We left off last week by comparing the acts of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. Though we all want the latter, we often act in the former. Finding freedom from legalism and the condemnation it brings doesn’t mean you immediately cease from sin. Our goal is still to be like Christ - and we have a long way to go. In the meantime we struggle - with sin and the flesh.
But the answer is not to just make up your mind to do better and fall right back into making yourself perfect by your own efforts - but it is to yield your mind, body, and soul to the Holy Spirit - and then help and work with each other.
Hebrews 3:12-13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
Instead of giving up and getting hard hearted when we fail - we need to turn to one another for help.
James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
I don’t mean that we should all come up one by one and list off all of our sins in public - but God has made it so that others who have struggled like you, can help you let go of the flesh and hold on the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
In reality, as we saw in chapter 2, we are already dead with Christ on the cross. Further,
Romans 6:6-7 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin
So what do we do? How do we help our brothers and sisters without condemning them? That’s the subject of chapter 6 - our final study in the book of Galatians.
Verse 1
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.
"Caught in a sin" can mean two things: "to detect" or "to overtake." So either a believer gets busted for sin by someone else, or realizes that sin has taken them captive and is holding them.
"You who are spiritual" - those whose lives are guided by the Spirit of God. The mature believers who not caught up in legalism and by experience know how to help restore someone who has fallen.
To "restore" literally means to mend or repair. I think about a bicycle with a bent wheel. You try to go but the wheel keeps getting stuck on this crooked place. You bring it to a bicycle repair shop and they have the tools to rebend that wheel so it runs smoothly.
Our fleshly reaction to sin is condemnation. But God’s reaction is redemption - first through the blood of Jesus Christ which paid the penalty for sin, then restoration of the person. So how does this happen?
External
God’s discipline Hebrews 12:9-11 (to share in His holiness)
Way of Escape 1 Corinthians 10:13 (to withstand the temptations)
Internal
Confess 1 John 1:8-9 (and be purified)
Make level paths Hebrews 12:12 (watch where you go)
Live in the Spirit Galatians 5:16 (so not to gratify the flesh)
Capture the mind 2 Corinthians 10:5 (make it obey Christ)
Restore the Mind Romans 12:2 (through the Word)
Protect the Mind Philippians 4:7 (by prayer)
Resist the Enemy James 4:7 (and he will flee)
Battle the Enemy Ephesians 6:21ff (with GOD’S armor)
Suffer for God 1 Peter 4:1 (you are done with sin)
Love the Lord & 1 John 3:23 (love God, love others)
Serve His people
All this should be done "gently." No roughing up the fallen believer - no harsh judgments or condemnation. Those caught up in legalism will use this tactic - they might not be good enough to gain God’s favor, but they’ll make sure no one else is ahead of them (in case God grades on the curve).
And then there’s a warning - be careful when helping another overcome sin that you don’t get infected yourself!
1 Corinthians 10:11-13 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
He completes the thought in verse 2
2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.
At first blush verse 2 seems to contradict verse 5 - should we carry each others burdens or just our own load?
There are a couple of ways we can look at it - the word "burden" in verse 2 means a heavy and oppressive burden - while the word "load" in verse 5 can mean a backpack - your own personal load.
So one way to interpret this is to say that when the burden of sin, temptation and trial becomes too great for you to bear, we should all help one another bear it - this lines up with the idea of helping a weaker brother overcome by sin.
Another way to look at it is two sides of the same coin: its only when a person realizes that they must have accountability before God for their own personal conduct, that they can help others bear burdens they are unable to carry by themselves.
Paul carries the idea from verse 1 - we shouldn’t think of ourselves as something special when we see someone else having difficulty. Just concentrate on what God is doing with you - be satisfied when you can say that you’re doing what God wants you to do - but don’t judge another person who seems to be failing, just reach out and help them.
So its personal responsibility, and corporate obligation.
6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.
Verse 6 kind of stands along in this chapter - Paul it seems is really encouraging those that receive teaching from God’s Word to contribute to that work - to "partner" with the teacher for the sharing of the gospel and the strengthening of the brethren.
This can be both financial and spiritual. Financial contribution is a sign of maturity in the Christian. Spiritual partnership can mean that when God does something in you based on what you’ve heard taught - share that, both with the teacher and with others.
Verses 7-10 are probably very familiar to you:
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 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.
"You get what you pay for"
One way to translate this verse is: "if your life is led by the flesh you’ll get death - if your life is led by the Spirit of God, you’ll get life.
Trying to accomplish God’s will without God’s Spirit will only lead you to please yourself - through building yourself up in undue pride and arrogance, superiority - plus focusing more on fulfilling your physical desires.
But if we let God’s Spirit rule - have total control, change our hearts and our minds, lead us to fulfill the law of Christ which is to love one another - we’ll get life - blessing from God in the fruit of the Spirit which we saw in chapter 5.
You can’t "cheat" God - live a life that satisfies the flesh and expect to get spiritual fruit from it.
What are you planting? Does selfish desire rule your actions or love for God and for one another?
Now you might say: "I do all this stuff for other people even to my own hurt and I never see the results!" Don’t worry - be patient - look at verse 9
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. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
What is the "proper time?" 1 Peter 1:3-9 (your inheritance will be revealed when Jesus returns even though right now you are going through trials).
In our instant society it’s difficult to put funds into Heaven Savings Bank - but I hear the interest rate is phenomenal!
So we’ll see what God was doing in us at the coming of Jesus - but I think also the "proper time" can come here on earth - the "harvest" is seeing the things God does in other people you have helped. It is so exciting to see someone be freed from sin, healed of past hurts, strengthened in faith, equipped for the work of the ministry - through your efforts.
11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!
Paul dictated his letters to a secretary - but he often signed part of the letters himself - many believe that he had an eye condition and that’s why he had to write so big.
Paul sums up the book by verses 12-16
12 Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh.
Look good, avoid controversy, win points - that’s the philosophy of legalism:
You may be rotten on the inside, but as long as you appear to be righteous through an external arbitrary set of rules - then that’s all that matters.
And when it comes to standing up for Christ - don’t make waves, don’t set yourself apart as serving as Christ’s slave.
But if you can get others to think like you and act like you then you look even better and be a show off!
14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Paul is saying "I don’t have confidence in the external creation of righteousness - only in the work of Jesus on the cross which won righteousness for me through the death of Jesus. I am as good as dead to that old way of life."
15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.
Outward signs don’t create righteousness - only the new life that Jesus gives through the cross.
Don’t think that wearing a cross and carrying a big Bible makes you any better of a Christian - or how many times you’ve been baptized - what matters is what God did for you.
If you live life this way - you will experience peace and kindness.
The "Israel of God" was one of Paul’s way of talking about the church or God’s people.
17 Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
Paul bore on his body another kind of mark - not circumcision, but scars from beatings and torture at the hands of the Jews.
He’s saying "stop turning to legalism - the scars from my persecution should be enough to withstand the judaizers’!"
Conclusions
The appeal of legalism and labelsim can be summed up this way:
1. I can do it
2. I’m better than you
3. We’re better than you
4. You need to measure up to our way of doing things
5. Faith in Christ is not enough
While the way of grace is summed up this way:
1. I can’t do it - but Christ did it for me
2. I’m just the same as you, so let me encourage you
3. We all belong to the same body of Christ and are all equal
4. We need to let the Spirit rule, serving one another in love
5. Any additions to faith in Christ only results in death, not life.
For more Bible studies and an audio copy of this message, please visit:
www.CalvaryChapelNewberg.org.
