Galatians 6

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Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. Allen J. Huth shares a Bible passage with comments from over 35 years of his personal Bible reading journals and applies the Word of God to our daily lives.

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Today we wrap up Galatians chapter 6. We’re going to listen in to the 18 verses from Faith Comes by Hearing. Galatians 6

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Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will, from the flesh, reap corruption. But the one who sows to the Spirit will, from the Spirit, reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good. For in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, especially to those who are of the household of faith. See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.” But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God. From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

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And thus concludes the book of Galatians. Let’s finish up with a couple of these journal entries starting in 1999 when I wrote, Help one another in the walk of faith. Also, worry about myself, my own work. Don’t compare myself with others. Do what God has asked me to do. What I sow, I will reap. Don’t grow weary. Don’t lose heart. Keep helping. Do good to all, especially those of faith. I think what this means is what this verse says. Bear one another’s burdens. Help each other out. We need to understand what this chapter begins with here. It says if anyone is caught in a transgression, we who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Why? Because we also are tempted from time to time and we may need to be restored by somebody else. We all hear of people who fall in sexual sin, sexual temptation, and it may be easy to point the finger at them. In my early Christian days, I was probably pretty good at pointing the finger at those who had failed somehow spiritually. But as I grew in my faith, I began to understand that I am so close to falling myself. So I am far less critical today when I hear of Christians who fail or who fall in some moral sin. Let’s look at the encouragement from Paul here in these first few verses. Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. I think we owe it to each other to be less critical, less judgmental, and more willing to restore someone with a spirit of gentleness. And we are to bear one another’s burdens. And I know that means that we pray for one another and that we help one another in times of need. And aren’t you glad you’re in the body of Christ when you have a great need? I know when I got prostate cancer several years ago, I had some brothers saddle up to me, pray for me, stay in touch with me, and it meant so much to me as they helped me bear my burden. Let’s go on to verse 7, a key verse in the scripture. Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. In the last chapter, we talked a lot about the fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. And so it’s true, whatever we sow, that’s what we’re going to reap. So let us sow to the Spirit and not to the flesh. And sometimes what we sow, we don’t necessarily see the harvest immediately. But the next verse encourages us. And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. There are times in my own life when I’ve prayed and prayed and prayed for certain things. I’ve not seen the fruit. I’ve not seen or reaped the harvest yet. But I’m not going to give up because this verse tells me in due season, if I don’t give up, I will reap. So what have we learned from the book of Galatians? Well, I think Paul made the pretty good argument that Christians, the new Christians of that day, and even for us, we are saved by faith and faith alone in Jesus Christ. It is not by works. It’s not by being circumcised or becoming a Jew before we become a Christian. It’s not by following the law. It’s by faith in Christ alone. In Galatians, we find the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul concludes in verse 15 with this statement, For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. It’s not that we’re Jewish or that we’re Gentile. It’s that we are a new creature thanks to Jesus. Galatians is a book about freedom in Christ. As we go back to chapter 5, verse 1, For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. So because of Jesus we can be free. And let’s not be yoked by the slavery of sin anymore in our lives. Thank you, Jesus, for the book of Galatians that reminds us that there’s one true gospel, and it’s you, Jesus Christ. And because of that, we can be free from the yoke of slavery of sin. We have the power to fight off the desires of the flesh and live and walk by the Spirit. Thank you for the lessons learned. Help me walk by the Spirit and not by my flesh. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Often as I finish one of these books, I like to remind the listeners that these are sponsored by the Ezra Project and that you can visit our website at ezraproject.net, learn more about the Ezra Project, and to support AdBible financially, you can join Club 365. All the details are there on the website at ezraproject.net. God bless you and thank you for listening to AdBible. According to a recent Barna research study entitled Bible Reading, A New Year’s Resolution, most Americans are not satisfied with their current level of Scripture reading. A majority express a desire to read the Bible more than they currently do. Born-again and practicing Christians are the most likely to desire more Bible reading in their day-to-day lives. It should not come as a surprise that the majority of Americans wish they read Scripture more than they do, says Roxanne Stone, editor-in-chief of Barna Group. After all, two-thirds of Americans agree that the Bible contains everything you need to know to live a meaningful life. Why wouldn’t you want to read such a book more often? The study continues. However, like other New Year’s resolutions, such as exercising more and eating healthier, Scripture reading is often an aspirational goal. It’s the goal that for most people probably doesn’t feel necessary to survive and so can easily get swamped by the day-to-day demands of a busy life. Scripture reading takes time and focus, two things that feel like scarcities in today’s fast-paced and on-demand culture. Like exercise, like dieting, regular Bible reading does not offer instant payoff. It’s a discipline whose rewards are reaped over the long haul. And the study continues, when people go from feeling they should read the Bible more to needing to read the Bible more, they find the time. Access to the Bible is not the issue in the USA, is it? We all have Bibles. According to another study done a few years ago, 88% of Americans own a Bible. We have 3.5 Bibles in our homes. And this is amazing. 59% of people who have no faith or are atheists even own a Bible, probably just in case. So if you have a smartphone, you have access to the Word of God. My Gideon Bible app has over 2,100 languages. Access to the Bible is not the issue. The issue is changing our beliefs about the Bible to behavior with the Bible. So where are Christians with the Bible today? Christians are well-intentioned when it comes to the Bible. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God. We believe, we just don’t behave. Our belief in the Bible and our behavior with the Bible are inconsistent. The middle ground related to the Bible seems to be disappearing. The decrease of Bible-neutral and Bible-friendly people and the increase of Bible antagonists suggests that more people are picking a side. Which side are you on? Are you a Bible antagonist questioning the Bible? Are you Bible-neutral? I just don’t know. Or are you Bible-friendly? I love the Bible. Wherever you are, pick a side. Because of our neglect of God’s Word, we are becoming biblically illiterate. For example, in a private religious elementary school, kids were asked about the Old and New Testaments. Here are some funny things that they had to say. The first commandment was when Eve told Adam to eat that apple. Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day but a ball of fire by night. What kind of man was Boaz before he married? Ruthless. The epistles were the wives of the apostles. Christians have only one spouse. That’s called monotony. So, if we think about Bible literacy or illiteracy, we think about it this way. If God decided to come down from his throne in heaven, become an author here on earth, you’d think his book would be on the bestseller list. And the fact is, the Bible is the number one bestselling book of all time. 2.5 to 5 billion, according to research. It’s also the most read book of all time. Praise the Lord, that alone might be evidence that the Bible, not any other so-called writing, is God’s Word. According to a weekly World News report, here are a few other Bible facts. About 50 Bibles are sold every minute. The Bible is the world’s best-selling book. It’s also the world’s most shoplifted book. That’s interesting. And that doesn’t even count all the Gideon Bibles stolen out of those hotels. So I encourage you to enjoy a portion of God’s Word every day. Make it a daily spiritual habit. And so until next time, I’m Alan J. Huth, and this program is sponsored by The Ezra Project, with support from listeners like you. Visit EzraProject.net to keep AdBible, connecting God’s people to God’s Word, on the air.