Through the NT, Part 25. Part 18 in our discussion of Galatians.

Paul’s final words typically pull together the message of the letter. He often mentions specific people. In this letter, though the elements of summary and final words are present, he doesn’t revisit his mentions of specific persons. However, Paul does allude to the Judaizers, their attempts to keep the Galatians enslaved to the Law being the reason Paul wrote this letter.

Instead, Paul revisits essential points from the letter, identifying the actions that need to follow his teaching and instruction by giving a series of commands.

  • Galatians 6:6: “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.“
    • This first instruction and the one following (6:7) are commands that imply continuous and repeated actions both now and in the future. In other words, you don’t pay your elders/pastors/teachers only once for all of their efforts at instruction and leadership. No, you regularly share your harvest, your goods, your income, providing your service and support for their efforts to equip you.
  • 6:7: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
    • Paul commands them not to be deceived. Likewise, this isn’t a one-time command, but an instruction for the entire life of a Christian, the result being the outcome of eternal life, rather than temporal blessings. Seek out the truth. Avoid the lies of the evil one and false teachers, such as the Judaizers, who had shattered the harmony of the early church. God sees. He witnesses our hypocrisy. He knows when we go along with deception and comfort, rather than seeking to live righteously as Christians.
  • 6:8, “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.“
    • In an agrarian culture, everyone understood that what you plant is what then grows out of the ground. If we aim to merely please our flesh and, therefore, sow the seed of corruption (Strong’s #5356), the ruin and decay that result in our lives and in the lives of others will lead to destruction and death, for we have not anchored our lives to the instruction, leading, gentleness, and patience of the Holy Spirit. This is evidence that we may not be truly born again. However, if we are true believers, we will instead reap eternal life, for we follow the Spirit’s leading, which is evidence of our salvation.
  • 6:9, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
    • Paul immediately follows up that last warning with another command that requires repetition. Our perseverance is another evidence of true faith. We may have times of discouragement. We may feel like giving up, but our reliance upon the Holy Spirit enables us to persevere, neither giving up (Strong’s #1590) nor fainting. How often do we grow weary (Strong’s #1573), lose heart, or grow desperate when we have loved, served, and repeatedly done good, and yet, we haven’t yet seen a result? For that scenario, which is frequent in the Christian life, Paul reminds us that we will indeed reap for eternity the crop of our good plantings, IF we do not give up.
  • 6:10, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
    • This final instruction summarizes this paragraph. As long as we are living, we are to walk in Jesus’ steps and continually do good, from the present and into the future. This is the outflowing of the Holy Spirit’s presence within us.
If we are true believers, we will reap eternal life, for we will follow the Holy Spirit's leading, which is evidence of our #salvation. #Faith #bgbg2 Click To Tweet "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9 ESV). To persevere is evidence of our #salvation. #Faith #bgbg2 Click To Tweet "As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10 ESV). This is evidence of our #salvation. #Faith #bgbg2 Click To Tweet

Let’s Summarize

“Paul instructs the church to support its teachers materially—with food, money, and whatever good things are appropriate. 6:7-8, whatever one sows, that will one also reap. In this context, Paul’s reference to ‘reaping’ is a reference to the blessings of eternal life (rather than to temporal blessings) that the believer will ‘reap’ as the result of ‘sowing’ his life to the Spirit. As Paul argues elsewhere (2 Corinthians 4:17), the believer’s expectation and experience in this life will be persecution and affliction, but ‘this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison’ (Cf. Jesus’ words in John 15:18-21; 16:33).” 1.

"Whatever one sows, that will one also reap"(Gal.6:7-8). Reaping refers to the blessings of eternal life, the result of sowing, spending ourselves, and pouring out one's life to the #HolySpirit. #faith #bgbg2 Click To Tweet

Final Words

Now Paul brings together all the loose ends of this letter, summarizing our verse-by-verse examination of The Letter of Paul to the Galatians. Reassuring his readers, he points out the prideful hypocrisy and self-serving motives of the Judaizers who have persecuted and harassed these new followers of Jesus Christ.

“It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh” (Galatians 6:12-13 ESV).

The Judaizers pridefully sought followers who would emulate their legalistic lifestyles, thereby gaining power over the ones they convinced to adhere to the letter of the Law. They sought a religion acceptable to their synagogue, a religion that gave them social status. Yet Paul had an entirely different goal.

“But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which[through whom] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Galatians 6:14-17 ESV).

  • 6:17a, “From now on let no one cause trouble for me.” To whom this is addressed or why is not known. Paul appealed to his service for Christ as the reason that this should not happen again. It possibly refers to the personal attacks that the false teachers used to alienate the Galatian believers from the gospel. The Galatian believers allowed this to happen!”3.
  • 6:17b, “for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus” As the false teachers were emphasizing circumcision as a mark of God’s covenant, Paul asserted that he also had an outward sign. They were the signs of his physical persecution for preaching the good news of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 4:7–12; 6:4–6; 11:23–28).”4.

We often rush by the final words of New Testament epistles, and yet here we can learn much about the church and about the New Testament Scriptures. Therefore, I include one further note, for this letter was passed among the churches throughout Galatia. Believers with scribes had this letter copied, and everyone memorized the entirety, as was the ancient custom. Though it is the first letter of Paul, because of those copies and memorizations, we still have this letter in its entirety. Thus, God preserved the words inspired by the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul.

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen” (Galatians 6:18 ESV).

“6:18 is an example of a brief blessing in a cyclical letter (because there are no personal greetings, like Ephesians). Note that the term “be with your spirit” is a good example of the small “s” (spirit) which is used of mankind’s spirit, not the Holy Spirit. However, in many instances in the New Testament, it refers to man’s spirit which is energized by the Holy Spirit. This is probably the implication here.”5.

Grace be with you. I hope our journey through Galatians was an encouragement.

For more fascinating information on Galatia via Biblical Archaeology, click here.

  1. ESV Study Bible, note on Galatians 6:6, Crossway Bibles, Wheaton, Illinois.
  2. Paul’s need to write in large letters was discussed earlier. Find the link here.
  3.  Utley, R. J. (1997). Paul’s First Letters: Galatians and I & II Thessalonians (Vol. Volume 11, p. 68). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.
  4.  Utley, R. J. (1997). Paul’s First Letters: Galatians and I & II Thessalonians (Vol. Volume 11, p. 68). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.
  5.  Utley, R. J. (1997). Paul’s First Letters: Galatians and I & II Thessalonians (Vol. Volume 11, p. 68). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.
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