Galatians 6:1-10, 14-16
Why We Do the Things We Do!
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load. Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God. (NIV1984)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Why did you do that? That is a question that can be asked in two very different ways. If our child or our grandchild brings home a note from school and we find out that they got into trouble for hitting another child or for cheating on a test or for being sassy to their teacher we might look at them and say, “Why did you do that?” If our spouse comes home and says they got fired from their job because they consistently arrived late to work or they consistently left work early, we might ask them, “Why did you do that?” If we get pulled over for driving too fast or for rolling through a stop sign, we might ask ourselves, “Why did I do that?”
On the flip side of that very same coin, if someone finds out that we went out of our way to help a classmate or to help a co-worker they might ask us, “Why did you do that?” If we know that a neighbor who is also a dear friend is going through a physical or emotionally difficult time in their life and we bring them some food or mow their lawn they might ask us, “Why did you do that?”
For the past four weeks we have been studying Paul’s letter to the Galatian Christians. With the insight, the clarity and the authority of an apostle who is writing under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, Paul has kept us focused on the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The pure, sweet, simple message of the Gospel comforts us with the assurance that the Son of God willingly suffered and died on the cross (Pointing to the cross) to completely pay for all of our sins. The pure, sweet, simple message of the Gospel gives us the confidence of knowing that God the Holy spirit has created and now sustains the gift of saving faith in our heart. Today as we conclude our sermon series on Paul’s letter to the Galatians Paul takes everything he has proclaimed to us and uses it to give us a very positive perspective on: Why We Do The Things We Do!
Why do we do the things we do? As I was studying this text I saw three answers to that question. The first answer that Paul gives to us centers on the fact that our faith in Christ unites us together as a family— and families do whatever is necessary to help each other! Look at what Paul says in the opening portion of our text, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to someone else, for each one should carry his own load.”
Note how Paul very clearly refers to the Galatian Christians as his “brothers.” Even though Paul had to correct the Galatians because they were “turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all,” even though Paul had to point out their hypocrisy for forcing “the Gentiles to follow Jewish customs,” even though Paul had to warn them that if they continued to “indulge their sinful natures” they would forfeit the freedom that the Gospel gave to them, Paul saw them as “brothers.” Paul saw them as part of the “family of believers.”
Being a part of the “family of believers” means that sometimes we need to “restore” someone who has been “caught in a sin.” Why would we do this? Why would we go to a brother or sister in Christ and “gently” point out to them that what they are doing or what they are believing is a sin? Because we love them! We love them enough to point them to the cross and remind them of what Jesus’ love has done for them! We love them enough to do everything we possibly can to “restore” them, to help them “mend” their relationship with Jesus so that they can continue to be a member of “the family of believers”!
As we are striving to do this, however, Paul reminds us that we need to be careful “or you also may be tempted.” How might we be “tempted”? We might be tempted to point out someone’s sin for the wrong reason. If we point out someone else’s sin in order to make ourselves feel good about ourselves, “I’m thankful that my faith is so strong that I would never do anything like that!” then even though we are doing the right thing, we are doing it for the wrong reason.
Our motivation for striving to “restore” someone who is “caught in a sin” is found in Paul’s words, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” What is the “law of Christ”? Paul answered that question in last Sunday’s text when he said, “Serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
We cannot emphasize enough that the only proper motivation for striving to “restore” or “mend” someone who is “caught in a sin” is Christian love. If we see someone who has been weighed down by the spiritual burdens of temptation and sin, our love for that person’s soul will prevent us from simply standing on the sidelines and watching them drown— perhaps for all of eternity!
But how do we reconcile Paul’s statement, “Carry each other’s burdens” with his statement, “For each one should carry his own load”? The answer is found in the Greek words that Paul uses here. The word that is translated as “burden” refers to a weight that is placed on someone. It is a “burden” that is carried involuntarily. The word that is translated as “load” refers to a soldier’s “pack,” something we are expected to carry because of who we are. In this context this Holy Spirit is reminding us of the personal accountability that we carry before God. Our personal accountability will prevent us from becoming conceited as we strive to help our brothers and sisters in the faith “carry the burden” that the devil, the world and even their own sinful flesh places upon them.
Why do we do the things we do? Paul’s second answer to that question is found in the words, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
The picture that Paul paints here was extremely familiar to the people who first read this letter. Sowing seed and reaping a harvest was a natural part of their lives. The application of this picture on a spiritual level is also very easy to understand— even for those of us who are not regularly engaged in sowing and reaping. There is one key point that we need to recognize here. Last week Paul encouraged us with the words, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit,” or, “let us keep walking with the Spirit.” That encouragement dovetails perfectly with Paul’s words to us today, “the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Through the powerful message of the Gospel God the Holy Spirit has created the gift of saving faith in our hearts. He has caused us to be “born again”! He has given to us true spiritual life— a life that will continue into eternity! So why do we do the things that we do? Out of love and thankfulness for what the Holy Spirit has done for us. As Christians we joyfully strive to “please the Spirit”! As Christians we want to do what the Holy Spirit wants us to do!
What does the Holy Spirit want us to do? He wants us to let our faith shine brightly in this world by “doing good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Why do we help others in any way that we can? Why do we give our time and our resources to organizations that help others with food and with clothing and with shelter? Why are we willing to help a brother or sister in the faith who is going through difficult times? Because this is “pleasing” to the Holy Spirit! This is what we do as Christians! This is who we are— by the power of the Holy Spirit, the power that works in us, the power that works through us!
Why do we do the things we do? The final answer that Paul gives to us this morning is found in his words, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.”
Here we see how clearly the apostle Paul was focused on the cross (Pointing to the cross) and what it meant for him as well as what it means for us. As Christians we don’t “boast” about ourselves. We don’t “boast” about what we have or what we can do. As Christians we “boast” about the cross of our dear Lord and Savior and what the cross guarantees to us! The cross means that the sinful world and all of its evil desire have been “crucified” to us. The cross means that we have been “crucified” to the world, that is, we do not let sin reign in our lives. The cross means that we are now a “new creation” in Christ!
How does this impact the thing we do? Think it through, my friends. Why do we humbly and gently strive to “restore” a fellow Christin who has been “caught in a sin”? Because as Christians we are a “new creation”! Why do we willingly go out of our way to “fulfill the law of Christ” and “help carry each other’s burdens”? Because as Christians we are a “new creation”! Why do we strive each and every day to do the things that “please the Spirit”? Because as Christians we are a “new creation”! Why do we look for opportunities to “do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers”? Because as Christians we are a “new creation”!
Why did you do that? While that is a question that can be asked from two different perspectives, our goal as the children of God is to conduct ourselves in a way that leads people to ask us that question from a very positive perspective! When that is our goal, my friends, then the blessing that Paul speaks in the closing words of our text is a blessing that will always rest upon us: “Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.”
To God be the glory!
Amen
