Galatians 6

is simile of sowing and reaping also refers tothe proper support of ministers. "He that soweth to the Spirit," i.e.,he that honors the ministers of God is doing a spiritual thing and will reapeverlasting life. "He that soweth to the flesh," i.e., he that hasnothing left for the ministers of God, but only thinks of himself, that personwill reap of the flesh corruption, not only in this life but also in the life tocome. The Apostle wants to stir up his readers to be generous to their pastors.

That the ministers of the Church need supportany man with common sense can see. Though this support is something physical theApostle does not hesitate to call it sowing to the Spirit. When people scrape upeverything they can lay their hands on and keep everything for themselves the Apostle calls it a sowing to the flesh. He pronounces those who sow to theSpirit blessed for this life and the life to come, while those who sow to theflesh are accursed now and forever.

VERSE 9Andlet us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faintnot.

The Apostle intends soon to close his Epistleand therefore repeats once more the general exhortation unto good deeds. Hemeans to say "Let us do good not only to the ministers of the Gospel, butto everybody, and let us do it without weariness." It is easy enough to dogood once or twice, but to keep on doing good without getting disgusted with theingratitude of those whom we have benefited, that is not so easy. Therefore theApostle does not only admonish us to do good, but to do good untiringly. For ourencouragement he adds the promise: "For in due season we shall reap, if wefaint not." "Wait for the harvest and then you will reap the reward ofyour sowing to the Spirit. Think of that when you do good and the ingratitude ofmen will not stop you from doing good."

VERSE 10.Aswe have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto themwho are of the household of faith.

In this verse the Apostle summarizes hisinstructions on the proper support of the ministers and of the poor. Heparaphrases the words of Christ: "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh,when no man can work." (John 9:4.) Our good deeds are to be directed primarily at those whoshare the Christian faith with us, "the household of faith," as Paulcalls them, among whom the ministers rank first as objects of our well doing.

VERSE 11.Yesee how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

With these words the Apostle intends to drawthe Galatians on. "I never," he says, "wrote such a long letter with my own hand to any of the other churches." His other epistles hedictated, and only subscribed his greetings and his signature with his own hand.

VERSE 12.Asmany as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to becircumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

Paul once more scores the false apostles in aneffort to draw the Galatians away from their false doctrine. "The teachersyou have now do not seek the glory of Christ and the salvation of your souls,but only their own glory. They avoid the Cross. They do not understand what theyteach."

These three counts against the false apostlesare of so serious a nature that no Christian could have fellowship with them.But not all the Galatians obeyed the warning of Paul.

The Apostle's attack upon the false apostleswas not unjustified. Neither are our attacks upon the papacy. When we call thePope the Antichrist and his minions an evil brood, we do not slander them. Wemerely judge them by the touchstone of God's Word recorded in the first chapterof this Epistle: "Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any othergospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him beaccursed."

VERSE 13.Forneither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have youcircumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

In other words: "I shall tell you whatkind of teachers you have now. They avoid the Cross, they teach no certaintruths. They think they are performing the Law, but they are not. They have notthe Holy Spirit and without Him nobody can keep the Law." Where the HolyGhost does not dwell in men there dwells an unclean spirit, a spirit thatdespises God and turns every effort at keeping the Law into a double sin.

Mark what the Apostle is saying: Those who arecircumcised do not fulfill the Law. No self-righteous person ever does. To work, pray, or suffer apart from Christ is to work, pray, and tosuffer in vain, "for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." It does aperson no good to be circumcised, to fast, to pray, or to do anything, if in hisheart he despises Christ.

"Why do the false apostles insist thatyou should be circumcised? Not for the sake of your righteousness,"although they give that impression, but "that they may glory in yourflesh." Now what sort of an ambition is that? Worst of all, they forcecircumcision upon you for no other reason than the satisfaction they get out ofyour submission.

VERSE 14.ButGod forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"God forbid," says the Apostle,"that I should glory in anything as dangerous as the false apostles gloryin because what they glory in is a poison that destroys many souls, and I wishit were buried in hell. Let them glory in the flesh if they wish and let themperish in their glory. As for me I glory in the Cross of our Lord JesusChrist." He expresses the same sentiment in the fifth chapter of theEpistle to the Romans, where he says: "We glory in tribulations"; andin the twelfth chapter of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians: "Mostgladly, therefore, will l rather glory in my infirmities." According tothese expressions the glory of a Christian consists in tribulations, reproaches,and infirmities.

And this is our glory today with the Pope andthe whole world persecuting us and trying to kill us. We know that we sufferthese things not because we are thieves and murderers, but for Christ's sakewhose Gospel we proclaim. We have no reason to complain. The world, of course,looks upon us as unhappy and accursed creatures, but Christ for whose sake wesuffer pronounces us blessed and bids us to rejoice. "Blessed are ye," says He, "when men shall revile you, andpersecute you. and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingglad."(Matt. 5:11, 12.)

By the Cross of Christ is not to beunderstood here the two pieces of wood to which He was nailed, but all theafflictions of the believers whose sufferings are Christ's sufferings. ElsewherePaul writes: "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind ofthe afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church." (Col. 1:24.)

It is good for us to know this lest we sinkinto despair when our opponents persecute us. Let us bear the cross for Christ'ssake. It will ease our sufferings and make them light as Christ says, Matthew11:30, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

VERSE 14.Bywhom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

"The world is crucified unto me,"means that I condemn the world. "I am crucified unto the world," meansthat the world in turn condemns me. I detest the doctrine, theself-righteousness, and the works of the world. The world in turn detests mydoctrine and condemns me as a revolutionary heretic. Thus the world is crucifiedunto us and we unto the world.

The monks imagined the world was crucifiedunto them when they entered the monastery. Not the world, but Christ, iscrucified in the monasteries.

In this verse Paul expresses his hatred ofthe world. The hatred was mutual. As Paul, so we are to despise the world andthe devil. With Christ on our side we can defy him and say: "Satan, themore you hurt me, the more I oppose you."

VERSE 15.Forin Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, buta new creature.

Since circumcision and uncircumcision arecontrary matters we would expect the Apostle to say that one or the other might accomplish some good. But he denies that either of them do anygood. Both are of no value because in Christ Jesus neither circumcision noruncircumcision avail anything.

Reason fails to understand this, "for the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God." (I Cor. 2:14.) It therefore seeks righteousness in externals. However,we learn from the Word of God that there is nothing under the sun that can makeus righteous before God and a new creature except Christ Jesus.

A new creature is one in whom the image ofGod has been renewed. Such a creature cannot be brought into life by good works,but by Christ alone. Good works may improve the outward appearance, but theycannot produce a new creature. A new creature is the work of the Holy Ghost, whoimbues our hearts with faith, love, and other Christian virtues, grants us thestrength to subdue the flesh and to reject the righteousness of the world.

VERSE 16.Andas many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy.

This is the rule by which we ought to live,"that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and trueholiness." (Eph. 4:24.) Those who walk after this rule enjoy the favor of God, theforgiveness of their sins, and peace of conscience. Should they ever beovertaken by any sin, the mercy of God supports them.

VERSE 17.Fromhenceforth let no man trouble me.

The Apostle speaks these words with a certainamount of indignation. "I have preached the Gospel to you in conformitywith the revelation which I received from Jesus Christ. If you do not care forit, very well. Trouble me no more. Trouble me no more."

VERSE 17.ForI bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

"The marks on my body indicate whoseservant I am. If I was anxious to please men, if I approved of circumcision and good works as factors in our salvation, if I would take delight in yourflesh as the false apostles do, I would not have these marks on my body. Butbecause I am the servant of Jesus Christ and publicly declare that no person canobtain the salvation of his soul outside of Christ, I must bear the badge of myLord. These marks were given to me against my will as decorations from the deviland for no other merit but that I made known Jesus."

Of the marks of suffering which he bore inhis body the Apostle makes frequent mention in his epistles. "I think," he says, "that God hath set forth us the apostleslast, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world,and to angels, and to men." (I Cor. 4:9.) Again, "Unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and arebuffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; And labour, working with our hands:being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, weintreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of allthings unto this day." (I Cor. 4:11-13.)

VERSE 18.Brethren,the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

This is the Apostle's farewell. He ends hisEpistle as he began it by wishing the Galatians the grace of God. We can hearhim say: "I have presented Christ to you, I have pleaded with you, I havereproved you, I have overlooked nothing that I thought might be of benefit toyou. All I can do now is to pray that our Lord Jesus Christ would bless myEpistle and grant you the guidance of the Holy Ghost."

The Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, who gaveme the strength and the grace to explain this Epistle and granted you the graceto hear it, preserve and strengthen us in faith unto the day of our redemption.To Him, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, be glory, world without end.Amen.