Galatians Study

 

I have met one of my personal (spiritual) goals for 2024: to do an in-depth study of Galatians, found in the New Testament and one of Paul's most important letters. I used a study via the YouVersion Bible app and my SoulCare New King James version Bible. This was a great study! (note: words in bold type and in quotes are directly from the study). 

Summary of Chapter 6:

Paul wants the Galatian people  to live out the gospel----focused on Jesus and walking in step with the Holy Spirit, and having a self-less, godly community. 

Sin brings guilt, shame, broken relationships and numerous consequences to a person or group of people. 

Grace-gripped communities of Believers will help carry the burden and welcome the sinner, not shun them. As Believers, we can lead a person to Christ and help to restore the ones who need to repent---even Believers sin!  A gospel grace-gripped community will be self-giving instead of self-righteous. 

In verses 6-8, Paul is addressing care for teachers.  He was on the receiving end of criticism among the Galatian Christians.  Self focused attempts to live a Christian life will result in a community of people who backbite one another and this includes biting the preacher!

But a community of Believers marked by the fruit of the Spirit is a community that cares for each other, including the care of the preachers and teachers. They teach the Bible, sharing encouragement and giving financial support. 

"True Believers will not be consumers who simply take from a church; they'll be participants who share in the giving".

Verses 7-8 is Paul's underlying principal: Believers can invest their energy in their own flesh or in the Spirit.  He uses farming language here (Reaping and Sowing).  If Believers sow in living for the flesh, they'll reap corruption.  If they sow their lives to the Holy Spirit, they will reap an eternal crop! "Sow to please the Spirit" simply means focusing on Jesus Christ, on His goodness and our dependence on Him.  It's not about self-gratifying, self-righteous legalism but Christ-loving relationship.  

"God cannot be mocked---we will reap what we sow". 

Sow to the Spirit means:

• having an open heart to God's Word...allowing Him to shape and change what we love, how we think, and how we live 
• praying to God with transparency
• caring about our relationships with each other in the church and pursuing honesty, graciousness, and building others up.

As seen in verse 9-10, sowing in the Spirit results in life.  Sowing to the flesh results in corruption. 

God cannot be mocked!  Don't give up doing good! There will be a harvest one day. 

Gospel-gripped Believers need to give of themselves just like God has given of Himself---with no instant reward, but with an unending eternal harvest to come!

In verses 11-13 Paul explains the real motive of the false teachers regarding the burden of circumcision and law keeping was to bolster their own reputation not to benefit the Galatian Believers!

"They wanted to have a badge of honor to protect themselves from any persecution associated with the radical message of the Cross."  

"We must not be naive: false teachers still exist today." 

Gospel preachers who preach Truth and Jesus Christ see greater fruit and a more genuine holiness.  False teachers make lots of "noise" regarding holiness, but the wonder of Jesus and His work tends to fade...they're too self-focused. 

In verses 14-17 Paul is saying that he has reason to boast:  he preached the Good News of the Gospel in Galatia and saw people getting saved from their sins.  He saw them starting churches. But he will only boast in the Cross of Jesus. 

Two truths that summarize the end of the letter to the Galatians:

1.  The fleshly life of Paul was crucified with Christ.
2. He refuses to let religious codes dictate distinctions. 

Circumcision vs uncircumcision doesn't matter now (see verse 15).  It's not about Jews vs Gentiles or keeping the law.  What counts is a "new creation" and this is based on II Corinthians 5: 17

"Because of Christ's death at Calvary, the Spirit comes to bring us into fellowship with God, our Abba, transforming us from the inside out." 

Verse 17 is about carrying burdens.....proclaiming the Gospel of God's grace is worth suffering for. 

Nobody is born a Christian!  We're all born in sin. Every single human being. We live a fleshly life and an independent, self-centered one.  This is called being spiritually dead.

At some point, by His (God's) Spirit (if you accept Jesus as your Savior), He draws you to the Cross....you repent of your sins and Jesus gives you new life!  You become transformed!  This is called the New Covenant and what Paul defended. 

The law was never designed to create righteousness but it was given to show you that you were dead in your sins and that you need Jesus.  It's all about Grace. 

 

This concludes my study of the book of Galatians.