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 will he 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.
"The Galatian saints who have deserted grace for law, are exhorted to put themselves under the ministry of the teachers who led them into grace, and are warned that it they do not, they will reap a harvest of corruption." (Wuest)
Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. - "In verse 6, the apostle exhorts the Galatians to continue to hold fellowship with their teachers who taught them grace, the implication being that they were not availing themselves of their ministry because they were going over to the Judaizers and their teachings. In this verse, Paul tells the Galatians that they must not think that it is not a matter of importance whether their fellowship be with their former teachers who taught them the truth, or with the Judaizers who were teaching them error. He said to them, 'Stop deceiving yourselves, God is not mocked.' The construction is present imperative in a prohibition, which forbids the continuance of an action already going on. The Galatians were saying to themselves already, 'It is not important which teachers we list to, Paul and his associates, or the teachers of the law.' Thus, they were already deceiving themselves, and leading themselves astray." (Wuest)
[NOTE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO INTERPRATIONS BELOW TO WUEST'S ABOVE; Wuest interprets within context, Ryrie and Vine do not, suggesting that a new unrelated topic is being introduced.]
"I.e., share material things." (Ryrie) [Eph 4:28; my note, not necessarily a cf.]
"...by fellowship in 'good things' temporal supplies are intended, cp. the same word as used in Luke 1:53, 'the hungry he hath filled with the good things,' and 12:18, 19, of the rich fool's 'goods,' cp. 16:25. The apostle here introduces a new subject, one not arising out of the preceding section, nor yet with any apparent relation to it, though both are immediately concerned with the responsibilities of church life. It may be that the messengers who had acquainted him with the major trouble among the Galatians had informed him also of these relatively minor, though still very important, matters." (Vine)
God is not mocked. - "The thought which Paul wishes to press home to the Galatians is that it is vain to think that one can outwit God by reaping a harvest different from that which a person has sown. The figure of sowing and reaping used for conduct and its results is a frequent one. In the Greek classics we have, 'For he that is furnished the seed, is responsible for what grows.' Paul therefore warns the Galatians against being led astray by the Judaizers, and reminds them that they cannot outwit God in doing so, for it will lead to disaster in their lives..." (Wuest)
"—mukterizo, 'to turn up one's nose at,' i.e., to treat with contempt." (Vine)
to his own flesh...to the Spirit - "Sowing with a view to the evil nature refers to the act of a person choosing those courses of conduct that will gratify the cravings of the totally depraved nature. In this context, these words refer to the Galatians who in following the teachings of the Judaizers, catered to the desires of the evil nature ... The teachings of the Judaizers catered to the fallen natures of the Galatians...their teachings stressed a salvation-by-works religion, which glorifies man, not God, and which allows him to go on in his sin while seeking to buy the favor of God by his so-called good works. This could only lead, Paul says, to corruption in their lives ... The one who sows with a view to the Spirit, that is, the one who chooses his courses of conduct with a view to fulfilling the wishes of the Holy Spirit, is the Christ who reaps the blessings of the eternal life which God has given him." (Wuest)
the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life - "Let me first explain what this does not mean. It has nothing to do with salvation. It does not mean that if a Christian does not live the life he should, he will be lost again and die the second death. The context here in Galatians 6 shows that Paul considered the people to whom he wrote, although they were failing Christians, to be children of God. He called them saints and brethren. No, he did not mean that if you live after the flesh, you will die, in the sense that you will be lost again. This is what Paul meant: as far as your Christian life, your testimony, and your Christian experience are concerned, you may flourish like a blooming plant that is showing its beauty, or you may wither and die, as far as your spiritual experience is concerned. Paul wrote to the believers at Rome, at Corinth, and at Ephesus: 'Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light' (Eph 5:14). He was not talking to the unsaved; he was speaking to believers who were asleep and dead as far as their spiritual experiences were concerned. How many Christians are like that today! They fill our churches. Hundreds of born-again people have come to Christ in tears for forgiveness and have been justified freely by His once-for-all sacrifice. The Devil cannot keep them from eternal life. But he will make them miserable Christians and poor testimonies if he can. This is what the apostle was speaking of when he said that if you are going to sow to your flesh, not thinking of the things of God, you are going to die as far as your Christian experience is concerned. How blessedly true it is that 'to be spiritually minded is life and peace.' That is what God wants us to experience and enjoy. We know that the happiest Christian are the ones who set their minds on the things of God. We are most at peace and most greatly used when we sow to the Spirit, that is, when we do those things that will naturally bring forth the fruit that only the Spirit can produce." (Stam)
let us not grow weary - "Let us not slacken our exertions by reason of the weariness that comes with prolonged effort in habitually doing that which is good. For in a season which in its character is appropriate, we shall reap if we do not become enfeebled through exhaustion, and faint." (Wuest)
"Believers will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ ...you will reap the fruit of living after the Spirit. Being occupied with the things of God, speaking to others of the things of God, and living a life that please God, will bring a harvest of spiritual fruit—if you faint not." (Stam) [Own note: We may receive some return in this life, but the full harvest is the reward we will receive when Christ returns.]
let us do good to everyone - "The exhortation is not merely to do good to others when the opportunity presents itself, but to look for opportunities to do good to others. The word 'do' is from ergazomai, which word emphasizes the process of an action, carrying with this the ideas of continuity..." (Wuest)
household of faith - "=believers. Concern for this group is a special obligation of the children of God." (Ryrie)
"None of us lives to himself as an isolated unit among his fellowmen. We are bound together in a racial group which we have certain obligations to them. The word 'household' acquired in a connection like the one in this verse, the general sense of pertaining or belonging. The definite article precedes the word faith. The expression refers to those who belong to the Faith..." (Wuest)
"Do you notice how Paul always put an emphasis on Christian brotherhood, on members of the Body of Christ being one in Christ (Gal 6:10)." (Stam)
"The Galatian saints who have deserted grace for law, are exhorted to put themselves under the ministry of the teachers who led them into grace, and are warned that it they do not, they will reap a harvest of corruption." (Wuest)
Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. - "In verse 6, the apostle exhorts the Galatians to continue to hold fellowship with their teachers who taught them grace, the implication being that they were not availing themselves of their ministry because they were going over to the Judaizers and their teachings. In this verse, Paul tells the Galatians that they must not think that it is not a matter of importance whether their fellowship be with their former teachers who taught them the truth, or with the Judaizers who were teaching them error. He said to them, 'Stop deceiving yourselves, God is not mocked.' The construction is present imperative in a prohibition, which forbids the continuance of an action already going on. The Galatians were saying to themselves already, 'It is not important which teachers we list to, Paul and his associates, or the teachers of the law.' Thus, they were already deceiving themselves, and leading themselves astray." (Wuest)
[NOTE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO INTERPRATIONS BELOW TO WUEST'S ABOVE; Wuest interprets within context, Ryrie and Vine do not, suggesting that a new unrelated topic is being introduced.]
"I.e., share material things." (Ryrie) [Eph 4:28; my note, not necessarily a cf.]
"...by fellowship in 'good things' temporal supplies are intended, cp. the same word as used in Luke 1:53, 'the hungry he hath filled with the good things,' and 12:18, 19, of the rich fool's 'goods,' cp. 16:25. The apostle here introduces a new subject, one not arising out of the preceding section, nor yet with any apparent relation to it, though both are immediately concerned with the responsibilities of church life. It may be that the messengers who had acquainted him with the major trouble among the Galatians had informed him also of these relatively minor, though still very important, matters." (Vine)
God is not mocked. - "The thought which Paul wishes to press home to the Galatians is that it is vain to think that one can outwit God by reaping a harvest different from that which a person has sown. The figure of sowing and reaping used for conduct and its results is a frequent one. In the Greek classics we have, 'For he that is furnished the seed, is responsible for what grows.' Paul therefore warns the Galatians against being led astray by the Judaizers, and reminds them that they cannot outwit God in doing so, for it will lead to disaster in their lives..." (Wuest)
"—mukterizo, 'to turn up one's nose at,' i.e., to treat with contempt." (Vine)
to his own flesh...to the Spirit - "Sowing with a view to the evil nature refers to the act of a person choosing those courses of conduct that will gratify the cravings of the totally depraved nature. In this context, these words refer to the Galatians who in following the teachings of the Judaizers, catered to the desires of the evil nature ... The teachings of the Judaizers catered to the fallen natures of the Galatians...their teachings stressed a salvation-by-works religion, which glorifies man, not God, and which allows him to go on in his sin while seeking to buy the favor of God by his so-called good works. This could only lead, Paul says, to corruption in their lives ... The one who sows with a view to the Spirit, that is, the one who chooses his courses of conduct with a view to fulfilling the wishes of the Holy Spirit, is the Christ who reaps the blessings of the eternal life which God has given him." (Wuest)
the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life - "Let me first explain what this does not mean. It has nothing to do with salvation. It does not mean that if a Christian does not live the life he should, he will be lost again and die the second death. The context here in Galatians 6 shows that Paul considered the people to whom he wrote, although they were failing Christians, to be children of God. He called them saints and brethren. No, he did not mean that if you live after the flesh, you will die, in the sense that you will be lost again. This is what Paul meant: as far as your Christian life, your testimony, and your Christian experience are concerned, you may flourish like a blooming plant that is showing its beauty, or you may wither and die, as far as your spiritual experience is concerned. Paul wrote to the believers at Rome, at Corinth, and at Ephesus: 'Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light' (Eph 5:14). He was not talking to the unsaved; he was speaking to believers who were asleep and dead as far as their spiritual experiences were concerned. How many Christians are like that today! They fill our churches. Hundreds of born-again people have come to Christ in tears for forgiveness and have been justified freely by His once-for-all sacrifice. The Devil cannot keep them from eternal life. But he will make them miserable Christians and poor testimonies if he can. This is what the apostle was speaking of when he said that if you are going to sow to your flesh, not thinking of the things of God, you are going to die as far as your Christian experience is concerned. How blessedly true it is that 'to be spiritually minded is life and peace.' That is what God wants us to experience and enjoy. We know that the happiest Christian are the ones who set their minds on the things of God. We are most at peace and most greatly used when we sow to the Spirit, that is, when we do those things that will naturally bring forth the fruit that only the Spirit can produce." (Stam)
let us not grow weary - "Let us not slacken our exertions by reason of the weariness that comes with prolonged effort in habitually doing that which is good. For in a season which in its character is appropriate, we shall reap if we do not become enfeebled through exhaustion, and faint." (Wuest)
"Believers will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ ...you will reap the fruit of living after the Spirit. Being occupied with the things of God, speaking to others of the things of God, and living a life that please God, will bring a harvest of spiritual fruit—if you faint not." (Stam) [Own note: We may receive some return in this life, but the full harvest is the reward we will receive when Christ returns.]
let us do good to everyone - "The exhortation is not merely to do good to others when the opportunity presents itself, but to look for opportunities to do good to others. The word 'do' is from ergazomai, which word emphasizes the process of an action, carrying with this the ideas of continuity..." (Wuest)
household of faith - "=believers. Concern for this group is a special obligation of the children of God." (Ryrie)
"None of us lives to himself as an isolated unit among his fellowmen. We are bound together in a racial group which we have certain obligations to them. The word 'household' acquired in a connection like the one in this verse, the general sense of pertaining or belonging. The definite article precedes the word faith. The expression refers to those who belong to the Faith..." (Wuest)
"Do you notice how Paul always put an emphasis on Christian brotherhood, on members of the Body of Christ being one in Christ (Gal 6:10)." (Stam)
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