Do Not Give Up Doing Good
Book of Galatians Chapter 6 Verse 1 through 10
We should understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to help our brothers and sisters in Christ or in fact anyone else.
We must stress this point at all times!
We are all still sinners at least as long as we are in these bodies of flesh as Paul has pointed out.
We all suffer the same passions and at times someone of us is always overtaken by sin.
How we approach a fallen brother or sister is of great importance!
It is sometimes a very delicate matter!
That one who has fallen may be sensitive or even embarrassed and easily shamed for giving into their flesh.
It is these things that may not allow this brother or sister to return to the Church.
He or she may even feel like he or she is unwelcome, and we must never allow this to be our intensions.
Unless this person is approved in the right spirit they may never return to the Church.
We must understand that a ministry of restoration, is a ministry of God and should be a ministry of the Church!
This is a ministry that God has called us all to take part in, for any of us could fall at any moment.
*****Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
A wise man said: "A word of Love is more potent than any argument".
That word "brethren" reminds us that Paul is speaking to saved people.
If we see one of our brothers or sisters in violation of the Law of God, he or she is not immediately our enemy!
They are still our brother or sister in Christ.
We all know how hard it is to fight with this flesh and win every battle.
None of us will win every battle with our flesh!
There may have been some in the Churches of Galatia that had fallen from the "Grace" of God, none of us live perfect lives.
That word "overtaken" gives us the idea that someone had fallen back into sin.
It was not deliberate, it was not planned, it was a mistake they had made.
Paul was not speaking of faults in doctrine, but a mistake through weakness of the flesh.
Jesus said to His disciples: Mat_26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Sin is like an addiction, and it is hard to break free from any addiction!
We may not know the problems of our brothers and sisters, unless we show them love where they may trust us enough to speak with us.
Why did the Lord Jesus come to this earth?
Jesus came to restore God's children back to a relationship with our Creator that had been lost by Adam.
Why would we ever refuse to attempt to restore one of our brothers and sisters in Christ, yet many in the Church would say good riddance.
This is not what the Lord Jesus Christ taught when He walked upon this earth.
We all brag about the Scriptures of the Apostle Paul has taught us and he taught a restoration ministry.
The job of restoration is often neglected in the Church.
We tend to pretend that the sin never happened or we tend to react too harshly towards that person.
Those who are Spiritual are those who show the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives and in the Church.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
It is those who show that Spirit of Gentleness that the Lord Jesus showed to all He met who have the best chance of reaching that backslider.
Then Paul says we need to understand there is a possibility that we could be drawn into that same trap of backsliding, and we need to be prepared.
One such thing would be that we could be so full of pride that we can manage every situation that we ourselves fall, but it includes the same temptation our brother or sister has fallen into.
The Bible says: 2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
*****Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Remember the law of Jesus Christ is love!
Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
It is love that caused our Lord Jesus to hang on that cross and die for each of us!
Jesus Christ bore the sins of everyone who has ever lived!
Now we cannot bear the sins of anyone, but we can bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters!
We can first forgive each other! We must understand that sin that made this person fall from Grace was a sin that Christ died for.
Again, what did the Lord Jesus teach us?
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
*****Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
We should understand to be Christian is to be like Jesus Christ. There is no other reason to be called a Christian or to say you are a Christian except you are trying your best to be like Jesus Christ.
It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to bear one another's burdens!
It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to be forgiving!
It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to love one another!
To neglect to do these things is to set ourselves above Christ our Savior.
God came down to earth in the flesh to humble Himself and die for our sins, so how can we say we will not humble ourselves to help a brother or sister in need.
No Christian is better than any other Christian.
None of us can stand before God unless we are wearing the "Righteousness of Jesus Christ"!
There is no place in the Church for feeling superior or spiritually better than others.
Mat 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
We need to do a self-examination to see for ourselves if we possess the right qualities to help a brother or sister in their time of need or we could make things worse.
*****Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
We need to do a self-examination of our own selves comparing ourselves to Jesus Christ and not to some other member of the Church.
We need to understand our own conduct and our own understanding.
We are to examine and judge our own lives, not the life of that fallen brother or sister.
Again, Jesus says: Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
If we are to deal with a backslider, we need to make sure we are not hypocrites!
Criticizing and judging others is a sin!
We cannot help anyone unless we have a pure conscience ourselves.
It is a great joy knowing that we are pleasing God by the way we walk in this life.
2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
*****Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
None of us can escape from our own moral responsibility!
We are personally responsible to the Lord for our own behavior and we shall be judged for what we have done.
We know when we meet the Lord in the air it is a judgment for rewards, and it will be to our own shame if we do not receive any rewards for the things we have done in this life.
If we do not periodically examine ourselves, we can never overcome any faults that we have!
If we spend our time observing the failures of others and not the burdens of our own failures, we will never be able to help anyone in their time of need.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
We must understand that every child of God is a student who sits at the feet of the Master learning how to be like Him.
*****Gal 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
We can go up and down the hallways of our education building and we will find good teachers, but I do not claim to be one of them.
I know if I listen to the Holy Spirit, I can try to get His message across in this classroom and this is what I try to do.
Between myself and my class we should aways be able to discuss the things that I teach.
Here in this Scripture, we see the Holy Spirit speaking directly to the learner who is also a believer.
This passage speaks more to the Pastor than it does to the classroom teacher.
These same things apply to both.
If you want to be good to the teacher:
1) Be present when the teacher teaches.
2) Be attentive and learn what the teacher teaches.
3) Share in discussion of what the teacher teaches.
4) Pass on what the teacher teaches.
5) Participate in the ministry of that teacher.
6) Support the teacher.
7) Encourage others to learn.
Again, this passage is referring to the Pastor of the Church who must also be a good teacher.
Thank goodness for our own Pastor here at Gethsemane.
Teaching is a vital part of the New Testament Church.
Members of the early Church devoted themselves to the teaching of the Aposltes.
Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
The Apostles taught the doctrine of our resurrected Christ.
Act 4:2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
They taught as they had opportunity.
Act 5:21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
Act 5:25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
Notice being locked up in prison did not stop the Apostles.
At that time the city of Jerusalem was saturated with the teaching of Jesus Christ and His atonement.
Act 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Act 5:28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
Act 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Act 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Act 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Act 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
The heart of the message of the Apostles was that our Lord Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
Act 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Act 17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
It is teaching the truth of Jesus Christ that will bring the Church to maturity.
Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
The goal of the Gospel is to make us all look more like Jesus Christ.
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
This teaching is to be taught until the Lord returns.
2Ti 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
We are not to forget the Scripture but continuously teach the Gospel.
Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
This the purpose of our classrooms to teach Jesus!
God knows the truth of every Pastor and every teacher.
In fact, God knows the truth of us all!
*****Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
In the secular world few people are as important as the teacher.
Its the same for the Church.
We should understand that every Pastor should also be a good teacher but few teachers will ever be Pastors.
Teachers in the Church are also very important, especially those who teach the children.
The truth of the Gospel is the most important message in this world!
The Pastor has responsibilities because he is called of God.
The Teacher has responsibilities because he or she is to follow the pastor's lead in teaching the truth of the Scriptures.
The student also has responsibilities to the teacher and to the Church.
In the Bible believing church the true Pastor, is one who accepts the truth of the Gospel and the Apostle's Doctrine which is the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The teachers in that church are to follow his lead and teach the truth of the Scriptures.
The student then honors the teacher and the Pastor when they share the ministry of the teacher.
In the churches of Galatia many of the members were being deceived about facing the judgment of God.
They were being led astray by teachers with a false message.
They were failing to share in the ministry of the Apostle Paul and shared the false message of Judaism.
Judaism is a religion; Christianity is based upon a personal relationship with Jesus Christ they cannot be intermingled.
These false teachers were turning their nose up at God who had told them of this New Covenant, but they were rejecting it.
These teachers were rejecting the teaching of the Apostle Paul, so they were not teachers at all.
They were church terrorists plotting the downfall of the Church of Jesus Christ.
When we attack the true Pastor, we are mocking God who called that Pastor into service.
The lesson these men learned at their death is that God is not mocked for whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.
God is very clear those that reject the message of God will be rejected by God.
When our Pastor preaches the truth of the Scriptures, and that message is rejected by those who hear it then they will stand before God and answer for that rejection.
If we do not listen to the warnings of the lust of the flesh, then we will reap the lusts of the flesh.
Those who reject the message of the true Pastor will worship as they desire.
They will seek some form of the truth somewhere else.
They will refuse to pray.
They will live as they please.
They will strive against the true Church.
They will reject all the Law of God.
They will seek the things of this world.
When we allow our flesh to lead us rather than the Holy Spirit we will see the wrath of God.
The flesh ages, dies, and then it decays.
If we sow to the flesh then we will age, then die, then face the judgment of God which he spells out so vividly in the Scriptures.
It does not matter what the world says, it only matters what God says!
True teachers teach the Word of God just it is written, and these lessons must be learned by us all.
God will not be mocked and there is no escape from His truths!
Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Job 4:8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
If we sow to the Holy Spirit who lives in every believer, we shall reap life everlasting!
If we listen to God's saving message, the Gospel, the Holy Spirit will implant the Divine nature of God within the heart of each believer.
This is how we know and accept the fruit of the Spirit.
This is how we will live forever with God in the New Heaven and the New Earth.
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
We know it has been close to two thousand years since the beginning of the Church Age, and we must be patient until the Church Age reaches its fulfillment.
Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Jas 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
It may seem like an endless task sowing faith and hope, but we must not lose heart!
God is going to reward all those who have such patience!
There is just too much truth in the Scriptures for it all to end in nothingness.
The timing of all these things in is God's hands but the season of sowing is in our hands.
*****Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
God has given us this opportunity to earn rewards.
We should not be waiting for opportunities to develop but making them happen.
We should not be waiting on an opportunity to do good, and we should show kindness to all our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Someone in the Church always has a need!
We must stay alert and not be weary if we want to receive a full reward.
We are responsible for our own family first.
We are responsible to our Church family next.
We are responsible for the lost next.
Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Amen
