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God thinks particularly highly of some messages, so they are repeated again and again throughout Scripture, like 'Do not be afraid.' This passage today is one of them, so we ought to prick up our ears and obey the Lord!

'Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 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. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.' (Galatians 6:1-10)

Contradictions?

I don't know about you, but the first thing I spotted in this passage are two of Paul's statements: 'Bear one another's burdens' versus 'each will have to bear his own load'. What does this mean? The trick is in the words - burdens, and loads. All of us have a load to bear, whether that's our work, our marriage, or other responsibilities. We are held responsible for being faithful with what God has given us. But we also have burdens. A family member dies. A friend will not forgive us. A colleague keeps putting us down. We are not meant to live this life alone! We'll come back to this, but basically that's the difference. No worries.

Sowing to the flesh

Paul's real warning in this passage is about where our attention lies. Our society points us in the direction of drinking poison, and obesity's a great example. We're told everywhere we go that restaurants everywhere cook incredible food, so we go along and eat thousands of calories, then wonder why obesity is becoming more and more of an issue! We're told by society to drink poison. Sexual immorality's another one. The porn industry makes millions selling videos of 'schoolgirls', 'barely legal teens', and 'cheerleaders', then we wonder why child porn is on the increase and why more and more stories of underage prostitutes are popping up everywhere. If we sow to the flesh, we will reap from the flesh. The flesh is fallen, and so the harvest will be corrupted. But if we sow to the Spirit by reading the Bible, being actively involved in a church, telling our unbelieving friends about Jesus, and praising his name, we will reap from the Spirit - and he is eternal, good, loving, and perfect!

All you need is love

But the overarching message of this passage is summed up in one word, we saw it last week: love. Jesus said that 'by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.' (John 13:35) That's Paul's message. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross did not only reconcile us to God the Father, it reconciled us to one another! We have a personal responsibility to reap to the Spirit rather than to the flesh, but we have a corporate responsibility to love one another. That means correcting one another's sinful habits in love and 'a spirit of gentleness', but Paul sums it up well in verse 10 - 'let us do good to everyone, and especially to [Christians]'. Will you obey God?

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

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