Review

• Teachers speaking a “gospel of circumcision” entered the Galatian church and undermine Paul
• Paul rebukes these teachers
  • He reflects on his years of ministry preaching His gospel that he received from Christ, and affirmed by Peter and James
  • He reflects that he brought gentile believers to Jerusalem with no issue
  • He asks, “Did you receive the Spirit before or after you did things of the flesh”
  • He makes clear the “mark” of faith into Abraham’s family is that of the Spirit, not circumcision
  • He asks them to rebuke and remove the teacher from their ranks
  • He warns them about using their freedom in Christ to indulge in the flesh
  • Now, he encourages them to “walk in the Spirit”

*If the church are those who possess the Spirit, then the church is known by the fruits of the Spirit

Characteristics of Fruit

• Note: Acts is an act, but fruit is something much different
• Characteristics:
  • Producing fruit requires work, but also patience
  • Fruit goes through seasons
  • It sometimes requires pruning, removal, and grafting
  • Fruit is fragile
  • Fruit re-produces itself
  • Fruit is desired and attractive
  • Fruit nourishes

Fruits of the Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love,  joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

• Really, the rest of the fruits that follow are descriptors of what love looks like
• Love = Agape
  • Usually referred as “divine” love or “unconditional” love
  • Most literal meaning is a “love by choice”
    • It’s a love that engages the heart and the mind

*Remember, Paul quotes Jesus “love others as yourself” earlier. It’s a choice to love others that way

• Joy = chara
  • Joy of awareness
  • Joy in its source
  • Etymology link is a combo of char and charo meaning “joy because of grace”

*If you are not in joy in your faith, you’ve forgotten and not living in grace.

• Peace = Irene (Completeness, fulfilled)
  • When all essential parts are joined together
  • To no longer long, but rest in satisfaction
• Forbearance/patience = mak-roth-oo-mee-ah
  • Patience as applied to justice, vengeance, retribution, anger, etc.
• Kindness = kray-stot-ace (Serviceable kindness)
  • Means properly useable. Kindness is not a state of existence but is PROPERLY used for service
• Goodness = Agath-o-soon-ay (condition of being made good)
  • Strictly bible term. Roots found elsewhere, but this variation only found in biblical Greek
• Faithfulness = pristis
  • Same word used for Faith all throughout Galatians
• Gentleness/meekness = prah-oo-tace (strength under control)
  • Literally means “knowing how to use a sword but keeping it sheathed”
  • Its impossible to be meek or gentle if you are weak, only applies to strong people
• Self-control = eng-krat-ia (mastery)
  • Proceeding out from within oneself but not of oneself

Galatians 6

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.

• Word “caught” is actually “overcome” i.e. losing battles
• Notice is says, “restore” through the fruit of the Spirit…not ignore, destroy, or excuse

But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. ² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³ If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. ⁴ Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, ⁵ for each one should carry their own load.

• Paul continues the motif of how to handle your own sin: serve others
  • Also, be willing to receive it
• Simply, this is sincerely asking people, “do you need help?” and helping if they give you a need
• “If anyone thinks they are something when they are not” -biblical hypocrisy
  • Hypocrisy is not: dealing with things they don’t agree with, rather pretending they are not dealing with things

*No contradiction in vs. 2 and vs. 5. One refers to a backpack someone is able to carry, the other refers to the load no one should reasonably carry

 ⁶ Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.⁷ Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸ Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

*You can’t escape it, Paul is primarily talking about money

• Question: Are you required to still pay 10% tithing?
  • Paul’s answer: No, but if the gospel is the most important thing to you as it should be, then are you willing to let the ministers of the gospel fall into poverty?
    • In others words, it shows where you place your real value in the gospel if your not willing to share in your blessing to continue on teaching it
• “I do not find much pleasure in explaining these verses as I appear to be preaching for my own benefit….but…why do the apostles reiterate this command so often? Because when Satan cannot suppress the preaching of the gospel by force, he tries to suppress it by striking preachers of the gospel with poverty”-Martin Luther

¹¹ See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!¹² Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³ Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. ¹⁴ May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which^[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵ Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. ¹⁶ Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to^[b] the Israel of God.¹⁷ From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

Questions for Guided Discussion

1. Reflect through the fruits of the Spirit again: a love of choice, a joy from grace, a peace of satisfaction, useful kindness, patience in vengeance, a growing goodness, faithfulness, a gentle strength, and the mastery of self-control. Which of these have you seen good fruit of in your life? Which of these do you see no fruit of?
2. In 6:2, Paul says we “should carry each other’s burdens.” Why is it hard to share burden? Why is it hard to help?
3. In 6:3, Paul says we are deceived if we think ourselves something we are not. Do you think our cautiousness to be honest about who we are is because we believe ourselves to be who we are not, or because we believe others to be who they are not?
4. In 6:6-8, Paul says we invest in what is important to us, therefore, sharing in our blessings with those who preach the gospel indicates the gospel’s value to us. Many have a problem with the relationship between the church and money. Is the problem some of the modern greed in the church, or our own? Is money a fair indicator for the gospel’s value?