(Galatians 6:1-5) The Spiritual Man’s Walk
The six chapters of this epistle are divided into three main sections of Paul’s teaching.
Chapters 1 & 2 are personal in nature and deal with Paul’s authority.
Chapters 3 & 4 are doctrinal in nature and deal with justification by faith.
Chapters 5 & 6, are practical in nature and deal with the application of the doctrine of justification.
While chapter 5 describes the characteristics of the fruit of the spirit, chapter 6 begins to describe its behavior.
If a person is walking in the Spirit, and has the fruit of Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance...
THEN HERE ARE THE THINGS HE/SHE SHOULD BE DOING:
1. SALVAGING the Fallen {vs 1}
> "...restore such an one in the spirit of meekness..."
2. SUPPORTING the Burdened {vs 2}
> "...Bear ye one another’s burdens..."
3. SHOULDERING our Own Responsibilities {vv 4-5}
> "Let every man prove his own worth....for every man shall bear his own burden."
4. SHARING our Wealth {vs 6; 1 Cor 9:11}
> "Let him that is taught....communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things."
> Communicate also means to SHARE or to give.
5. SOW Spiritually {vv 7-8}
> "....whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting..."
6. SERVING the Saints {vv 9-10}
> "And let us not be weary in well doing... especially unto them who are of the household of faith..."
While chapter 5 is technical in nature giving us the facts about Spirit filling. Chapter 6 is practical in nature, giving us the actions we should be taking.
Chapter 5 tells us what characteristics we should have; Chapter 6 tells us how they should be used to the benefit of others.
THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY OF SPIRIT FILLING. "Unto whom much is given, much is expected."
Meaning that as God gives you Spiritual gifts, with them also comes the responsibility of using them for His glory.
In this first lesson of Galatians 6, I want to speak about the responsibility of being Spiritual; "Ye which are spiritual.."
The term is not in Galatians 6:1 by accident. Chapter 5 just finished showing is the fruit of the Spirit, and the evidence of His work in our lives...
If this evidence is manifest in you, then you are to use that filling responsibly.
(Galatians 6:1-5)
I. CORPORATE COMMITMENT – "Brethren..." (v. 1).
A. We have an obligation as a congregation.
1. The epistle is first addressed to the congregation as a whole – "Brethren!"
2. By Corporate Commitment I mean that we must be united in our Spiritual responsibilities.
B. There are corporate responsibilities as well as individual responsibilities.
1. The church is to use its resources to train individuals of our Spiritual duties.
2. Without a combined effort, the church could not long stand.
> God established the leadership in the church, to keep order in the matter of church discipline.
> Without Spiritual leadership, it would be survival of the strongest or loudest; instead of the leading of the Spirit!
II. PERSONAL ASSESSMENT – "Considering thyself..."
A. Assess your own BLIND-SPOTS.
1. I blind-spot is an area that you can’t see in a mirror.
2. It often takes another to point out a blind-spot.
B. Assess your own BOASTING.
1. Never try to restore a fallen brother in the spirit of pride.
> Much Scripture against a prideful spirit.
> "Pride goeth before destruction..."
2. Deal with your own heart FIRST.
III. INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY – "Ye which are..."
A. We are individually responsible to restore the broken.
1. The idea here is of a brother who has admitted his mistake.
> Some get the idea that this passage is talking about looking for brethren in sin, so that you can restore them.
> That is not what this passage is referring to; There is Scripture for such cases, but it involves CHURCH DISCIPLINE!
> This passage is NOT dealing wit church discipline, but with individual restoration.
2. If a brother comes to you broken over his sin, "ye which are spiritual restore such an one..."
> Paul’s plea is for a gentle response to one who has found himself caught off guard by some temptation, and fallen into sin.
> He now approaches you as a brother or sister for help. This is not an opportunity to punish him for his sins, but an opportunity to restore him.
B. Five Steps to restoration...
1. Listen with Humility.
> If you cannot maintain a humble attitude, you may want to send the brother to another for restoration.
> It would be less sin to admit you are not Spiritual enough for the task, than it would be to try to handle it in the flesh.
> If you begin to feel righteous indignation, like, "Well he’s only getting what he deserves..."; You should consider sending him to another.
> If you begin to feel gratified by his sin, like, "I knew he couldn’t last long living like this..."; You should consider sending him to another.
> If the recognition of their sin does not cause you to fear being overtaken yourself, you are not Spiritual enough for this task; Send him to another.
2. Proceed with Caution.
> Ask yourself these questions before proceeding:
1. Am I the right person to address this issue with this person?
2. Do I have any ulterior motives?
3. Have I prayed for this person, about this situation?
4. Do I have the right attitude about this particular sin?
3. Confront Them with Tears.
> If you can confront someone about their sin without great sorrow in your heart, you are not the right one to speak to them!
> Unless you can feel the pain of their sin and approach them with tears in your own eyes, you either do not love that person enough or you do not hate the sin enough.
4. Present Them with Solutions.
> The ONLY reason to do this is to RESTORE! If you only want to rebuke, let another handle it.
> Come with solutions.
5. Stand by Them with Encouragement.
> Make sure that you count the costs before you take steps to correct and restore someone else.
> If we want them to be restored, we have to be willing to be there for them and with them as they make their way back, as they take the steps toward restoration.
> Encouragement comes from those who are willing to walk alongside the fallen one.
> Encouragement comes from those who are willing to offer a supportive arm.
> Encouragement comes from those who are willing to comfort when their hurts flood over them.
> Encouragement comes from those who are willing to act as mediator in bringing them into the fellowship once again.
III. Personal Involvement – Galatians 6:2
A. Care with Compassion.
1. Until we have looked at one another with compassion, we cannot really recognize the burdens others carry.
2. We are not very concerned with one another’s burdens because we only see the tip of the iceberg.
> If we help at all we address only the symptom rather than the real burden.
3. Compare verse 2 with verse 5.
> Verse 2 is talking about weights; Physical burdens of sorrow or troubles.
> Verse 3 is talking about a singular task or personal responsibility.
> Verse 2 says, "Get involved with the heartaches and sorrows of your brethren!"
> Verse 3 says, "Carry out your own personal responsibilities!"
4. The only way to accomplish verse 2, is to Care with Compassion.
B. Pray with Persistence.
1. Genuine commitment to one another will result in prayer for the one going through times of great trouble.
2. The truth is, we can’t do anything, to alleviate the burdens of another in anything but a temporary manner.
> But, if we can get the Lord to do something for the burdened brother, then we have truly helped him.
C. Bring the Toward Christ.
1. It is important that we understand that we are not the ones who ultimately bear the burdens of others.
2. Our most important role is simply to walk with them toward Christ who does bear their burden perfectly.
> Our presence does make a difference.
> Our example of seeking Christ with them makes a difference.
> Our direction which focuses on getting them to Christ makes a difference.
> But in the end, its Christ we want them to thank...
> Its Christ we want them to relay upon...
> Its Christ who is the answer...
> We want to keep them moving toward Christ so that they depend upon Him, not us.
C. Stand by Them with Encouragement.
1. Just as we do when we restore the broken, when we look to relieve the burdened, we must stand by them with encouragement.
2. Restoration is just the beginning.
> The walk has just begun.
> There is still a long road ahead.
