Lesson 77 December 8, 2002

Review:

5:26 Some unfinished business with the Galatians, some not walking by the Spirit

Let us not become boastful,

boastful, keno,doxoj speaks of groundless or baseless conceit; a form or boastful arrogance; it describes one who talks big but its empty hot air, nothing to support it.

challenging one another, prokale,w to call before; challenge (to combat or athletic contest), therefore to provoke, or irritate one another (of the same kind)

envying one another. fqone,w Verb that describes the action of desiring what someone else has; [had the noun back in vs:21]

Summary 5:26

1. These three characteristics are pertinent areas of concern in any local church where there is a challenge to accurately teaching the Word of truth by any form of legalism or works performance system.

2. All three of these categories, boastful, challenging, and envying, are driven by self-centeredness.

3. This focus on being self centered violates the principle of being motivated so that all that we do is to be done for the glory of God. 1 Cor 10:31

4. Boastfulness compares yourself with yourself instead of with God and His standard. 2 Cor 10:11-13 (principle)

5. Envying others often happens when you have compared yourself with someone else and found yourself lacking.

6. Paul's point is your freedom is being hindered by the deeds of the flesh or by being enslaved to any external law system.

7. Paul has given in the context the solution to these sins as well as those in vs:19-21;

#1 keep on walking by the Spirit 5:16

#2 being led by the Spirit 5:18

#3 to live by the Spirit walking in harmony with the Spirit 5:25

Galatians Chapter 6

Putting to the test the reality of the Fruit of the Spirit

The Examples given for fruit applied:

1. Toward the believer who abuses his freedom in Christ 6:1

2. Toward the fellow believer with a heavy burden 6:2-5

3. Toward the Pastor-Teacher 6:6-9

4. Toward all believers in general 6:10

1. Toward the believer who abuses his freedom in Christ 6:1

Paul establishes here a hypothetical situation, this could happen and if it does here's how to deal with the individual.

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass,

The question is this, is this statement saying that this person was overtaken or surprised by the transgression/sin [with the implication he didn't know he sinned]

Or is Paul saying that this one was surprised or detected in a transgression/sin, in other words caught in the very act, red handed.

you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness;

Who is he referring to here as the spiritual?

The command

Key word is restore katarti,zw basic put in order, restore to a former condition, mend, repair

And he says the manner in which we are to go about this process of restoration.

In a spirit of gentleness

- The one who is commanded to restore the one who is abusing his freedom through continual enslavement to some sin, is to be motivated to ensure the spiritual welfare of the individual.