Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them. Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
Galatians 6:1-10 NLT
We reap what we sow. We harvest what we plant. The point of this letter was not just to stop the Galatians from getting circumcised, it was to stop them from planting their lives in the law or in the flesh. Your life is meant to be planted in the Spirit, and from the Spirit there is a harvest of everlasting life and blessing. From the law we get good rules but not salvation. From the flesh we get pain and discord and selfishness. Only from the Spirit do we get true life. True freedom is not following selfish desires but God’s power for a life of love, joy, and peace. Your choices matter.
Freedom does not mean being free from responsibility, free from godly authority, or free from other believers. Paul started by saying that we need to pay attention to those who are wandering and help bring them back (vv.1-3). He said we need to pay attention to our own work and not compare ourselves to anyone else (vv.4-5). We are also to honor and bless those who have taught us the Word of God that brings freedom (v.6). The Lord’s freedom is a family of faith for human flourishing.
How would you define what God’s freedom is (and isn’t)? How can you help others in need while building their personal responsibility?
