CHAPTER 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.

Ya know, Christians ain't perfect!
We all sin and do things wrong.

Here, Paul is talking about a Christian who has been "overtaken" in a sin.
Now "overtaken" means to be shown.

If this is the case, then the brother is to be "restored."
In that sense, it means we should go personally to the person and try to
restore him to walking by faith and not by sight.
Notice, Paul says, "Ye who are spiritual."

WHEN we do this, we should be careful to act in a "spirit of meekness;" and
also to be sure we are not allowing the same temptation.

Paul follows this with good advice.

2-3
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

As Christians, we are to take care for one another.
Certainly if a person has been found out gossiping, we should know that we too
can be tempted by that same sin.

We are to help a brother to realize a sin that needs confession and repentance.
And, we may even use an example of when we ourselves were tempted in
that same sin.
So, the burden of guilt is born not only in the one to be restored, but also in us.

We should never have the austere attitude that we are better than the other; for
we are certainly not.
We, ourselves have problems with sin too.
And, it is our duty to confess them to God and ask forgiveness.
It is also our duty to "Bear ye one another's burdens."
That would be to sense the guilt in ourselves as we are striving to restore
another Christian.

4-5
But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself
alone, and not in another.
For every man shall bear his own burden.

The word "prove" means examine oneself by looking in the Word of God.
When we do that, we ALL fall short of being what we should be.

However, we can have REJOICING when we sense that the Holy Spirit
is telling us we are doing well in the Lord's work.

We should not need the applause of others to feel satisfied!
Prov. 14:14 says, "a good man shall be satisfied from himself."

We all have "burdens" of guilt.
When we take them to the Lord in confession and repentance, He
speaks PEACE to our heart.
It is ONLY then that we are "satisfied"!

6
Let him that is taught in the Word commuincate unto him that teacheth
in all good things.

The teacher of the Word spends much time in preparing for the lesson.
The preacher spends much time in the Word preparing for the sermon.

Perhaps they need support in their labor.
It's imperative that we, being taught by them, support them with thanks
or with examples of how we have learned that lesson.

7
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap.

If you put a seed of corn in the ground, you don't expect to reap wheat.

If you are planting seeds in the ground, you expect God to give back
what you planted.

Be assured, when you speak, you are planting thoughts in other people's
minds.

And, God is NOT mocked!
He will return what you planted!

Illustration:
The pastor was accosted by a lady that heard something about
another person in the church.
She asked, "And WHAT are YOU going to DO about it?"
With a calm face, and in gentility, the pastor asked, "May I know if you
SAW that with your eyes, or HEARD that with YOUR ears?"
She answered angrily, "NO! I told you that I heard it from ....."
"Then," the pastor said gently, "I assume what you are telling me is
just GOSSIP."
Suddenly the lady's anger turned to calmness.
She said, "Oh MY! I'm sorry!" and walked away quickly.

The point of the illustration is: the pastor spoke kindly, and he
received kindness in return.

Now, following, is another application of sowing and reaping.

8
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Indulging in fleshly appetites brings "corruption" to the body.

For instance, indulging in alcohol consumption reduces the capacity
to think or move normally.
Alcoholic beverages, in continued usage, damage the brain.
The tiny cells that are in the brain act as a computer.
Thought processes at a very high rate.
But, continued use of alcohol can cause the tiny cells to separate, and
the result is: balance loss, memory loss, speech slurring and proper
judgment impairment.
The same thing happens with drug consumption like marijuana, heroine,
and cocaine.

Another example: I taught "ABSTINENCE" in middle school for 4 years.
The reason I taught that is because sex outside of marriage can bring
disastrous results.
Hepatitis B, Syphilis, HIV, chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, and HPV are all
diseases transmitted through sexual contact.

HOWEVER, living by the Spirit of God produces a MUCH BETTER life.
Living by the Spirit of God, one will study the Bible.
And, the Bible will tell one that "lasciviousness" (improper constraint
of sexual activity) is "evil" and "defile" the person!
(See Mark 7:22-23)

What then is PROPER sexual activity?
Sex WITHIN marriage ONLY!

Following is the remedy for controlling fleshly appetites.

9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not.

For Christians, there is MUCH to be done in "well doing."

Prayer, Bible study, attending church, giving, sharing the Gospel with
others are all actions in which we should be INVOLVED!

Notice Paul says, by the inspiration of God, "FAINT NOT!"

One cannot:
show prayer without being a pray-er;
teach the Bible without studying;
exhibit devotion to God without attending church regularly;
show giving to God is correct without being a giver;
share the manner of salvation without knowing the Gospel.

"For in due season," at judgment day, "we shall reap" rewards IF we FAINT NOT!

10
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good to ALL men,
especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

At the outset, let me say this:
We CANNOT do well or good to them of the household of faith
if we are not ATTENDING!

Also, we are to DO "good to ALL men."
That cannot be done without prayer and Bible study!

The CHOICE of to whom we are to do good is not ours to make;
Yet the OPPORTUNITY to do good to others is ours to TAKE!

May I interject here what Jesus said about that in Matt. 25:35-45.
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me
drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and
ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an
hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren,
ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave
me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick,
and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an
hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not
minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did
it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

In the story of the "Good Samaritan" (Luke 10:33-37), Jesus teaches concering
the dictum "love thy neighbor as thyself."

11
Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

This is a statement that the letter is genuinely from Paul.
Perhaps Paul was nearly blind, and the letters were large.

Usually Paul used a scribe who wrote what he dictated.

12-13
As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be
circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.
For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire
to have you circumcised, they they may glory in your flesh.

Some Jews (who may have surrendered to Christ) insisted on circumcision
as an exhibition of faith.
However, they were only trying to escape the "persecution for the
cross of Christ." from other Jews.

Those who insisted on this were called Judaizers because they did not
want to renouce all dependence on rites and ceremonies.

The Judaizers were circumcised, but did not completely keep the
laws of the Old Testament.
But they were insistant on others being circumcised which exhibited
they were dependent upon obedience to the law for salvation.

14-16
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision,
but a new creature.
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and
upon the Israel of God.

"IN CHRIST" it doesn't matter if a person is circumcised or not.
What matters is that a person exhibits being a "new creature"
because of the salvation experience.

And note, vs 16 says, WHOEVER "walks (lives) by this rule should have
peace and mercy from God."
Note also that Gentiles who are saved through Christ are included
as the "Israel of God!"

17
From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks
of the Lord Jesus.

Paul had repeatedly been beaten and scourged because he preached
the Gospel of Jesus.
He carried those marks (scars) and they exhibited his zeal for the Lord.

He was attached to the Lord Jesus and could show in his body the
scars received for being faithful.

18
Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

This is a benediction to the entirety of the letter.
Paul had approached the subjects that were troubling them with
a strait-forwardness.
Yet he LOVED them!
The proof is that he called them "brethren".

In his love for them, he calls for Christ's "grace" to be in
their "spirit."

Grace from Christ TO us demands grace to be EXTENDED to others!

The grace of our Lord Jesus is CONSTANTLY poured out to mankind.
God is "longsuffering" or patient and kind, though we are
sinners all.
But He is continually pouring out grace because it is His desire that
"ALL should come to repentance." (2Pet. 3:9)

So, may God's grace be WITH you and extended to others BY you!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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