A STUDY OF GALATIANS (Part-7)

Study of Galatians (Part-7)

Question:
Would you say that most Christians commit sins?

Question:
Would you say all Christians commit sins?

Question:
What difference do you notice
between the sins of Christians, and non-Christians?
    – Christians tend to hide their sins more than non-Christians?

Question:
How do you think some Christians feel
toward other Christians who are caught in sin?
    – Self-righteous?
    – Unfriendly?
    – Compassionate?

Question:
How do some Christians react to others who are
caught in sin, after they confess and ask forgiveness?
    – Arrogant?
    – Self-righteous?
    – Compassionate?

GALATIANS 6
VERSE 1.
Paul says we should restore them (gently)
(forgive them and accept them as we did before).
    – Don’t point out their sins.
    – Don’t lecture them.
    – Don’t judge them.
    – Don’t make them feel more guilty than they already feel.
      Note:
         God has already taken care of the guiltiness they feel.

    Question:
    At times, aren’t we all guilty of one or more of the
    four things listed above that we should not be doing?

Paul says we must be gentle (in meekness) with those
who need to restore their relationship with the Lord.

Question:
Have you ever notices how Christians do not take a strong stand
against sin at times; yet, at other times, they take a very strong stand?
    Question:
    Why is that?
        – Could it be that we are more tolerant of those
          committing the same sins we are guilty of committing?
        – It might be that we are more tolerant of some people?

Question:
Could we sometimes have a natural tendency to be too harsh, when
speaking about those we know, who have been found guilty of sin?
    Question:
    Do we gossip?

Paul knows we are equally weak and susceptible to sin
(and he reminds us of this fact).

Question:
How would we be tempted?
    – We could become condescending and feel
      that we are better than those who fail?
    – We could overlook the sins in our own lives?
    – We could allow anger to be aroused in ourselves?
    – We might think less about the person, and more
      about the sin they have committed, which might
      ’trigger’ the desires in us to commit the same sin?

Question:
What is a typical method people
often use to build themselves up?
    – Putting others down.
      Note:
          It is easy to point out the flaws in others; but not
          so easy to remember the failures in our own lives.

Question:
Would you say our nation as a whole, has a tendency
to look the other way when we see someone in trouble?
    Question:
    Why is that?
        – Could it be that many are unwilling
          to get involved for various reasons?
          (Too busy? Unwilling to make a sacrifice for others?
           Unsure of what they should do to help? Assumes that
           someone else is (or should be) helping them? Doesn’t
           realize that the person needing help was put in their
           path because God wants them to be the helper? etc.)

VERSE 2.
Paul says we should be sensitive to the needs of others.
When we are, we are showing that our attitude is more
closely aligned with the One we are following, Jesus.

He says bearing one another’s burdens fulfills the law of Christ.
Question:
What law?
    – The law to love one another?

Question:
Have you noticed how some people think
they are good judges of human character?
(they think they can tell what a person is like, just by looking at
them, even though they don’t really know them, or their personality)
    Question:
    What about judging ourselves, are we good at that?

Note:
We tend to take 1 of 2 extremes, don’t we?
    1. We see only our bad side,
        our good qualities go unnoticed,
        and we consider ourselves totally evil.

    2. We see only our good side, we overlook our faults,
         and we think more highly of ourselves than we should.

Aren’t you glad our spouses help us to remember
that we are to have the same kind of humility as Jesus?
    A pastor was feeling very good about the message
    he delivered one Sunday morning and on the way
    home he asked his wife,
        “How many great preachers do you suppose there are?”
    Her reply,
        “One less than you think there are”

VERSE 3.
Paul says when someone thinks they have no faults, they
are fooling themselves. Why? Because we all have faults.

Question:
We live in a world where we are accustomed
to having others judge us. Agree or disagree?
    1. School (tests – we are graded on how well we have learned).
    2. Parents (we are rewarded or punished as deemed appropriate).
    3. Business (our work is evaluated and we are rewarded accordingly).

Note:
    – We constantly compare ourselves to others.
          – We easily notice where we are superior,
            and lightly pass over where we are inferior.
          – We look at the qualities in others that we
            would like to have ourselves (and it can
            cause us to have an inferior complex).
    – Sometimes we are dishonest with ourselves when we
      strive to think of ourselves in the best light possible.

VERSE 4.
Paul says we are to be judged by our own
works, and not how they compare with others.
    Note:
    When we realize this, we can rejoice in how well we
    have done, instead of how poorly someone else has done.

VERSE 5.
Question:
Is this a contradiction to Galatians 6:2?
    – No.
      6:2 – Refers to our responsibility to man.
      6:5 – Refers to our responsibility to God.
              (we are held accountable for our own works).

VERSE 6.
We need to provide support and encouragement
those God has called to study and share His Word.
    Note:
    Sometimes we may joke with a pastor about
    “not having a real job”, but try to imagine the
    amount of time he dedicates to studying God’s
    Word and praying so he can share what the Lord
    wants us to hear. Imagine the challenge of sharing
    God’s Word in a positive and convicting way, due to
    his concern for others to grow in their relationship
    with the Lord, and the salvation of the lost. Make a
    special effort to encourage them for their dedication
    and commitment.

Note:
There are teachers and reachers.
    – Teachers (study, research, and share).
    – Reachers (listen and pass on what they have heard).
      Note:
          Sharing with others what we have heard, or how the
          Lord has blessed us, is one way we can serve the Lord.
          We don’t have to be ‘religious’, ‘theological’, or feel
          ‘uncomfortable’, we just need to develop an ability to
          include these things in casual conversations when we
          have the opportunities.

VERSE 7.
Question:
Do we ever deceive ourselves into
believing something that is not true?

Question:
Do we ever deceive others into believing
something about us that is not true?

Paul says we cannot deceive God.
    He knows us better than we know ourselves.

    We will reap what we sow (God will reward us accordingly).
        If we live an evil life, we are likely to receive evil.
        Note:
            Have you noticed how often murders
            occur in the criminal community?

    If we live a good life, we will receive good.
        – However, we must be patient.
          (just as a farmer waits on the harvest).
              – He doesn’t stop cultivating, and wait for the crops
                to ‘pop up’ (he keeps weeding, fertilizing, etc.).
             – We shouldn’t live a good life up to a point, and then stop
                (we should continue in our efforts to live like Jesus;
                 it is part of the process of our being sanctified by God).

Note:
    – Remember, just when we are about to give up, that
      may be the exact time when God planned to reward us.

    – The next hurdle we face, may have a reward waiting
      on the other side. But if we don’t ‘press on’ we will
      miss out on the reward God has for us.

    – If we give up too early, God may have to start all over
      with us by giving us some of the same challenges we
      have already experienced. We may have to navigate
      some of the same obstacles we dealt with before. God
      may repeat some of our hurdles, as preparation for
      bringing us to the hurdle we failed to complete earlier.

VERSE 8.
Chasing fleshly desires will lead to corruption; but
following the Spirit leads to the greatest reward (eternal life).

VERSE 9.
Paul explains how we must be patient when doing good.
    – Our rewards will come, but on God’s timetable, not ours.

VERSE 10.
Look for opportunities to do good;
    – The more we look for opportunities, the more they will appear.
      Note:
      The byproduct is: we develop a more positive attitude.

Question:
Why does Paul say,
“especially to the those of the who belong to the family of believers”?
    – Doing good to those close to us,
      is sometimes more difficult than doing good to others?
    – Believers who are frequently doing good to others
      are less likely to be recipients of goodness from others?
      Note:
          Givers need to be receivers too.

Question:
How would you answer these questions?
    “What have I done lately that benefitted someone else?”

    “In the last three months, how have I sacrificed in order
     to do something for someone else, with no expectations
     of anything in return”?

    “Can I recall anything I have done to encourage someone
      God has called to prophesy (share God’s Word)?”

Challenge:
    During the next week, look for an opportunity to
    do something for, or encourage someone else. God
    tells us that we should think more highly of others
    than we do of ourselves, and this is a way for us to
    see if we are willing to obey His instructions.
    Note:
        If you have a struggle thinking of something you
        can do, then think of a way to encourage another
        person, and then do it.
        In addition, pray each day and sincerely ask the Lord
        to show you how you can encourage, help, or do something
        nice for another person.
        Lastly, think about when someone did something,
        or encouraged you, and how you can do something
        for them in return.

Six things we should learn from this lesson
1. We are to uphold Christians who fall into sin.
    (rather than rejoice over our own goodness when we
     see someone else sin, we should encourage them and
     let them know they are still loved).

2. We are to share the burdens of other people.
     (be sensitive to the needs of those around us).

3. We are responsible to God for our conduct.
     (to compare ourselves with others accomplishes nothing;
      our comparisons should be to the standards of Jesus).

4. As followers of Jesus, we are expected to
     encourage those God has called to share His Word.

5. We will receive back according to what we do in life.
     (God will punish those who oppose him
      and reward those who are faithful to Him;
      He will encourage those who encourage others).

6. We are to ‘do good’ to all people,
     and have special concerns for fellow believers.
         – God loves all people.
         – We are expected to love them as well.
         – We should not give up ‘doing good’ when others fail
           to show appreciation for anything we have done for them.

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