49 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
49 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
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title = "Galatians 6:1–10"
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date = "2023-08-22"
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### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Galatians6.1-10)
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Though we are saved by grace, we are still sinners and fall for the temptations
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that come our way from time to time. When this happens we are to turn away,
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that is, repent of it, but sometimes we need a bit of help to do so. This is
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the essence of Paul's instructions for "you who are spiritual". (_v. 1_) When
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we confront someone over their sin, the goal is for them to repent and be
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restored to fellowship with the rest of the believers, not to punish them or
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hold their actions over them or to boast that we have never and would never do
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such things. Any of these would sinful for us in one way or another.
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Verses 2 and 5 kind of sound like they contradict each other. One tells us that
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we should carry each others' burdens, but the other says we don't. I think they
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key is that two different words are used. I don't know what the original Greek
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had, but 5 out of 7 translations I checked used "burdens" and "load", though
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one was the Esperanto translation, using _ŝarĝojn_ ("loads", or "burdens") and
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_portaĵon_ ("thing to carry"). Even though all of these translations use either
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synonyms or the same word, verses 3 and 4 change the subject a bit in between
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these two words so that they aren't referring to the same concept. When we bear
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each other's burdens, we are helping people work through the hard times when
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they are dealing with their struggles with sin. When we bear our own load, we
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are dealing with the effort of doing the Lord's will and walking in
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righteousness. We aren't to try to steal anyone else's work or try to compare
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our load with someone else's. We will get our reward for what we do and no
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more. God doesn't grade on a curve.
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Verse 6 is could be used to justify pastors getting a good paycheck, and I
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think that is appropriate. If your pastor is faithfully bringing you God's Word
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week after week, explaining it so that it works in your life, then compensate
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him for the time he spent studying! He doesn't need to be the richest person at
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the church, but he doesn't need to be the poorest either. For what better
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investment can you make than one that will enrich your eternal life? Just be
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sure that he is faithfully and accurately handling the word of God, because not
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all pastors and preachers do that, and a number of them aren't even saved!
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Not only your pastors, but do good to everyone, for the rewards you get will be
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greater than what you sacrifice. A farmer doesn't plant seeds hoping he'll get
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as many seeds back at the harvest, but to make a profit and have more seeds
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than that to plant next year. It might sound like a selfish motivation for
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altruism, but the Lord wants to reward us for doing good.
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* * *
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You are gracious to us in both our faults and our virtues.
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