Bearing One Another’s Burdens

2006-01-29

This is a Bible study on Galatians 6:1-10.

Context

Paul writes to the Galatians to set them straight on the issue of salvation. Various Judaizers (people who insisted on keeping Jewish customs as part of being saved) were in their midst, compelling them to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses. Apparently, Paul’s apostleship is questioned because he did not compel the Gentiles to be circumcised. Paul confirms his apostleship by saying that he received the Gospel message and commission from the Lord Jesus Himself (Galatians 1:1; 2:11-12). Paul writes this passionate letter to them to tell them that salvation is by faith alone and not by any works of the Law. He argues that they have received the Spirit through faith, not by works (3:2). He also states that the Law condemns the world and shows humankind that they are sinners (3:10); therefore the Law shows humankind’s need for a Savior (3:22-25). Now that Christ had come and did His work on Calvary, righteousness from God is revealed through faith, and they are free from the curse of the Law (the curse is the impossibility of ever keeping the Law). It is love that fulfills the Law (5:6, 13-14), and it is here that Paul now exhorts them.

Bearing One Another’s Burdens (6:1-5)

Paul writes that if someone is caught in a fault, then one should “restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.” We know from the usage of the word ‘fault’ elsewhere that this is an issue of either sin or some kind of offense against another person. The idea is that they are to be gently brought back into step, so to speak. The picture is that of a community that is well connected together, and if someone is slipping away, to gently bring them back from where they have fallen. We must also be wary of ourselves, since we all have the capacity to fall into sin. This is why Paul writes, “considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” If we do not help others when they fall into sin, we condone their sin and then we also will fall into their sin. A community of believers must be careful to keep itself intact. Paul writes this because the Galatians heeded the teachings of the Judaizers and were looking to the Law for justification before God. If sin is not exposed, awful things such as bad doctrine can abound out of control.

In verse 2, Paul exhorts the Galatians to bear one another’s burdens. This fulfills the ‘law of Christ,’ which is what is pictured as faith working through love (cf. 5:6). The word ‘burden’ is used in 6:2 as well as in 6:5. We are called to help each other through difficult things, yet we are also called to our own regular responsibilities of work (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:10). We as people are designed for community; there is no such thing as a Christian that can make it alone.

Verse 3 shows that we are the same: we are all susceptible to sin, and none of us is strong enough to go through life without help and exhortation from others. All of us need to follow this rule; that we ought to exhort each other in time of need, and be open to correction or help from others when we need it. Everyone should be of this mind, and do their part that they might “have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another” (6:4).

Doing Good for All People (6:6-10)

Verse 6 is a reminder to people who learn the Word from teachers that they should provide for those who teach. There was no temple tax or fund that paid for teaching in first century churches; people had to voluntarily provide for them as needed.

In verses 7-8, what a person sows, he or she will reap accordingly. When we do things that are according to the old nature, they will not have lasting impact. But if we live by the Spirit, as we are called to do, we will reap eternal life. Eternal life here is not just something in the future; eternal life is the abundant life that is promised now as well as in eternity. The Lord remembers the good things that we do in faith (e.g. Matthew 10:42). Likewise those unbelievers on the outside will know that we belong to Christ by sharing with and loving one another (e.g. John 13:35; Acts 2:44-45). It is easy to get weary in doing good deeds for others, which is why Paul exhorts the Galatians to keep on doing good for others in 6:9.

In 6:10, there is an emphasis of doing good deeds at all times, especially for fellow believers. This is reminiscent of Jesus commanding His disciples to love one another (John 13:34). If we love one another well, those on the outside will 1) see something they themselves long for, and 2) they will want to be a part of it. This gives us the opportunity to not only provide for our fellow believers and care for them as they ought to be cared, but that we also can give a reason as to why we love each other so selflessly. That reason is Jesus. If we live out our lives as the Spirit leads us, then lives can be changed, for both the believer and the unbeliever.