Galatians 6 | Why Accountability is Vital in Christian Community

What does Galatians 6 teach about accountability?
How should Christians handle correction within the church?

Galatians 6 brings Paul's letter to a close, emphasizing the need for believers to focus on Christ and avoid legalistic practices. He stresses that the only way to be justified before God is through faith in Christ, not by human effort or religious rituals. Paul discusses the importance of humility, accountability, and gentle correction within the community, urging believers to help each other stay on the right path without becoming prideful or self-righteous. He reminds the church that living by the Spirit means correcting others with love and maintaining their own spiritual integrity.

The chapter highlights the tension between sowing to the flesh versus sowing to the Spirit. Paul encourages believers to support each other in spiritual growth while keeping in mind the eternal consequences of their choices. He warns against superficial pride in religious acts, pointing out that those who invest in their spiritual life will reap eternal rewards. This theme ties back to the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in chapter 5, reinforcing the need for consistency in living out faith.

Paul also addresses the challenge of maintaining doctrinal clarity and boldness in a world that increasingly values acceptance over truth. He warns against compromising biblical teachings to avoid offense, reminding believers that correcting fellow Christians is a loving act that aligns with the pursuit of eternal life. In contrast, ignoring or accepting sinful behavior leads to spiritual death. Paul emphasizes that the church must balance outreach to the world with a strong focus on discipling and strengthening fellow believers.

In his final remarks, Paul reaffirms that circumcision or any outward religious marker is meaningless without faith in Christ. He introduces the concept of the "Israel of God," referring to those who follow God in faith, whether Jew or Gentile, creating a unified spiritual family. Paul concludes by encouraging believers to boast only in Christ, recognizing that all achievements and abilities are gifts from God meant for His glory.

The takeaway from Galatians 6 is the critical importance of fostering a community that prioritizes faith in Christ, mutual accountability, and spiritual growth. Believers are called to correct one another with love, sow to the Spirit, and boast solely in the work of Christ. This chapter serves as a reminder that true Christian life is about faith, not perform

Transcript

 Galatians 6

Galatians 6

[00:00:00] Hey everyone, welcome to God's plan, your part year two, where this year we're reading through and studying the entire New Testament one chapter at a time. Thanks again for joining us in discovering God's plan and your part in it. Today we are officially wrapping up Galatians. It feels like it went very quick being that we spent a couple of weeks in Corinthians and Galatians is just six chapters.

So we've only spent six days in it. Uh, this is a fitting end to Paul's case to the believers in Galatia. And you can see that he is wrapping up some of the threads that he's been pulling throughout the book. I think it's one of the things that stood out to Jenny probably the most. Um, and he's just trying to, again, remind these folks that the thing that matters is Christ and only Christ.

It's not this legalistic approach to doing something to be found faithful before God because of your flesh or your actions. The only way forward is to trust and have faith in Christ so that you are justified before God. And I would say the first thing [00:01:00] that's going on a little bit more in this chapter before the final bit where he is going through pretty much like a, a review of the chapters in his final little paragraph of this chapter.

He is talking a lot about what seems to me like it's kind of like this pride thread. Um, so he's like reminding them of being accountable to one another, but also not to think too highly of themselves because you can get caught in really weird places when you do that. So like correcting each other is very important when you see someone is like out of line, Also, to remember not to think of yourself, like, essentially more highly than you should because you can fall to the same things that people can keep you accountable for.

Um, so it is like this, this gentle reminder. To be accountable and not prideful in your own self. It is important to point out, like originally this was a letter that Paul wrote, so there were not headings, there were not chapters, and he's naturally following, following up at the beginning of six on what he finished in five.

So chapter five ends in verse 25. If [00:02:00] we live by the spirit, let us also keep in step with the spirit. Let us not become conceited provoking one another or envying one another. And then chapter six, verse one. Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.

Keep watch on yourself, lest you to be tempted. So there is the thought just flows from the end of the chapter five into chapter six. The idea is that part of walking with the spirit is humbly correcting other believers, not in a way that puffs up yourself, but in a way that draws, um, everyone to you. To honoring Christ over themselves.

I think that's a really hard thing to do super hard today because I think a lot of times when we hear to correct one another, it's like, well, one, first of all, I can think for myself when I think of someone correcting me, it's just like, Oh, that's just like, Ooh, I don't, I don't like that. Um, so it's hard to receive criticism, but it's also, I think really kind of like put to [00:03:00] shame to call someone out anymore.

It's like, well, you're just kind of doing your thing. I guess, like. Maybe the spirit's speaking to you differently or like, it's just kind of like everybody's just taking their own. Train of thought with this anymore and just kind of doing what they think is best. However, Paul is saying, uh, you who are spiritual.

So there is something very powerful to people who are mature in their faith. Um, who have been there for quite some time, I guess, even just, I don't know, I don't know how to say that without being like too well, it's interesting that you're bringing that up because there is a pretty famous translation issue.

With the line, you who are spiritual, because it has the feeling that there's like this, this group of like super mature people that have a right to correct others. And actually the Greek translated would be more similar to you who have the Holy Spirit. Well, our Bible says too, it doesn't refer to an elite class of Christians.

It describes mature and experienced Christians. And I think that's [00:04:00] really, really important. And like, I think there can be people who have been in the faith. for years that are not mature. But I think that there are others who have been in the faith that actually have taken their faith seriously and are mature Christians that obviously, I think, would have a little bit more weight in what they would hold me accountable to, um, than others.

So I think that's something to counter in or like to figure in as well. But it's really important that we actually, like, live this out because it is, I honestly feel like this is so frowned upon today. Like it's like this weird touchy subject that nobody wants to like, everybody wants help, but nobody wants help.

And I think that's what he's calling out here. I think it is just to add to your point. Popular mainstream Christianity, particularly in the United States, is getting more and more sloppy and more and more, um, bifurcated. It's like split, it's like split up in several different shards and pieces and places.

Um, doctrine is less and [00:05:00] less understood and, and therefore less and less sharp. And it, it honestly, it's really hard to take this seriously. It's, it's really hard to correct people. Because there's less and less of an awareness of what should be corrected in the first place. So this, I've said this a couple of times on the, the podcast, like, I think a less and less of a desire for actual growth too.

Yeah. So one of our, like, I don't know, like one of our top secret Christian values has become just acceptance, and that's not really an actual Christian value. So it's like we highlight the fact that we are so accepting and we put up with so many different kinds of silliness. Um, it, in my experience, it's just getting harder to offer correction.

And again, in my experience, um, It's hard to actually do this, because it's very common for people to lash out or people to try [00:06:00] to delegitimize things. I've been kind of like, verbally processing this on the podcast that like, recently when I refer to the Bible in conversation, or when I offer insight from the Bible, people push back, and it rubs people the wrong way.

Because less and less people do know the Bible and less and less people know that the Bible is very clear on how we should live and how we should handle things. So when you offer that perspective, it's like, um, I, I know a different guy that has a different perspective. I want to follow him. So this is tough to do.

I think also in verse eight, it, it fleshes this out a little bit further, but also references yesterday when we're talking about the gifts of this, or excuse me, um, Yeah. Thanks to the Spirit. Couldn't remember if that was yesterday and also if that was what we talked about. Anyway. Um, verse 8 says, For the one who's, excuse me, 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. So it's very interesting. [00:07:00] This is very much correlated to yesterday. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious. It just like it goes through that whole list from yesterday. Um, and if you're acting on those things, you're not living like with accountability or listening to Mormon.

It's going to be so obvious that when you are living out or sowing to your own flesh, that's what you're going to reap. You will reap corruption, um, which could look like lashing out or not having patience or gentleness to receive those. types of accountability is so interesting. But if you sow to the spirit, the spirit will reap eternal life.

You will continue to grow in all of those areas and it won't be something that holds you back anymore. It's just like, it's so funny how it's, it just seems so clear, but it's so hard for us to do. It's interesting that when he, that he highlights, um, one way to handle this is just the [00:08:00] flesh and the flesh always leads to death.

Yep. And it's interesting that the other way to look at this is, um, Sowing the spirit and the spirit leads to eternal life. So this is a life and death situation. And this, this idea of correction is important because when we refuse correction, or even when we keep correction to ourselves, like if we see a fellow believer, um, being passionate about a wrong choice or a decision that dishonors Christ in their lives, we are.

Sort of by a sin of omission encouraging them to continue down a path that leads to death We don't want to do that and you know, like have heaven forbid We we don't speak up because we don't want to be awkward or we don't want to be seen as like rude or something We're not we're not being rude We're encouraging people to pursue a life that honors Christ because we know that eventually that leads to eternal life Not only does it Lead to benefit in this life.

It leads to benefit that is eternal life. So we want to [00:09:00] encourage people to live godly lives and we should not be shy about that. I mean, verse nine and 10 are really interesting as well. Uh, this is just like another like added thought and let us not grow weary in doing good for in due season. We will reap if we do not give up.

So continuing to hold each other accountable for these things, even if it's hard. Then verse 10. So then as we have opportunity, let us do good to others. Everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. And I think what's really hard to do today is we oftentimes think like we have to appeal to the world and I think backwards.

Yeah, I think we have, like, it's often like we have to appeal to the world. And, like, hope that maybe we can, like, trick someone into believing what we believe. And I think what's really important for us is to live differently. Not necessarily, like, not offensively, where we're just in people's faces, like, rawr!

But if someone asks me what I believe, I'm not gonna, like, dance around the truth in hopes that [00:10:00] I'm not going to offend someone. Like, I'll tell you what I believe. I'm not gonna, like, Shame you and make you feel like a horrible, awful person. I mean, the spirit's going to do that all on his own. Like he's going to call the things out in your life, but I'm not going to shy away from the truth.

Our, our, uh, study Bible also mentions that our primary focus should be serving other believers, but not exclude people outside of the church. Like, I'm not going to just lie to you, but at the same time, I'm going to be honest about my faith and yeah, so it'll be it there. There are like very clear. Edges you can fall off.

Like you, you can become so focused on the household of faith that you've lost your witness. And I'm, I'm not encouraging that, but you can also become so focused on the outside of the church that you actually lose the task that is equipping the saints. And that is very dangerous. And, and right now it's very popular to do.

And what Paul's saying is like, Hey, do good to everyone, but especially those in the [00:11:00] household of faith. So it's like, Hey, listen, like. When we live to honor Christ, we are being helpful and serving and caring for everyone, but especially those that we call brother, sister, and Christ, because we have a common identity, we have a common mission, and it is like a task that has been given to us.

One of the ways that we sow life in the spirit is by caring for those in the household of the faith. And one of the ways we care for the household of faith is correcting when there's a miss. That's not the only way. That's not the only way. Please hear me. But part of it is correction so that we can encourage spiritual maturity across the church.

I oftentimes think of like when I was a, when I was a teacher, public or private school, whatever, um, the goal is that you provide excellent education, okay, across the board. So, um, Time spent with your teachers and teaching them how to be better teachers. We do that often. Like we spend days in professional development before the school year starts throughout the year, all the things.

There are also times where we obviously like want to [00:12:00] include the parents who want to include whoever to try to like bring them into the conversation. But like, we're not dumping all of our knowledge into the parents. We're dumping the knowledge into the teachers so that the teachers can do what they need to do in the classroom and then help.

The parents along the way, they would not expect the parents to be learning the same things that the teachers are like, that's not the expectation. Um, so it's kind of the same way here. If we dump all of our focus into like, only like, I guess edifying the outside, like only evangelism and not discipling the church.

How is it going to grow to include those others eventually, um, with the, the knowledge and I guess the knowledge of God's word, um, the knowledge of who the spirit is, who God is, who Jesus is. If we're not actually. Taking the time to learn. So to, to round out the letter, uh, Paul again makes this case. First of all, he, he has this line.

I [00:13:00] love pointing it out. See with what large letters I'm writing to you with my own hand. A lot of times these letters are written by like a secretary or, or a servant or something. Um, so this would have actually been his actual handwriting to be like, this is for me, you can see it in my handwriting. Uh, but he rounds out this.

Uh, circumcision argument again, bringing attention to it because remember this is an actual letter written to an actual church and the problem they were dealing with were these false teachers that were saying you had to be circumcised and follow the law to be justified before God. So that's why he's talking about correcting and restoring people in the beginning of the chapter because he wants these folks that are falling for this false teaching to be corrected and restored.

So this is like. Direct application within the church, but he draws attention to this in the final thing saying, Hey, we don't boast in our flesh. We boast in Christ and boasting in Christ is so awesome. There, there are many things that are good about all of us. And anytime that we try to highlight those, those gifts and talents above Christ, it [00:14:00] gets out of whack and it looks weird.

Uh, any, anytime I've preached a sermon and it went really well and I decided that it was all about me and how awesome I am. I am like, man, I'm such a great speaker. Uh, I'm very talented and skilled. Like it's just gross because ultimately I'm only able to do those things because the gift that Christ has given me.

And I'm not saying you got to like beat yourself up and try to shame yourself when you're, when you're not doing something shameful, like it's okay to be proud of, of what you've done. Um, you know, within reason, but, but ultimately we want to honor. honor Christ. We want to honor Christ because it is, it's Christ that gives us the ability to do those things and we want to boast in him.

So my encouragement is to boast in him. Uh, just real quickly, there's this weird line that I do want to speak to verse 16 and as for all who are, sorry, I'll pick in 15 for neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk the earth, by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God.

It's like, wait, what is he talking [00:15:00] about? It, um, he has already confronted some of this false teaching that's coming out of Jerusalem that you have to come under the law here. He's saying the Israel of God, there's a lot of debate about this, but it appears like the Israel of God that he's talking about is like the true Israel of God.

Those who actually honor God by their, their faith. In the Lord, those true sons of Abraham that he's been talking about. He's saying the, the, the Jews who understand that circumcision is of no value and the Gentiles who understand that that uncircumcision is of no value. Only faith in Christ is a value is the true Israel of God.

So. It's kind of bringing these two groups together and recognizing them, um, as, as these witnesses of God that has always been intended. He already made the case that, uh, Abraham was justified through faith. That's where Israel comes from. It's always been faith. So the Israel of God are those that are faithful to his promise.

So that's what that means. And then he lands and finishes the letter. So let's round this [00:16:00] out. We're at the end of Galatians. What is a good year part for our. I guess final Galatians chapter, but also specifically for six, just in and of itself, I would say for six in and of itself, like pursue, um, correction and restoration and reconciliation is so important to who we are because sometimes I get out of line and I need called out and I have had faithful, um, Humble folks approach me and correct me.

It has been very valuable for my life. So if somebody corrects you receive it, uh, if you see someone that's out of line or encouraging something that is not honoring Christ, correct it. And, and hopefully they receive it. Like we want to strengthen each other and. Push each other to a life of boasting in Christ and honoring him because that's how we honor him when we care well for each other.

And then finally, like if there is a big point from Galatians, it is, Hey, we are justified by faith in Christ alone. Nothing you do will earn you right standing with God. God has already [00:17:00] done it. So when you have faith and trust in Christ as your savior, you have right relationship with God, and then you're moved to a life of honoring Christ with your life.

But those things do not bring you justification. Those things are just how you live out, um, thankfulness and praise to God. So that's what I'm leaving you from Galatians. Uh, we'll be back again tomorrow, jumping into Ephesians. I'm looking forward to it. We'll see you then. Hey, before we get into the reading, we want to tell you quickly about Logos Bible software.

It's very helpful to us as we prep for the podcast. And we can offer it to you at a discounted rate. There's two links in our description. One will get you the logos, uh, fundamentals pack for 50 bucks, which is a great price. The other one will get you a percentage off any package that you want. We use it often.

We think it will be useful to you. And if you use that link, you'll be helping out the podcast. So go check that out. With that in mind, here's today's reading Galatians chapter six brothers. If anyone is caught in a transgression, you who are spiritual should restore [00:18:00] him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.

Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever one sows, that he will also reap. 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. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up.

So, then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. [00:19:00] See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 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. But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which 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. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen. Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of God's Plan, Your Part.

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