Galatians chapter 6

vs 1

Apart from the obvious meaning of this verse, this does show that the church at Galatia is not lost. There are people there that Paul would give this command to. Hopefully leaders, but really anyone who is trying to serve God faithfully in Christ is being instructed to help those whose lives are sinful. This restoration should be gentle (which seems different from Paul's attitude in 1 Corinthians, "kick the sicko out").

Of course there is always a chance that you will be tempted too - either to do the same thing they are doing, or perhaps to sin in a different way which does not involve gentle instruction. I think a lot of our attempts to gently restore people from their sinful lives ends up in us having shouting matches. Probably not enough gentleness on one side, and not enough humility on the other.

vs 2

We are a family, and as such we should help each other through the hard times. Yes, some people's entire lives will be hard times - and that means the church needs to help them all the time. This verse is probably mostly talking about carrying the burdens of sin in the context of verse 1. We're about to get into some confusing territory here, though.

vs 3

We're all nothing, so it's an easy deception to be made because we all want to be something. But probably doubly so when someone thinks they are doing well in the Christian life, but in reality they are in a bit of a shambles. And these people will be hard to correct and gently instruct.

vs 4

This verse sort of puts a dampener on the idea I've been having lately of people needing role-models in radical discipleship. It doesn't kill it, though, it just adjusts it to be more biblical.

See, we should hold up people as an example (Paul uses himself all the time, and of course Christ is the ultimate example), but we shouldn't hold them up as a measure (except Christ, who is a perfect measure which we will never meet anyway).

So if we were to set up some sort of role-model ministry, it would not be for people to measure themselves up against their role-model. It would be to use them as an example to follow.

vs 5

Of course, now we see a bit of a contradiction. Paul just said "carry each other's burdens" and now he says "carry your own load". But it's not a true contradiction. If we think of the carrying of a burden as a shared task, then more than one person does it, and as long as one of those people carrying is the person to whom the burden belongs, then these are not in contradiction.

But anyway, I don't think that's the point Paul is making. I think he's saying that you need to to be carrying your own problems, and not someone else's problems as your own. Help someone carry their burden, sure, but don't make it your burden. And use someone as an example, absolutely, but don't take on their troubles along with their example.

vs 6

Now this could be Paul saying "And now that I've told you all this sweet information, give me money!" but I don't think it is. I do think it is saying that if someone comes to you and gently helps to restore you back to Christ, then you owe them. Acknowledge the help they have been to you.

vs 7

Guess how many times this word mocked is used in the NT? Once, right here. Mukterizo is the word, and it is more of a sneering derision than a Nelson "Ha Ha". So you cannot sneer at or deride God. You might think you can, but of course it's completely stupid to do so.

And part of this mocking, I think, is the attempt to sow one thing and reap another. In this case, probably trying to sow sinful selfish desires, and reap righteousness. You just can't trick God that way. No matter how much you genetically engineer your crop, God still knows what you're really doing.

vs 8

What are we hoping to gain from the stuff we are doing? This is a direct link to James' idea of salvation. But is Paul here saying that you have to work for your salvation? Of course not! What he is saying, though, is that where your treasure is, there also is your eternal consequence. But notice that it is not your actions which choose your consequence. It is the object htat you are serving that is the bringer of consequence. If you are serving your self, then it is your selfish (sinful) nature (and not your self-serving actions) which condemns you to destruction. If you are working for the Spirit, it is the Spirit (not your work) which rewards you with eternal life.

vs 9

There is a harvest of good to be made! In the context, of course, that good which we harvest is beneficial for us because the Spirit will reward us with eternal life. But of course, if you are planting good actions, then that means good actions will be happening to people, which is great even though not the end reaping in itself.