And What Does the Lord Require of You?

The 6th chapter of Galatians is a recipe for mature Christian living. There is no need to seek God for special instructions on what He wants us to do if we put our efforts into walking out the guidelines given by Paul to the Galatians and those of us coming after them. The entire epistle is rich with well-known passages, with Paul summarizing his thoughts in the last chapter.

Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

The gentleness of the Spirit should always be the hallmark of our interactions with each other, lifting up, encouraging, restoring, affirming. Remaining humble enough to doubt yourself, check yourself, know yourself without pride or arrogance, realizing that we are all heir to the weaknesses of the flesh while we inhabit this body in the world. We must walk out our Christian service with the authority of Christ, the humility of the Spirit, and the love of the Father, balanced with each other. 

Galatians 6:2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Rule 1, Give worship to God; Rule 2, Give service to others; Rule 3, Repeat Rules 1 and 2. That is the full range of what is expected of us. It is not complicated. It is one of those simple things that can take a lifetime to explore. If there are any problems, it is when we try to redefine the basics: "And who, Lord, is my neighbor?"

Galatians 6:3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Self-deception comes so easily to our carnal nature. After all, each of us believes ourselves to be above average. That automatically makes half of us wrong.

Galatians 6:4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,

 Rather than comparing ourselves to one another, let us measure ourselves against our own selves simply to see that we are closer to God today than we were yesterday.  Knowing we can do nothing of ourselves, we quickly understand we need more of the Spirit and we are motivated to find things we can throw out or put on the curb to be picked up so we have room to receive more of the Spirit bearing gifts from the Father, equipping us to do service to those He sends us to or draws across our paths.

Galatians 6:5 for each one should carry his own load.

External circumstances can place burdens on all individuals at one time or another that are crushing to the emotions and to the thoughts, eventually affecting the body if relief is not obtained. Coming along side of people and lending a hand, lending an ear, sharing a word of encouragement or sharing a task, a chore, helps ease the weight of the burden. A sorrow shared is a sorrow halved; a joy shared is a joy multiplied. Giving your time and your energy is giving your life which shows love which opens the door for ministry in the spirit. 

However, each of us has our own responsibilities that no one can do for us lest they risk stunting our growth and disabling us spiritually. When a caterpillar has pupated in its cocoon and changed to a butterfly, the struggle out of the cocoon is a hard but necessary part of the development and must be allowed to happen without interference or the emerging butterfly will end up a cripple, unable to fly.  

Galatians 6:6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.

Simple. Practical. We who have received spiritual benefit from those who labor in the spirit for our sake have the opportunity, even the necessity, of sharing with them what we have labored for in the natural.

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Just a reliable and unwavering as the law of gravity in the material world, so is the law of sowing and reaping in the spiritual environment. Just as each seed we plant in the ground brings forth after its own kind, so also do the spiritual seeds that we sow germinate and bring forth a harvest, some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundredfold to match the attitude that was sown.

Galatians 6:8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

The difference is you. What will you choose? We are slaves, servants to a higher power, enslaved to something, controlled by someone greater, stronger, more powerful than we are. This is not a hard concept except to the educated, favored, western cultures who have so many "advantages." An uneducated, superstitious member of a third-world culture sees many things that they cannot control and makes gods of them, serving them. An addict or alcoholic in our society is painfully, daily aware that there is a power stronger than they are that controls them. We, too, must realize that slavery, or if you prefer, being subject, to a higher power is not an option. We only have the choice of *which* power we will submit to and be controlled by. Let us fling ourselves as wholeheartedly into the joys of submission to the One Who loves us as other do to those who feed on them and rend and tear their subjects.

Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Endurance is all it takes. Not skill, talent, gifting, ability, but simply the choice of our will, sometimes daily, sometimes minute by minute. The good news is, we can do it; after all we just did it a moment ago. This is not fist-clenching, jaw-tensing, teeth-gritting will power of the flesh. This is continually communing, praying, exercising the presence of God, drinking in His living water which enlivens our spirit and soul, but does not feed our carnal nature. This is resting in God from our works in the flesh, from depending on our own strength and knowledge and understanding, and letting God be our source as we walk in His path, speak forth His words, reach out and do His works. Sow the seeds of heaven and reap the harvest of life. Keep on keeping on. There will be tears; there will be joy; but there will always be God. Walk in His strength.

Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Love on one another! Carry one another's burdens using God's strength, both in prayer and in the natural. Bring out the Christ in each other, and through loving care, draw others into the family of God so they can partake, as well.

As You have been the God of the Galatians, so You are also our God. Your warnings are for our protection, Father. Give us hearts to care about Your guidance, Your promptings, Your cautions to us. You keep it simple for us, Lord, so that we can walk a straight and level road, keeping our focus on You. Blessed are those You choose and bring near to live in Your courts! We are filled with the good things of Your house, of Your holy temple. You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by Your power, having armed Yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. You call forth songs of joy.

3I21V46A