ELNORA’S BIBLE STUDY WITH FRIENDS, Galatians 6, Saturday, May 10, 2025

  

Context for Chapter 6

Galatians 5 wrapped up with a focus on what it means to be led by God's Spirit. Galatians 6 starts with describing how Spirit-led Christians serve each other by restoring those caught by sin and bearing each other's burdens. Only those who plant God's Spirit in this life, through faith in Christ, will harvest eternal life. Paul concludes the letter by writing in big letters that circumcision does not matter, only being made a new creation by faith in Christ matters.(Source: https://www.bibleref.com/Galatians/6/Galatians-chapter-6.html)

We Harvest What We Plan, Verses 1-10, KITTY

 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer[a] is overcome by some sin, you who are godly[b] should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. 4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct. 6 Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them. 7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

SECTION QUESTIONS 

1. If you were asked to describe the main theme of the book of Galatians, how would you describe it? 

2. Whose responsibility is it to confront the sin they see in other believers? (Explain)

3. What should be the motivation when confronting sin? 

4. Application of the Word: When confronting sin, a key to remember is that your attitude, tone, facial expressions, and gestures are important to be mindful of. Use tender, kind words. Our goal is not to shame or move the person to self-condemnation. That isn’t of God. Our goals should be to restore them to Christ. Also, we should always evaluate ourselves to make sure that we are operating in the right motivation and not acting as hypocrites. You can recall those Pharisees, and Sadducees who forced people to follow certain laws while disregarding them themselves.  We never want to be like that in the Kingdom of God. Jesus told them they could have no part in the Kingdom of God. That is NOT what it’s about. 

5. Verse 2 says, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. What are some ways we can bear each other's burdens? 

6. The principle of giving to our Spiritual leaders is found throughout the Bible, and we can see it here in verse 6. But, even in these times, many still struggle with giving of their financial resources in church, and clearly the Bible says here that we ought to share all good things with the teachers of the Word. Why is this an important model that God has set in place for us?

7. Encouragement: Galatians 6:9 says, "So, let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."

Paul's Final Advice, Verses 11-18, DESTINY

11 NOTICE WHAT LARGE LETTERS I USE AS I WRITE THESE CLOSING WORDS IN MY OWN HANDWRITING. 12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples. 14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross,[c] my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.[d]  17 From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.18 Dear brothers and sisters,[e] may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

SECTION QUESTIONS 

Cross Reference: Deuteronomy 30:6 - “The Lord your God will change your heart[a] and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!(NLT) NKJV: ”And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”

Cross Reference: Jeremiah 4:4 – “O people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the Lord,[a] or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins.” NKJV: Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings.”

Cross Reference: Romans 2:29 –  “No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise[a] from God, not from people.” NKJV –  “but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose [a]praise is not from men but from God.”

 

 

Confessions for Galatians, Chapter 6

"Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer[a] is overcome by some sin, you who are godly[b] should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself."  (Galatians 6:1)

Heavenly Father, I pray that I may grow in grace and live my life as You would have me live, in spirit and in truth. Help me to be kind, compassionate, hospitable, and gracious toward my brothers and sisters in Christ. May I love others in the same way that Christ loved me and gave Himself for me. Help me to exhibit a spirit of forgiveness and grace, honouring others above myself. Give me a spirit of gentleness and love in my dealings with others, especially those that are straying from the path of righteousness. Keep me ever humble before You, lest I am tempted to sin and so dishonour Your holy name. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.

"Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ."  (Galatians 6:2)

Heavenly Father, thank You that in Christ I am a new creature, and by faith in Him I have become a child of God. I pray I may be a good steward of the work that You have given me to do, and that I remain low at the Cross and broken before You, knowing that I must one day stand before the judgement seat of Christ. Give me the wisdom and strength I need to give encouragement to my brothers and sisters when they fall, but help me to do so without hypercritical judgement, and may I live the rest of my life in a manner that honours Your holy name. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.

"Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit." (Galatians 6:8)

Heavenly Father, thank You that I am part of the new creation in Christ and have been freed from the ravages of sin, death, and hell, by faith in the shed blood of Christ on Calvary. Father, I want to live my life in spirit and truth and keep the old sin nature out of commission and nailed to the Cross. Help me to honestly recognise any fleshly tendencies to which I may cling and keep me, I pray, from sowing to my flesh. Rather, I ask that in the power of the Holy Spirit, I may sow to the Spirit and live my life in humble submission unto the Lord for His praise and glory. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.

 "It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation." (Galatians 6:15)

Heavenly Father, thank You for the wonderful way that You gradually opened up our understanding through the Old and New Testament Scriptures, to teach us that we are all sinners in need of a Saviour, and we are justified by faith. Thank You that You have broken down the barrier between Jew and Gentile and that by grace through faith in Christ, we are new, redeemed creatures, and part of the one new-man in Him. May I live my life to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.

 "May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God."(Galatians 6:16)

Heavenly Father, thank You for the wonderful way that You gradually opened up our understanding through the Old and New Testament Scriptures, to teach us that we are all sinners in need of a Saviour, and we are justified by faith. Thank You that You have broken down the barrier between Jew and Gentile and that by grace through faith in Christ, we are new, redeemed creatures, and part of the one new-man in Him. May I live my life to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Galatians/6