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What does Galatians 6 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Galatians 6 expands on Paul's teaching about living in God's Spirit, which he gave at the end of Galatians chapter 5. It describes how Christians who live in God's Spirit should use His power to treat each other.

To begin with, Paul shows that when a brother or sister in Christ gets caught by sin, other Christians should step in instead of looking away. Spiritually mature Christians should help to restore the one caught by sin with gentleness and humility. This is one of the ways those in Christ can help to carry each other's burdens. When the load one of us is hauling around becomes too heavy, others should step in to help that person get through that season. In other words, life in Christ by the power of God's Spirit is not meant to be lived alone (Galatians 6:1–2).

Having said that, Paul encourages Christians to take careful stock of the work they do in the Spirit without comparing themselves to each other. We should be honest with ourselves and take full responsibility to do what is ours to do in following Christ. One of those responsibilities is to share the good things God gives to us with those who teach us the Word (Galatians 6:3–5).

Next applies the comparison of planting and harvesting to living in the flesh and living in the Spirit. Those who insist on trying to be made righteous before God by the effort of their flesh in following the law will harvest "corruption" or death. In a similar way, those who plant only the seeds of their own sinful desires will also harvest death. Only those who plant God's Spirit, by faith in Christ, will harvest eternal life (Galatians 6:6–8).

Paul encourages those who walk by the Spirit not to give up doing good. Don't get tired of it, he writes. The harvest is coming! Use up all the planting time to do good to everyone, especially other Christian in this house of faith we live in as brothers and sisters with the same Father (Galatians 6:9–10).

Paul concludes his letter by, presumably, taking the pen from his scribe—something like a secretary who would write down his words—to write the ending with his own hand, and he writes with big letters! He immediately goes back to the issue of circumcision, revealing once more that the false teachers pressuring the Galatians to get circumcised are only interested in promoting themselves. The Galatians must not allow themselves to be used in that way (Galatians 6:11–13).

For his part, Paul will not brag about how many people he has led to faith in Christ. He will brag, though, about the cross of Christ. That's where Paul was crucified to the world, and vice versa. Because he has been set free by faith in Christ, the world no longer has anything to offer him (Galatians 6:14–16).

Paul closes his letter with a plea and two blessings. Paul tells everyone to stop causing him trouble since he belongs to Jesus. He blesses all who follow the rule that circumcision doesn't matter, but being a new creation in Christ does, and then he offers his standard closing blessing, referring to the Galatians as brothers (Galatians 6:17–18).

Galatians 6:1–10 focuses on how those in Christ should treat each other, through the power of God's Spirit. We should restore those caught in sin with gentleness and humility, and we should help to carry each other's burdens. Having said that, Christians should be honest with ourselves about what God is doing through us. We need to take responsibility for what He has asked us to carry. Because eternal life comes from planting God's Spirit by faith in Christ, and not by works of the flesh, we must keep doing good. The harvest will show that we planted well.

Galatians 6:11–18 is the conclusion of Paul's letter to the Galatians. He apparently took the pen from his scribe and wrote these words, with his own hand, in oversized letters. This remark is one reason some scholars think Paul might have had a problem with his eyesight. Once again, Paul reveals the motives of false teachers pressuring the Galatians to be circumcised. They are only promoting themselves. Now that Christ has come, circumcision does nothing. The Galatians should trust Christ, instead, to be made into new creations.

Chapter Summary:

Galatians 6 includes instructions for how people who are free in Christ and walking by God's Spirit, should treat each other. Christians should restore those who are caught by sin, and we should bear each other's burdens. Only those who plant the fruit of God's Spirit, by faith in Christ, will harvest eternal life. Believers should not get tired of doing good for each other! The harvest is coming. Paul concludes the letter, writing in large letters that circumcision means nothing. Only becoming a new creation through faith in Christ matters.

Chapter Context:

Galatians 5 wrapped up with a focus on what it means to be led by God's Spirit. Galatians 6 starts with describing how Spirit-led Christians serve each other by restoring those caught be sin and bearing each other's burdens. Only those who plant God's Spirit in this life, through faith in Christ, will harvest eternal life. Paul concludes the letter by writing in big letters that circumcision does not matter, only being made a new creation by faith in Christ matters.

Galatians is sometimes called “a short Romans” for its similar themes of justification and sanctification through faith. A group of Christians known as “Judaizers” were preaching a gospel of legalism, rather than grace. Paul’s main purpose in writing the letter to the Galatians was to reiterate the true nature of the gospel: we are justified (made righteous) and sanctified (made more Christlike) through our faith in Jesus Christ alone. This letter was probably written shortly before the church elders in Jerusalem issued their official refutation of the Judaizers, commonly called the Jerusalem Council.

Accessed 12/3/2024 12:55:20 PM