Ralph Porter

© 2003

    It's time to look back and review! After a two-week break from Galatians, we need a reminder of what the book is all about. It's also important to see how the conclusion of the book relates to what Paul told us in the beginning as we prepare to wrap up the book!

    Paul has been writing to a church that has been heavily influenced by the legalistic teaching of the Judaizers. They have reluctantly accepted the truth that all people, Jew and Gentile alike, are saved by faith in Christ alone. Nevertheless, their fundamental addiction to trying to live by the rules has them struggling to do what's right by their own efforts. They have begun the Christian life on the basis of faith, but they want to complete the process by their own efforts. Paul has been trying to demonstrate that if we begin by faith, we must finish by faith. Either it's all by faith, or it's all by works. If we're saved by faith, we have to walk by faith!

    In the first two chapters Paul told his own story. His personal testimony demonstrates how God's grace and God's message given to him. That didn't come by human schemes and strategies. It came from God. Chapters three and four present the theological arguments, based primarily on the same Old Testament Scriptures that the Judaizers were claiming to follow. He uses those Scriptures to demonstrate that even in Old Testament times, godly people had to walk by faith. The walk of godly people has never been established on our efforts and our works. Finally, in the last two chapters, Paul introduces practical arguments which demonstrate the personal implications of walking by faith in daily life. Walking by faith doesn't leave us free to do "anything we feel like." It equips us to walk by the Spirit's control, produce fruit that He alone can produce, and thus glorify God.

    Paul has demonstrated that people justified by faith are free from bondage to the old rules. To return to the old enslavement is pointless. We are adult sons. We no longer need the supervision of the pedagogue.

WE ARE FREE!

THEREFORE, WE OUGHT TO STAND FIRM IN OUR LIBERTY.

WE OUGHT NOT TO ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE ENSLAVED AGAIN   1-12

Conflict between two systems   5:1-6

    People who seek to live a godly life in their own strength, by "gritting their teeth" and "trying harder next time," come face to face with the reality that there are two competing forces at work within us. We want to do it ourselves, and God's Spirit wants to do a supernatural work in us to accomplish God's purposes and give Him glory. We will never overcome that struggle by trying harder to do it ourselves! Thus we ought to acknowledge the freedom we have been given in Christ and stand firm in that freedom (5:1). Why would we ever want to go back into the bondage of legalism?

    Paul demonstrates that our attempts to live by the rules and make ourselves acceptable in God's sight is just as impossible after we trust Christ and receive eternal life, as it was before. Paul emphasizes that truth from both the negative and the positive perspective. The negative focus shows us that trying to do it ourselves by obeying the law only serves to alienate us from Christ and His work (5:2-4). We can't come to God by both law and grace. Thus moving toward law, moves us away from grace. On the positive side, Paul makes clear that we have been justified by faith (5:5-6). That's where the righteousness we long for comes from.

Rejection of his doctrine by legalists   5:7-12

    The nature of the doctrine the legalists are proposing is demonstrated by their rejection of Paul's teaching. Their doctrine has become a hindrance to running the race (5:7). It didn't come from God (5:8). He wouldn't promote that which would serve as an obstacle to a godly lifestyle. A little bit of this kind of doctrine goes a long way toward ruining God's work among them (5:9). This kind of teaching leads to judgment (5:10-12). Thus they would do well to avoid it entirely.

WE ARE FREE!

NOT TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT,

BUT TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER   13-15

    A common misconception, held by both the legalists who oppose the idea of walking by faith alone, as well as by those who promote that lifestyle, is the idea that since we are free, we can do whatever we feel like doing. Paul warns us not to use this concept as a pretext for sin. The law of love ought to motivate us to give up our rights because we want to please God and serve one another in love.

FLESH vs. SPIRIT   16-26

Ongoing conflict between flesh and the Spirit   16-18

    The essence of the whole conflict is affirmed by indicating how our efforts continually get in the way of the godly living that God's Spirit wants to produce in us. When we are led by the Spirit, we don't have the struggle of trying to obey the law and coming up short. When He is in charge we don't "blow it again." It's only when we try to do it ourselves that we don't allow Him to produce godly living in us and we fail time after time.

What our best efforts produce   19-21

    Our best attempts to do it ourselves leads to the kinds of fruit that the flesh produces. It's all the same kind of fruit, though it may take many different forms. All of the things that our efforts produce ultimately lead to conduct that, if it were the lifestyle characteristic of our entire life, would demonstrate that we have no part in God's program. None of these sinful acts is sufficient to cause us to lose our salvation, but those who are characterized by such a lifestyle give evidence that they aren't God's children. Nevertheless, those are the kinds of things we do when we're in charge, trying to do it ourselves.

What the Holy Spirit produces   22-23

    On the other hand, the Holy Spirit produces and entirely different kind of fruit. The things He produces in us are precisely the godly living that God wants to produce in us. When He is in charge, we don't have to struggle with the issues of keeping the law and playing by somebody's rules. The Spirit produces fruit that is pleasing to God and brings glory to Him.

Exhortation to live by the Spirit   24-26

    In conclusion Paul urges us to live by the Spirit and not by our own efforts. People who truly belong to Christ have quit trying to live for themselves (5:24). We have received a new and different kind of life that was given to us by the Spirit of God. We ought to walk that way also (5:25). When godly living is produced in us by the Spirit of God, we have no reason to become proud and boastful (5:26). Godly living is life produced by His Spirit at work in us; it's not the result of our own attempts to do better.

THE SPIRIT PRODUCES A PROPER ATTITUDE

TOWARD MINISTERING TO OTHERS

WHEN SOMEONE IS CAUGHT BREAKING THE RULES 6:1-5

    After affirming that godly living is the result of the Spirit's work, Paul applies this concept to two major ways the Spirit enables us to minister to one another:

        How we minister to someone caught breaking the rules.   6:1-5

        How we minister by doing good for one another.   6:6-10

    Last chapter shows us what it looks like to walk by the Spirit, and not by legalistic standards, in our relationship with other Christians. He first deals with our obligation to assist when a brother falls into sin. Even when dealing with a fallen brother, Paul applies the basic issue of walking in the Spirit to our displaying a proper attitude. Fleshly people look out for own interests, become proud, and tear down the fallen. People who walk by the Spirit, minister out of love, seeking restoration, and recognizing our own propensity to sin. We don't react this way naturally, by our own efforts! It only happens when the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives producing His attitudes in us. People controlled by the Spirit make an ongoing commitment to work toward the restoration of the fallen.

WE HELP A FALLEN BROTHER MOVE TOWARD RESTORATION,

BUT WITH A SPIRIT OF LOVE AND GENTLENESS;

NOT WITH A LEGALISTIC, CONDEMNING SPIRIT

THE SPIRIT PRODUCES A PROPER ATTITUDE

TOWARD MINISTERING TO OTHERS

BY DOING GOOD FOR ONE ANOTHER   6:6-10

    The same principles of love and support applied to fallen people, are extended to other cases where help and support is needed as well. God has called us to help one another. When people trip and fall, under heavy burden, and can't find way out, we ought to encourage and help them carry the load. The second part of the discussion concerning relationships with others has to do with the obligation to do good to others. That obligation is directed toward three groups. The general principal is first applied specifically to financial compensation for those who teach us and give us spiritual benefits.

DOING GOOD FOR THOSE WHO TEACH US THE WORD   6-9

        Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with 

    his instructor. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he 

    sows. 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. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we 

    will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

    People controlled by the Spirit will share all good things with those who teach us the Word. God's principle is that people who give to others should receive back, according to what they give. God's Word frequently repeats the principle: people who receive spiritual benefit from others ought to pay them back.

    Jesus taught, and Paul repeated, that those who work in a field ought to eat its fruit. It is frequently affirmed that the worker is worthy of adequate salary (1 Cor. 9:9-14; 1 Tim. 5:18; Deut. 25:4; 2 Tim. 2:6).

    Many people think that when you serve the Lord, you should receive compensation from God alone. Based on that concept the statement is made: "Thanks, brother. May God repay you!" Under the surface lies the thought: "Because we aren't going to!" That kind of thinking doesn't conform to Scripture!

    Christ warned about the danger of serving God for personal gain, or praise. God's workers shouldn't serve Him for either of those reasons. This teaching doesn't relieve the church, nor individual Christians, of their obligation to express gratitude to God's servants with encouraging words and with "every good thing", that is, with appropriate financial compensation. "The worker deserves to receive an adequate salary."

Planting for a valuable harvest in general   6:7-9

        Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 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. Let 

    us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest 

    if we do not give up.

    This concept concerning the law of the harvest extends far beyond this specific teaching. It actually applies to the instruction concerning those who teach the Word, but it looks ahead to the broader concept of doing good for all people in verse 10. It's a two-sided coin. The law of the harvest applies to people who give benefit to others. They should receive according to what they give. People who teach faithfully receive just compensation. A good harvest awaits those who invest for good of others. Therefore it's worth making the investment!

    The other side of the coin is directed to those who receive benefit. The general rule is that God repays according to what we give Him. If we give sparingly, we can expect to receive sparingly. In fields you can't expect to harvest abundantly unless you plant abundantly. Therefore those who receive the benefit of faithful teaching ought to repay those who give to them.

    People controlled by the Spirit will share all good things with those who teach them the Word. A more general application of the law of the harvest is derived from the theme of book, especially the last part of the previous chapter. In 6:8 Paul affirms:

        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.

    As Paul states earlier, if we give God our own efforts, the fruit of the flesh, the harvest will be in agreement with the nature of what we plant. Those kinds of fruit lead to destruction. Our efforts always produce human fruit! Carnal seed produces the fruit we saw in 5:19-21. It is fruit that characterizes people who don't belong to God's kingdom. On the other hand, the Spirit's work produces godly fruit! If we plant by the Spirit, if He controls us and produces His fruit, the harvest will be like God's nature (Gal. 5:22-23). In our relationships with others, doing good isn't the result of our efforts; it's the result of God's work in us. We shouldn't give up on doing what's good, because harvest will come (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.

    We shouldn't get tired of doing good, by the Spirit's control. The energy comes from Him and it's limitless. If we walk by His control, we'll eventually see harvest which comes from that lifestyle.

DOING GOOD FOR ALL PEOPLE   6:10

         Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to 

    those who belong to the family of believers.

    The conclusion brings us to broadest possible sphere: every area of life. "Let us do good to all men!" This is the logical implication of the ministry of the Spirit. People controlled by the Spirit will do good for others! If we walk by Spirit-control, we won't fall into the Judaizers' trap, with their legalistic rules and conditions for helping others! God's Spirit will produce His fruit and we will seek to do good to all people.

DOING GOOD FOR THOSE WHO BELONG TO GOD'S FAMILY

    Because we are part of God's family, part of His household, God's Spirit produces His fruit so we seek to do good for one another. Ultimately it's God's Spirit who produces these attitudes and responses in us. Only He can produce a giving attitude and the desire to do good for others. I can't twist your arm into it! Our own efforts will never produce that kind of response.

    This discussion carries us to all kinds of applications, from very specific, to the broadest possible. There's something here for everyone. How should we apply these principles to our life today?

    I found an interesting story in a financial letter I received this week. Not where I would normally turn to find this kind on story. Nevertheless, the writer provides us with an illustration of the kind of response we have been talking about.

        For me Christmas is about charity more than anything else: Grace in giving and 

    grace in receiving. Maybe it''s because I knew a woman who was born on December 

    25, and she gave more than anyone I ever knew. She had four children, but she lost 

    eight in pregnancy. She felt badly about the ones she lost, so (to make it up to them) 

    she talked her husband into opening their home as a temporary shelter for homeless 

    children in New Jersey. Every now and then the phone would ring in the middle of 

    the night and a State trooper would arrive at their big old house in the cornfields with 

    a child or children whose parents were just wiped out in a fire or in an auto accident, 

    or else the father was in prison and the mother was just arrested for prostitution. 

    The children would stay for a day or a week or two weeks until the State welfare 

    services could find a more permanent home. Over a period of 15 years, this woman 

    and her husband were temporary Mom and Dad to over 206 children blind with 

    shock and grief.

        One of the youngsters this woman cared for was Charlie B., a tough, 9-year 

    delinquent in the making. Charlie B. woke up each morning destroying things and 

    went to bed at night destroying things. He broke furniture, walls, pets, bicycles, 

    noses, windows, and rules. You name it; he broke it. And he was, himself, 

    indestructible. The woman struggled to teach Charlie B. a few simple guidelines 

    to family living and loving, and she applied them as best she could without anger 

    or bitterness. But Charlie B. didn''t seem to catch on, and altercations were frequent. 

    The woman''s teenage sons were occasionally drafted as enforcers. The whole family 

    breathed a sigh of relief when Charlie left, and they talked about him for years.

        One day about 2 decades later, there came a knock at the door. As the woman 

    liked to tell it later, she went to answer the knock and found the window of her 

    front door looked as dark as if the sun were extinguished. She opened the door 

    nervously, and there was a giant man standing about 6'' 8"" tall and weighing over 

    300 pounds. ""Remember me?"" he boomed. ""I''m Charlie B. I just wanted to tell 

    you the two weeks I lived in your house were the best two weeks of my life. Now 

    I''m working hard and making something of myself. I want to be like you. And I 

    want to thank you.""

        For that woman, who rarely had a spare dollar to spend at a fancy mall, 

    Christmas was every day. I know: She was my Mom.

    I don't know anything about the writer's mother's spiritual condition. What I do know, based on my own experience and that of many others, it that consistently living this kind of lifestyle will ultimately only come by God's control. We will never produce that kind of attitude by gritting our teeth and trying harder. Only God can produce a consistent demonstration of that kind of love and goodness.