GALATIANS 6:1-10
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.

To walk in the Spirit, as we mentioned, is not a mystical concept but an ethical one. Paul gives concrete expression to the idea by applying it to two things: personal relationships (v. 1-5) and financial giving (v. 6-10).

First he addresses how Christians are to deal with someone caught in a sin. We cannot be sure if Paul is bringing this up to forestall a possible overly violent reaction that some Galatians might have after reading the letter against the legalistic assault on the church. Perhaps those who have never been influenced by the Judaizers' doctrine would seize this occasion to condemn in a destructive manner those who were being swayed by it. Then again, perhaps Paul is mentioning this only as a principle important to the healthy development of a congregation.

In any case, the instruction is that "you who are spiritual should restore him gently." We could understand this to say, "If you are spiritual, you will restore him gently," or "This gentle restoration should be done by those who are spiritual." Either, of course, would be true and consistent with the context. Although the former is relevant to the earlier contrast between flesh and Spirit (v. 16-26), to restore someone spiritually indeed requires knowledge, skill, and maturity: "But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted."

That the instruction is to "restore" is also significant in the alternatives that it excludes. When a brother is caught in a sin, do we rejoice in his fall? Do we, out of malice or jealousy, publicize his failure? Or, do we overlook and trivialize his sin? All these are acts of the flesh, and not of the Spirit. Paul says, "you who are spiritual should restore him." This would involve confrontation, correction, instruction, and continual encouragement in directing the erring brother back to the right path.

In so bearing the heavy burdens of others, we fulfill the law of Christ. At least two things would hinder someone from becoming involved with other believers in this manner. First, perhaps "he thinks he is something when he is nothing," but here "he deceives himself." No one should think so highly of himself as to think that he is above caring for his brothers in the Lord. A second destructive tendency is constant comparison with others, and to draw illegitimate conclusions from his supposed inferiority or superiority to his brothers. No, Paul says he should examine himself against the law of Christ, and not to compare himself to others, but rather to carry their burdens as they have need.

Verse 6 might appear to mark a transition to a new topic, but its relevance to carrying other people's burdens and to fulfilling the law of Christ should not be lost to us. No less important is the connection that he makes with sowing and reaping: "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."

Of course, the principle could – and surely does – refer to our moral habits, as to whether we would walk in the Spirit rather than indulge the desires of the flesh (5:16-26). But here the immediate context concerns whether the Christians extend financial support to those who give them "instruction in the word." Paul indicates that to withhold such financial support is to mock God. To neglect or abuse his ministers is to hold in contempt the one who has sent them.

The principle certainly applies to our eternal harvest, our reward in heaven. But there is a payoff even in the present world. Ministers who are faithful and valiant for the word of God are usually more effective in their work when they are well-supported, so that they could devote themselves to the propagation of sound doctrine. The result is a bountiful spiritual harvest.

On the other hand, when believers indulge their fleshly desires and invest in the things of the flesh instead of the things of the spirit, they reap doctrinal confusion, moral corruption, and all kinds of social ills. They sow into the flesh, and what they reap is a world full of false religions, perverted morality, violence and chaos. Not only do they themselves are then made to suffer these consequences, but their children, and their children's children are also made to endure the evil harvest. Thus "God cannot be mocked" – what we sow, we will indeed reap. The harvest may not be instant, but whether we sow to the Spirit or the flesh, it is inevitable that we will also reap the corresponding consequences.

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