bear the burdens of those caught in bondage to the Old Testament law, that "if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." He did not want the believers to end up "having a form of godliness but denying its power" (2 Timothy 3:5). So, in reference to the law, as Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 14:15, as well as in regards to the knowledge of freedom, which he mentioned in 1 Corinthians 8:11, the Apostle Paul said to everyone in the Galatian churches the same thing which he said to the church at Corinth when he corrected them regarding the Lord's supper, "let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (1 Corinthians 11:28), "Then he will have rejoicing in himself alone" (Galatians 6:4) without comparing himself and without boasting over any brother for whom Christ died.

To the Romans he said, each man should consider "the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek" (Romans 2:5-9). So, he said to the Galatians that "each one shall bear his own load" (Galatians 6:5).

Galatians 6:6-10

Apostle Paul was committed to presenting himself fully as "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God" (Romans 12:1), and to urging others to do the same, so that by his teaching of the word they would all benefit with him. Now, still mindful of how the brethren might address those caught in bondage to the Old Testament law, he was telling the Galatians that they too should partake "in all good things with him who teaches" (Galatians 6:6) as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God. He warned them against deceiving themselves, because "God is not mocked" (Galatians 6:7). As already mentioned, on that day God "will render to each one according to his deeds" (Romans 2:6).

Apostle John testified to this in sharing what he saw by prophetic revelation; that "the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books (Revelation 20:12). In accordance with this, Apostle Paul told the Galatian churches, "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), and he encouraged them, in view of the present challenge of bearing with those in bondage to the law, to "not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Galatians 6:9). This was an opportunity for them to "do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10), even to those who had come with the initial intention of trespassing on their freedom in Christ.

Galatians 6:11-13

This letter to the churches in Galatia was authenticated by the Apostle Paul as he did in other letters, by writing the closing with "large letters" from his "own hand" (Galatians 6:11). He closed with a summary, saying that the purpose of those who would compel them to be circumcized was to put on a good show in the flesh, to avoid suffering "persecution for the cross of Christ" (Galatians 6:12). Persecution is inevitable for faithful Christians. As Apostle Paul said to Timothy, "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). This push for compromise with the Old Testament law was for no other purpose than the avoidance of suffering. This is evident because every Jew knows that "not even those who are circumcised keep the law" (Galatians 6:13). Yet, they wanted to have the Galatian believers circumcized, "that they may boast" (Galatians 6:13) in themselves concerning the Jewish law. Apostle Paul knew this to be the case, because as Saul, he too had lived hypocritically under the law.

Galatians 6:14-18

However, Apostle Paul was transformed by revelation of our Lord, and now he was saying, "God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation (Galatians 6:14-15). It made no difference to Apostle Paul whether a person was Jew of Gentile. All that matted was that Jesus Christ "abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace (Ephesians 2:15).

Apostle Paul held this as the standard for all the churches, "and as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God" (Galatians 6:16). The Israel of God is the Jerusalem above, "which is the mother of us all" (Galatians 4:26), "the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Revelation 21:2).

As a faithful witness of the grace and peace "from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen" (Galatians 1:3), even to those who were in bondage to the Jewish law and who were among those who had left the Apostle Paul with marks on his body for being a follower of Jesus Christ, all he asked was "From now on let no one trouble me" (Galatians 6:17).

He then peacefully and graciously ended the letter saying, "Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen" (Galatians 6:18).

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