I studied Galatians 6 today…here are some thoughts!
- (6:1) I’m gonna try and dive deeper into this one for myself later. Paul is challenging Christians to help other Christians when they are overcome by sin, part of the verse tells us, “…if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back on the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” To me, I hear this verse telling us that we should gently and humbly approach a fellow believer if I see their life overcome by sin. If this is really what it is saying, this would really kill the whole “its none of my business” attitude and approach. I guess the biggest kicker to me is when Paul tells us to “…be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” I guess in the effort to bring someone out of a hole they can pull you down in it with them. I’ve seen this with people that used to have high moral standards, they challenged people who’s life was not matching up with the checklist from Chapter 5 and through the justification of the sin they were living in, the person that went to help them ended up accepting the same lifestyle as okay and as justified. I believe the last warning by Paul makes it evident that we should be the one’s approaching because he specifically tells us to go humbly, gently, and carefully. Its almost as if you were going to rescue someone from a wild animals cage. In the rescue attempt if you are not careful you could get bit too, but I don’t see all of that happening if someone comes to you saying, “I have a problem and I am struggling with this sin!” To me there is less of a scare to fall into the same temptation…the person is pointing out their struggles with it.
- (6:9 & 10) I should probably read this daily. Anyone that serves in ministry, but mainly has a heart for ministry and to see lives changed would probably appreciate this verse as well. Paul encourages us by saying, “So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. I believe discouragement sets in when we look at our time table, but when we know that we are doing what God wants us to do, then we should be confident in knowing that He is allowing us to get in on what He is blessing, therefore we will see positive results! However, it is in God’s timing…not ours. Its kind of like Noah…I think after all of those years a lot of us would have given up; a lot of hard labor, facing ridicule, no animals for several years, no rain…talk about patience! However, in the end God blessed Noah and his family more than all the others, because he didn’t give up!
- (6:14 & 15) These verses will help us stay humble if we will choose to live with the same attitude of Paul. I love Paul and I greatly respect the ministry he had. Besides Jesus, I think he is my favorite person in the Bible to study and to read about. Here is what Paul said, “As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…” Here is Paul, a man that was greater than I am, a great preacher, and awesome encourager, the Rambo of all Christians…It was only in Acts where he was almost stoned to death and left for dead outside the city, that he got up the next day, entered the very city that tried to kill him, to encourage the believers. That’s a backbone!
So Paul is the man! Yet, he says I cannot boast about anything. I can’t brag that I was freed from Prison, survived a shipwreck, beaten, almost killed…no I can only brag about the cross of Jesus! Wow…that is very humbling, because my resume doesn’t come close to his, and sometimes my sinful nature wants to lift myself up…no…it should be Christ and His cross that is lifted up, because without that cross we are all in trouble!
Paul goes on to say that because of that cross his interest in the world died long ago and the interest of the world in him died long ago. Paul closes verse 15 out with this, “What counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people.” It doesn’t matter what we have accomplished, what requirements we have fulfilled, or how good we are. Paul says the only thing that matters is, have we changed into new and different people from who we used to be when our sinful nature directed our lives? Are you different? I pray that I am and that daily I become more and more different. Have you allowed Christ to free you to become something new and something different?
Nick