Sow in the Spirit, not he flesh
Notes
Transcript
Good morning,
Today we are in Galatians 6 and we will be reading verses 1-10. If you are in a pew Bible that will be on page 1078.
Let us open with a word of prayer.
Pray 3+
Last week we saw this call to live by the Spirit and keep in step with the Spirit and how if we are doing this we will see the Holy Spirit producing fruit in our lives. Paul also told us if we are in Christ Jesus we have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Then two weeks ago, in Galatians 5:1 Paul told the Church,
Galatians 5:1 “1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” But the freedom that Christ gives us was not to be used for our own selfish desires but it was to be used to love one another, He wrote in verses 14-15:
Galatians 5:14–15“14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.” Now today, as we begin in our passage, Paul will like a good preacher will do, sorry I am often a better teacher than a preacher so I sometimes fumble this, but he will now give a clear application of how to live these general principles out.
If you are in Galatians 6 please follow along as I read verses 1-10
Galatians 6:1–10 “1 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. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load. 6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 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. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
We see this in our very first verse as Paul says if anyone is caught in transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. We have to be careful as we read verse 1 for a few reasons, the first is because we, myself included, fall so easily into the life of legalism like the Galatians where. It is so easy for us to deem something that for us is sin and say anyone who does it is sinning, when it is not for everyone else. We must be very careful to only call things the Bible calls sin, sin. Unless we know the person, and let’s say I tell you that Twinkies are a sin for me and you see me at the store buying a box of them, then sure come and remind me that I am in sin.
The second reason we need to be careful is it says you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. This is not an open invitation for all of us to be correcting everyone. Turn with me to Matthew 7 and we will be looking at verses 1-5.
Matthew 7:1–5 “1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
Here in Matthew 7 Jesus is nearing the end of the Sermon on the Mount, we don’t have time today to go through everything before Jesus gets here, but in a very quick flyby overview, we see Jesus say murder and adultery are committed in the mind before we act, we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. In verse 48 of chapter 5 he tells us:
Matthew 5:48
48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
In chapter 6, Jesus tells us our giving, our prayer, and our fasting should be done for God rather than for acclimation like the Pharisees. We are to store up treasures in heaven and that we are to be seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Only after telling the crowd all of this, all the areas they need to rightly understand, he tells them that they will be judged by the judgement they use. Everything that Jesus calls out was a struggle of the time and I would argue a struggle of today. He calls out their pride, their selfishness, their hypocrisy, and tells them they are to be perfect, as their heavenly Father is perfect. This is a call back to Leviticus where God tells his people over and over again they are to be holy as He is holy. I won’t read them all but if you want them to look and study throughout the week they are:
Leviticus 19:7; 20:7; 20:26; 21:8
Leviticus 19:7; 20:7; 20:26; 21:8
Then in Matthew 7 he tells them to judge rightly. They were to understand how guilty they were, how sinful they were, and were to be in a right relationship with God before ever trying to help their brother get sin out of their life. Paul here in Galatians 6 is building upon that message. He says you, who are spiritual, that is those who understand how dependent upon God for our own righteousness we are. Those who are keeping in step with the Spirit and because of that are burdened not only by the sin of this brother or sister, but more so are burdened by their own sin. We must first be able to recognize our own sinfulness and have desire to be made more into His image. This is more that factual knowledge of God or His word, we must understand His purpose for us and a longing to live in that purpose and to see others live in that purpose. Understanding that this calling to live a life of holiness has not passed away like some would argue, but is still our calling as believers today, and how far short we each come of it.
15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
The third part of why we must be careful when we read this verse is the simple warning that Paul gives at the end of verse 1 of Galatians 6 as well as the result of it in verse 3. Remember last week how we saw how easy it is for the flesh to warp what is good into something evil and wrong and here we see again the warning against the flesh. Paul tells us to keep watch lest we too be tempted and in verse 3 we see what the temptation is. Galatians 6:3 “3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” We begin to think we are something for helping or because we did not fall into that sin. We forget our relationship to God and focus on our status compared to others. It is amazing how easily the flesh can do this in us, and this is why we must watch ourselves. And in verse 4 and 5 Paul tells us to test our own work. But In verse 2 he says something that will connect both to the call to restore our brothers and to the upcoming call to support those who teach the Gospel. He says in verse 2
Galatians 6:2 “2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
What are the burdens in verse 2 and how does bearing other's burdens fulfill the law of Christ?
What are the burdens in verse 2 and how does bearing other's burdens fulfill the law of Christ?
The burdens that Paul talks about here are twofold. You have the burdens that come from other peoples sin and the burden it takes to help them to overcome that sin. There is someone here within this church who does this for men who are overcoming a life of addiction and are often new in their walk with the Lord. He helps these men, who are trying to overcome a life of sin and helps them as they look for work, look for transportation, and housing, but also still struggle with sin. While he loves them, there is a certain level of their burden he is taking upon himself in order to help these men. He is an example of bearing one another’s burdens in the way Paul uses it here.
I have often heard this verses preached in a way that is disconnected from the verse that comes directly before it and after it and there are many commentators who talk about all of these verses as if they are either disconnected from one another or linked but in a shuffled strange sort of way that to be honest does not make much sense given the nature of the God who authored it. But much of the time this verse is preached it takes in to consideration bearing one another’s burdens, the fact that we are to help each other if we have needs. This aspect of bearing each other’s burdens is valid and true and a partially correct application of this verse. We are to help with the needs of the body of Christ. You and I have each been gifted by God in different ways and we are to use those gifts to help one another. In times of grief, we as the church are to help those who are grieving; if someone in our body needs help getting somewhere and we are able to help we should be doing that
13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Jesus says the in Matthew 5:42 “42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” and in Galatians 5 :13 told us
Galatians 5:13 “13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” So we can see that this is an extremely valid interpretation of this verse, but it only covers half of the meaning.
The other half of bearing another’s burden, is connected with the restoring them if they are caught in transgression. Sin, even sin that has been forgiven and eternally covered by the blood of Christ, very often has consequences that we have to face here and now. We as far as we are able are coming along side them and sharing that burden with them. I have to say as far as we are able because this is going to be different in every situation, but take for example a brother caught in some sort of sexual sin. This is for the men, women don’t help here direct them to a godly man please. But at least in this case, very often there is going to be some long term accountability, someone to be there when they struggle, and someone to give them counsel as they seek to overcome this sin. You and I are to share with them the consequences of that sin, if we are to restore them, in some ways, similar to how Christ took the consequences of our sin upon Himself. We are also to be forgiving people and this is taking upon ourselves the burden to let go of what they have done, not forgetting it, but choosing to let God be the judge. This too many times is a burden.
Why does Paul now say we each have to bear our own load?
Why does Paul now say we each have to bear our own load?
Now turn back with me to Galatians 6:3–5 “3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.” Paul now gives us the reason we are to watch ourselves from verse 1 here in verse 3. It is this self deception we can develop if we are helping others. We see our flesh do this in so many other areas of our lives, it tries to build in us pride. I did this, I accomplished this, I this, I that; here it is at least I am not like that guy. I didn’t do that. But look what Paul says about our state as men and women, he says we are nothing. This is not telling us that we have no value before God, He gave his life for us, but it is a proper understanding of ourselves before an eternal and infinite God. I have a friend who is serving in Papua New Guinea and he had one of the few object lessons where I remember the lesson more than the object. But he is a math teacher and he measured out all of human existence in yarn and added maybe a thousand more years to the future. He then had his life measured out on the yarn, so this yarn is all stretched out in front of the church and it goes across the stage and down the steps and around a corner and he held up this little section and was like I was born right about here. He then showed where he got married and if God gives him a long life where he will die. But what stuck with me was just how little of a time his life was compared with human history, on that yarn he was nothing. But the whole length of the yarn before our God is less than that before our God.
I shared this at men’s bible study a couple weeks ago when we were talking about humility but, in second Peter 3:8 it tells us that a thousand years is like a day to God. Now there is some poetic language being used here, so this is not a good hermunetic, but if we take this literally as it is written, we are not even given the life span of a mayfly before God. A mayfly when it gets it’s wings has a life of 24 hours, I don’t remember exactly what the time was but I think we get 1 to 2 hours by comparison. How much though do any of us give to a mayfly on a daily basis? Compared to us they are nothing, and we don’t even get that big of a comparison before God. If we think we are something, when we think of who God is we are deceiving ourselves, we have no standing before God by our own power. Then Paul seems to say something that at first seems to contradict that former statement.
In verse 4, Paul seems to say our reason to boast will be in ourselves alone not in our neighbor and each of us will have to bear our own load. What is he saying isn’t this contradictory? Where Paul was first talking about our current life, when we think something of ourselves, he now switches to our future. He now talks of the day we stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ. We will not stand before him for Judgement the way unbelievers will, but for reward. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 3.
1 Corinthians 3:11–15 “11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”
On that day our works our tested, we will have no one else to look to for help or to blame. It will be us standing before Christ and we will have to give an account for our action. If our faith is in Christ we will be saved, salvation comes by faith alone through Christ alone, but we will have to bear our own load. I will not be able to make excuses and say well billy bob did such and such that is why I did this. Either we will be found faithful or we won’t and that is it. And we will be rewarded for our faithfulness or we won’t. Did we in fact love our neighbor as ourselves or didn’t we? Did we bear one another’s burdens or didn’t we? Did we go out into the world and make disciples or didn’t we? It was for freedom Christ set us free but that freedom had a purpose it was to serve others for His glory.
Galatians 6:6–10 “6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 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. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
Are we sowing in the Spirit or in the Flesh?
Are we sowing in the Spirit or in the Flesh?
There is not much way around it, but verse 6 says what it says and it means what it means, but those who are taught the word are to share, today it is more pay, the one who teaches. Historically speaking this was feeding him and lodging him, so he could live by the Gospel, today we have a different economic system so as body this is generally financial but the verse says all good things so not necessarily. I will tell you that as far as I am able to keep it this way, I will not look at who is giving what, I do not want to know nor do I think I have any real business knowing. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tell us that giving is between the giver and God.
2 Corinthians 9:7 “7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Giving should not be obligatory, it should not be because I am guilting you into it either, but it should be joyful and a blessing to both the giver and God to give.
So you each need to decide how you are called to give, and if you are being fed and taught here at least some of what you give should be here. I will leave this mostly here because Paul gives us a principle that should help guide not only our giving but our lives. It is that we will reap what we sow. If we go back to the idea of giving, if all I do is throw in my pocket change into the offering, am I honoring God? This one took a while for me to learn and often I find myself needing to relearn it. My life belongs to Him this includes my finances. If I with my finances am holding on to it and just giving God my spare change, I am no sowing to the Spirit. I was reaping the harvest of that, debt, worry, and strife within our marriage that comes with financial problems. Our money was for my pleasure rather than it being God’s for His will, His glory and His pleasure and I reaped the fruit that living for me produced. Please do not mistake what I am saying for the prosperity Gospel, I am not saying if you sow a 100 dollar seed you will reap a 1000 dollars or something false like that. But what I am saying is like Paul says in our passage today, if you are sowing in the flesh you will reap all of the destruction and problems that come along with it. Where if you are sowing in the Spirit you will reap from the Spirit at a minimum eternal life but more often Spiritual blessings along with that. We must not grow weary of doing good though. If we look at the agricultural analogy here a little bit deeper, I believe radishes are one of the fastest maturing crops at 4-8 weeks to harvest. Most things take a much longer time and this same principle is true here, do not expect to see instant results. Rather in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. We must be focused on God and the hope He offers rather than the lack of change in the immediate sowing.
And Paul closes with this and I will as well
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.