Galations 6

THE LETTER TO THE GALATIONS IS WRITTEN TO THE REGION OF ASIA MINOR

THE BASIC REASON FOR THE LETTER WAS DOCTRINE AND THEOLGICAL ISSUES THAT HAD ARISEN AFTER PAUL LEFT HIS SPIRITUAL CHILDREN
1. PAUL ATTACKED AS INFERRIOR
2. THE DOCTRINE OF CIRCUMSISION WAS BEING FORCED AS JUSTIFICATION
3. THE MOSAIC LAW WAS BEING HELD UP AS PART OF SALVATION

THE FIRST PART OF THE LETTER IS PAUL DEFENDING HIMSELF AND HIS AUTHORITY GIVEN BY CHRIST AND HIS DOCTRINE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE WORK OF THE CROSS AND THAT WHICH PETER AND THE OTHER APOSTLES WERE PREACHING

IN CHAPTER 3 PAUL REBUKES THEM FOR FAILING TO CONTEND FOR THE FAITH AND DENYING THE SPIRIT

CHAPTER 3
1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?



CHAP 4 Fears for the Church
8 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.
HE EXPRESSES FEAR THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING RELIGION AND TRADITION AND NOT LIVING IN THE FREEDOM OF RELATIONSHIP.

IN CHAPTER 5 PAUL TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO FREEDOM
1. CHRIST CAME FOR FREEDOM
2. ANYTHING THAT PUTS RESTAINTS YOU NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED IN LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL
3. IF YOU FOLLOW DOCTRINE THAT ADDS THINGS, OR PRACTICES TO THE GOSPEL, THEN THE CROSS LOSSES ITS POWER

PAUL WARNS THAT A SINGLE PERSON PREACHING AND TEACHING A FALSE DOCTRINE CAN SPOIL A WHOLE REGION

HE WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT PEOPLE THAT MANIPUATE THE PEOPLE OF THE KINGDOM THAT HE SUGESTED THEY BE CASTRATED!!!

HE WARNS THAT WE MUST USE OUR FREEDOM TO FULFILL OUR CALLING AS DISCIPLES TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER

HE CONDEMNS THE COMMON BACKBITING FOUND IN CHRUCH

HE ENDS BY REINFORCING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT, AND CHARGES THEM LIVE BY THE SPIRIT


IN CHAPTER 6 WE COME TO THE REAL FOCUS



GALATIONS 6
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will 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 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

WE CAN BE SO EASYILY DECIEVED INTO THINKING THAT WHAT WE ARE FOLLOWING AND BELIEVING IS GOD, WHEN INFACT IT IS THE WISDOM OF SELFISHNESS AND SELFCENTEREDNESS

GOD TEACHES US THAT WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
WHATEVER PRACTICES WE LIVE, OR TEACH OTHERS TO LIVE WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE A HARVEST IN OUR LIVES EITHER HERE OR IN THE LIFE TO COME

LIFE IS HARD TO FIGURE OUT

NO MATTER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES IN LIFE KEEP COMING AT US

EVEN WHEN WE ARE LIVING RIGHT AND SERVING THE KING AND THE KINGDOM WE CAN GET BEATEN UP

WE NEED TO PROTECT OURSELF FROM GROWING WEARY, WE CAN’T LOOSE HEART.

THE REALITY IS THAT WE WILL FACE TIMES IN OUR LIFE THAT WILL WEAR US OUT

BUT PAUL TELLS US THAT WE NEED TO TRAIN OUR SELVES IN RIGHT LIVING AND THAT WILL STRENGHTHEN US FOR THOSE TIMES

1 Corinthians 9:25
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET STRONGER, AND BE LESS FATIGUED

1. PERSPECTIVE- IF WE LIVE A LIFE FOCUSED ON YESTERDAY AND TODAY WE WILL GET WORN DOWN QUICK BUT IF WE CAN GET AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE. WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS LIFE IS TEMPORARY, HOPE FOR ETERNITY LESSEN THE INPACT OF THE MOMENT.


2. ENCOURAGE- WE NEED TO BUILD ENCOURAGEMENT INTO OUR LIVES AND OFFER IT TO OTHERS. DAVID STENGHTENED OR ENCOURAGED HIMSELF IN THE LORD, AND WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER WHILE IT IS CALLED TODAY

3.FELLOWSHIP- Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

WE NEED TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE DEPTH. WE NEED RELATIONSHIPS THAT BUILD UP AND EDIFY, NOT TEAR DOWN AND TERRIFY.

THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE BUILT ON ACCOUNTABILITY, AND RESPONSIBILITY.

4.STUDY, 2 TIM 15; Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

WE NEED TO STAY IN THE WORD OF TRUTH FOR STRENGHTH


5. STAND FIRM

EPH 6:13-18 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

THERE COMES A TIME WHERE YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT YOU AS A MAN STAND FOR

THE OLD SAYING IS THAT IF YOU DON’T STAND FOR SOMETHING YOU WILL FALL FOR ANYTHING

Paul.