Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
The local church is a family. When one person gains a victory it is something the whole body can rejoice in. When one person is hurting, it also affects the entire body. When there is sin in the camp, it also affects all. Christians do not rejoice in the fall of a brother or a sister.
We see here that spiritual strength is only as good as our walk with God. True Christians can and do sin. It is important to be a part of a good local church where there is that family atmosphere where brothers and sisters care for one another. Generally there will be some markers that things are not going well for a person. Maybe they are not faithful in church as they used to be. Maybe there are other things that you can notice. Of course in talking with one another things might show up. The point is that church members need to be aware of one another.
The goal in a true local church is always restoration. That is what Jesus taught in Matthew 18. He taught three distinct steps that need to be taken in dealing with sin in the church. Here Paul talked of the importance of a right attitude in seeking to help a struggling brother. The one seeking to help needs that spirit of meekness. Meekness is strength under God’s control. It is an expression of gentleness and humility that understands that I too could be tempted in the same manner. It is not a fear of reaching out. It is a genuine care for one another.
In verse 2 we see the importance of that caring nature.
Romans 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Jesus Christ demonstrated this while on earth. He, being the Son of God had insight that we do not have. We can however, see when a person is struggling and we can talk with them and they with us and we can help one another to realize we are not alone. We have often talked about marriage. Too many marriages break down and fall apart. This can be avoided if we are saved and walking humbly with the Lord. When there is a problem, you may need help from a fellow church member or the pastor. It is important to be walking in the Spirit so as not to get drawn into something that is inappropriate. God has given us protections and we need to use them.
In verse 3 we are again reminded of the importance of genuine humility. A person may have been a Christian for a number of years. That does not make them invincible.
I Corinthians 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
In verse 4 we are reminded that every person needs to prove his own work. He needs to test his own work and see if it is valid. The only way to rightly examine ourselves is to submit to the authority of God’s Word and let God examine my heart and see if I am right with Him.
Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Some people have very powerful minds. They can convince themselves that right is wrong and wrong is right. The apostle Paul was convinced that he was doing the work of God when he was heading to Damascus to arrest Christians. He had letters from the chief priests. He was a well respected Pharisee. How could he be wrong? Jesus stepped in there and stopped him on the road to Damascus. Paul discovered he was fighting against God. He had shut down his conscience to the point where he was going to stop the preaching of Jesus Christ. God is good and He limits the attacks against Him.
Today there are thousands of religious groups that think they are doing the work of God. A very simple test is: what are they using as their Scriptures? A self taught person is a very dangerous person. A truly born again saint is one who submits to God’s Word. A truly born again person is a thinking person who understands that God cannot contradict Himself.
I was sent a link to a message a false teacher had put out on Israel. The man claims to have been saved in 2024. He claims to be a scholar on Biblical things since that time. He does not respect the Inspiration and Preservation of God’s Word. He has a voice but it is a voice of destruction.
Paul was dealing with this type of people in the book of Galatians. He was not in charge of the message. He was doing the work that God called him to. He was an apostle and as such he was one of the few holy men that God chose to write down His Word. Today, we need to humble ourselves and accept the fact that God is the Author of His Word. God is the One Who is preserving His Word and He will continue to preserve It.
If we cannot start there, we have no hope. When we submit to God and we serve Him faithfully, we can rejoice in the privilege He has granted us to do that. There will be people who despise those who teach the truth. The true saints are not discouraged by opposition to the truth.
In verse 5 we are reminded that every true child of God will have their particular burden to bear. In verse 2 we are encouraged to bear one another’s burdens. Both truths are complimentary of each other.
In John 21 Jesus spoke directly to Peter and called him to his specific ministry. He warned him of what was ahead for him. Peter looked behind him and saw John and wanted to know what his calling was. Jesus drew Peter back to what was important for him. John had his burden, but Peter needed to develop his calling. As we have seen in chapter 2, he had things to work on and change and get rid of.
Persecution is a reality for all saints. Some are called to a more public ministry than others. Those who submit to God will face more trouble than those who want to be timid.
In verse 6 we see that those who are taught need to appreciate the teacher. Teaching God’s Word properly takes work. Paul stated:
II Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The context of verse 6 is that the student needs to be willing to share of his resources with his teacher. The teacher needs to be committed to faithfully teaching the Word of God. James was directed to warn of the accountability that God holds teachers to. Today there are many self-made “religious scholars” who think they have a message that others need to hear. They have a seared conscience and they are spreading heresy. Don’t tell them that though. They take great offence to being told the truth. A true child of God will be slandered and rejected by some. A few will appreciate the truth. A true child of God is not dependant on man’s approval. A true child of God is a servant of God. He is human, but he learns that he cannot please all people and sometimes he will please very few people. He is called of God to meet His approval.
Pastor Bartel