Galatians 6: Helping Others Is Never A Waste Of Time
In Galatians 6 we learn that we should be helping our fellow believers. If they fall into sin we should help them break free.
Many times in the church we tend to compare ourselves to others. (I’ve found myself doing that this week). But when we compare we fail to realize that God is making us into different people.
We are not the same.
Some people have easy lives full of wealth and success. And others have pain and torment. Some of this is from living in a fallen world, but it also builds character in us.
God will place the wealthy and successful people in a place to help others, if they follow him right they will not allow their hearts to be corrupted by the blessings that fall upon them.
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The ones who live in bad times have a completely different fight. They ask themselves “Is God Just?” And the few that answer yes (because he is) will be tougher spiritually than anybody else.
God knows what we will face in life. He needs both kinds of people (and many others I’m not mentioning) because they are on both ends of the spectrum.
The truth is that we can only live our lives following Jesus, and when trials and tribulations come, we MUST trust in him.
Comparing ourselves to our neighbors will only take our eyes off him, that isn’t a good thing. As I read through Galatians 6 I think of 1 thing, we should only look to our neighbors and see they have enough.
Galatians 6: We Harvest What We Plant
6 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct.
6 Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
Galatians 6:1-10
Galatians 6 is a treasure trove of information on how the church should act towards each other.
I’ve lived in the church most of my life, and I’ve seen/heard horrible things uttered from people who professed a love for Jesus.
But I won’t hold that against them, because I’m a sinner too. However, in Galatians 6 Paul gives us a way to correct Christians who are going astray.
Here Paul states that we should go to them humbly, and don’t fall into the same sin. I know I’ve done that a few times in my own life.
Christians often judge one another, we tend to make a hierarchy of who’s more spiritual. As I wrote above we are different vessels made for separate purposes.
For example, I’ve always joked that I’m a brute, I’m not made for gentle jobs. It isn’t in my nature and I never do those jobs right.
Galatians 6: Paul’s Final Advice
11 Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting.
12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.
14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.
17 From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.
18 Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Galatians 6:11-18
Galatians 6: Final Thoughts
Writing my commentary on Galatians 6 has been transformational for me. In Galatians 4 And then in Galatians 5, we learned about “the mysterious plan of God.”
He sent the law to give us a framework for right vs wrong, and then he sent Jesus to set us free in him. In Galatians 6, we are called to help each other fight on and stay in the freedom Jesus gave us.
Many people are confused, but we only need to do 2 things.
- Love God
- And Love Each Other.
If we truly love God, we will love one another I don’t think you can love God and hate your neighbor.