Reflections on Galatians 6

Galatians 06 (Contemporary English Version)


1. My friends, you are spiritual. So if someone is trapped in sin, you should gently lead that person back to the right path. But watch out, and don't be tempted yourself.
2. You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.
3. If you think you are better than others, when you really aren't, you are wrong.
4. Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don't compare yourself with others.
5. We each must carry our own load.
6. Share every good thing you have with anyone who teaches you what God has said.
7. You cannot fool God, so don't make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant.
8. If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life.
9. Don't get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don't give up.
10. We should help people whenever we can, especially if they are followers of the Lord.
11. You can see what big letters I make when I write with my own hand.
12. Those people who are telling you to get circumcised are only trying to show how important they are. And they don't want to get into trouble for preaching about the cross of Christ.
13. They are circumcised, but they don't obey the Law of Moses. All they want is to brag about having you circumcised.
14. But I will never brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his cross, the world is dead as far as I am concerned, and I am dead as far as the world is concerned.
15. It doesn't matter if you are circumcised or not. All that matters is that you are a new person.
16. If you follow this rule, you will belong to God's true people. God will treat you with undeserved kindness and will bless you with peace.
17. On my own body are scars that prove I belong to Christ Jesus. So I don't want anyone to bother me anymore.
18. My friends, I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you! Amen.
    
    

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    In the previous chapter Paul contrasted living by the law, which is enslaving, with living in the Spirit, which gives freedom. He pointed out that the whole of the law is to "love your neighbor as yourself." (5:14) By doing this one fulfills the "entire law." However, loving our neighbor is not accomplished in the flesh. That is, by our own efforts. It is only possible if we live in the Spirit. This is revolutionary. Living by the law not only enslaves us in that we are unable to fulfill the law on our own, but our primary point of failure is in failing to love our neighbor which is also the primary point in fulfilling the law. Rather than loving our neighbor, living by the law pits us against our neighbor.
    
    Paul further points out this contrast between living by the law and living in the Spirit in the first verse of chapter 6 concerning someone who is "caught in any wrongdoing." Those who live by the law would be prone to mete out some type of punishment. If the wrongdoing were serious enough, they would stone them to death. But in contrast, those who live in the Spirit are to "restore such a person with a gentle spirit." (6:1) He adds that those who are spiritual who are to restore the wrongdoer should also watch "out for yourselves so you won't be tempted also." As the spiritual person gently restores the wrongdoer he is reminded of his own vulnerability to being drawn into wrongdoing which both motivates his gentleness toward the wrongdoer and encourages his vigilance in avoiding the wrongdoing himself.
    
    Paul carries this theme further. Those who are spiritual should not only gently restore those caught in wrongdoing but should also help them carry their heavy burden. This is in contrast to being critical of them. Those who live by the law are prone to criticism of those caught in wrongdoing because they perceive they are made to look better. The primary difference, however, is that the infractions of the one caught in wrongdoing are outward and visible and those of the one pointing the finger at the person who is caught are inward and not visible, but very present none the less. Paul tells the Galatians that those who are spiritual should "examine his own work." If anyone has reason to boast, it should be in "himself alone and not in respect to someone else." In other words, don't build yourself up by pointing at the wrongs of others. Do so by your own merits rather than another's demerits.
    
    Concerning this point, Paul says, "Don't be deceived: God is not mocked." We may fool ourselves into believing we are better than we are by pointing at the wrong of another, but God is not fooled by this. We will not mock Him in this way. Instead, we will all reap what we ourselves have sown. If we sow to the flesh we will "reap corruption from the flesh," and if we sow to the Spirit we will "reap eternal life from the Spirit." (6:8)