Galatians 6:1-10 - Bearing Burdens and Loads

Galatians 6:1-10

Bear and Share Burdens

1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.

Be Generous and Do Good

6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

We are urged to restoration of sinners caught up in their sin when they falter and fall, not to treat them with condemnation or shunning without first attempting to reconcile them to the Lord through repentance.  Those of us who are truly spiritual and regenerate should humbly understand and weep with those who weep as well as rejoice with those who are rejoicing.  Only the immature in faith attack and being fellow sinners down with heartless zeal instead of a godly appeal.  We remember that we also are fallible and anyone of us can be tempted to fall into the same or similar situations and be overtaken (James 1:14-15) by sin as we fall into its snare.  We are therefore to help bear the burdens others endure to help hold them up with our example and encouragement of the scriptures in love and concern of true care for the state of their souls.  But if we allow our pride to declare we would never do such a thing as that sinner, we must beware of the self-deceit that leads to our own times of being overtaken by temptations and committing sin as a result of our arrogant pride that cannot feel the plight of another.  We therefore should work for true church discipline when our coming alongside another fails that the body collectively can bring the fellow sinner to repentance and restoration in fellowship.  This reflection on our own frailty shows us our own works in God’s eyes of grace and stops our comparison with others as if we are any better or more spiritual.  We are to judge ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:31, Psalm 32:5, 1 John 1:8-10) then we can rejoice in doing the right things to please God as we take responsibility to bear our own burdens and take time to help others deal with their heavy troubles of their own weighty temptations they need help with.  The apostle then reminds us as he did the church in Galatia to share with those who teach them these things to come to this maturity in the faith while we run the race as Philippians 3:15-16 also reminds us.  What we sow in others we reap in accolades from the Lord; this means that we need to heed the things we plant lead to spiritual growth that last into eternity and not worldly corruption and the consequences of sin.  We are to be kingdom and heavenly minded.  This motivates us to not give up in our struggles against sin (Hebrews 12:4) and ensures we will reap good things in ourselves and fellow believers as we serve God and man.  May we take every opportunity to do good to all in life with a special regard for fellow believers because we sharpen and uphold one another as the household of God (Ephesians 2:19, 22) in watchful care and engaging concern.  This is bearing burdens and loads as a spiritually maturing person.