“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Galatians 6:7-8

The beginning of Paul’s Maxim (a short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct) here is almost a warning: “Be not deceived.” The Greek verb “deceived”is “planao,” meaning “to stray, to wander, to roam” heedlessly. (Our word “planet” comes from it, from “planao.” Something “wandering around in outer space,” amidst all that darkness!)

This Proverb is in a paragraph (of Galatians 6) which cautions again and again about being “overtaken” (synonymous with being “deceived”) by sin! Verse 1 … “Brethren, if a man BE OVERTAKEN in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.” Or again in verse 3 … “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he DECEIVETH HIMSELF.”

Wow!

No wonder our Text today begins with such a strong imperative, a stark command … “Be not deceived.” (I once taught a Bible Class, a series of them really, on “The Commands of the Apostle Paul,” almost too many to count in his 14 Epistles!)

“Mocked” is an interesting verb indeed! Spelled “mukterizo” (used only here in all the New Testament) the word means “turning up one’s nose (one’s ‘snout’ literally)” at someone, here at Almighty God! The root of “mukterizo” is “muzo,” meaning “to moo” like a cow! Yes, that’s mockery! The height of disrespect!

Wow!

Then comes the “common sense” law instituted by our Lord Creation Week! “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

The verb “sow” (in Greek “speiro”) means “to scatter.” As in broadcasting seed all over a plowed field. The verb “reap” (“therizo”) comes from a noun meaning “summer!” Then (even further back into its etymology) from a root verb meaning “to heat, to warm” something. (Exactly what must happen to “seed” before they can germinate!)

Has this law ever been violated? 

Now, Paul illustrates.

From two extremes!

The flesh and the Spirit!

“For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption,” shall reap “decay, rot, putrefaction!” Not a good thing!

But … “He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” This is the Holy Spirit of God, Who is the Bestower of real Life, eternal Life, Life abundant!

Paul has been talking about the flesh/Spirit conflict now for two chapters, two Galatian chapters! Here his argument comes to a logical (Holy Spirit inspired) Conclusion!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Dear reader, Bible student following this Lesson today … the choice is yours!

What are you sowing day by day?

I once heard of a young smart aleck who boasted: “I am going to sow my wild oats and pray for crop failure!” A word of warning: that is NOT going to happen!

“God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

 

We are definitely now in the “practical” portion of Galatians. And the writer (humanly speaking) clearly is the Apostle Paul, his syntax and theology here being so obvious!

“Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.” Galatians 6:6, what a verse!

May I paraphrase it?

The one (the Christian) who is taught the marvelous things of God’s Word … should share (communicate), should give … should support … him who has taught him all those good things!

In others words .. the Pastor who “feeds” you the Word of God week after week … should be given a good remuneration (including salary or benefits) for his diligent labor! 

Elsewhere Paul even says give him “double pay!”

In 1 Timothy 5:17 … “Let the elders (Pastors) that rule (lead) well be counted worthy of DOUBLE honour (‘price,’ and used this way 8 times in the New Testament, and ‘sum” 1 time), especially they who labour in the Word (the Scriptures) and doctrine (teaching).”

Our verse again: “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.”

The verb “is taught” gives us the English term “catechism!” It means “to verbally instruct!”

The noun “word” is “logos,” meaning the Bible!

And the verb “communicate” is “koinoneo,” meaning “to share!” (If I have ten chickens, I shall give my Preacher two or three of them.)

To what extent is this generosity to extend?

“In all good things!”

That might even include your Pastor’s insurance!

Or seeing if he has enough good books to read and study. Aiding his becoming an even better student of Scripture himself!

Or if he can go on vacation in the summertime.

I don’t know … but “all good things” sure sounds pretty vast!

Wow!

And this Lesson is before us on a Saturday morning!

Tomorrow being the Lord’s Day!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

In Galatians 6:2 Paul wrote: “Bear ye one another’s burdens.”

But then, three verses later, he preached: “For every man shall bear his own burden.” Galatians 6:5, our Bible Text for today.

Is this a contradiction?

No!

In the earlier verse the noun for “burdens” is “baros,” meaning a very, very heavy load! One too much for a man to carry by himself! (Then, let’s go HELP him.)

Whereas in today’s Verse the word for “burden” is “phortion,” just meaning a “load” that is manageable. Not requiring extra assistance!

Wow!

Problem solved!

Now … here is a case where (to my thinking anyway) grammar and vocabulary greatly aid proper Biblical interpretation!

We help others, when need be.

Otherwise we mind our own business … and live for Jesus, bearing the little “vicissitudes” (burdens) of life. (The word means the little “turns” life takes from time to time, often emphasizing the “unpleasant turns” we all face.)

Wow!

What a truth!

Part of Christian maturity is developing “hupomone,” the Christian grace of endurance, or patience. The word literally means “staying under a load,” and doing so without complaining or doubting or questioning Almighty God!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Of course Peter did give the Christian additional hope with this verse, this possibility, this challenge: “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Amen!

 

Last night in Revival (in a sweet Tennessee Church) I preached about the “Judgment Seat of Christ.” It almost sounds like the Apostle Paul (in today’s Text) is preparing his Galatian converts for that great Event!

“But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. “ Galatians 6:4

Be sure you genuine!

That’s what Paul is really saying!

Elsewhere he wrote to the Corinthians: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” Quoting 2 Corinthians 13:5.

Two parallel admonitions!

But no let’s look at our Text for this morning:

The verb “let prove” (“dokimazo”) is expressed as a command here, an imperative. (Not just a suggestion!) It means “to test something” particularly in regard to its purity! (Like gold or silver, for example!)

The noun “work” (meaning anything you do for Jesus) is “ergon” in Greek, a word that gives us the English idea of “energy.” 

And if you find reality in your life and heart (true Christian faith) … you are certainly (as the man in yesterday’s lesson) NOT SELF DECEIVED! 

Then Paul implies that pure Christianity, good works that truly glorify God, will automatically produce “rejoicing” in the life of a Believer!

Rejoicing that God is using YOU, to His praise!

Paul never got over the fact that God could use him! He rejoiced in that truth time and time again!

This way … habitually testing our own sincerity … we do not have to keep our eyes on others (in the sense of judging them, gauging them) in order to validate our own spiritual progress.

Paul is really saying, I think, judge yourselves, and not everybody else!

Wow!

“But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. “ Galatians 6:4

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

In Ephesians 5:15 Paul briefly admonished: “See then that ye walk circumspectly.” The adverb means “looking all around,” not being negligent of one’s surroundings! But today, I am also wondering if the word means “looking all around” … even down inside your own heart!

Our Verse for today: “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” Galatians 6:3

This emphasis is nearly the opposite of the last two verses we’ve studied! Such as having “the spirit of meekness” back in verse 1 (of Galatians 6) and “bearing one another’s burdens” back in verse 2.

Now (here in verse 3) it’s a man really (but falsely) “thinking himself to be something!” 

Wow!

The verb “think” here is “dokeo.” In the present tense, no less! This person “thinks” (“esteems, evaluates, deems”)that he is pretty special every day he lives! Habitually so!

By the way, the pronoun for “himself” (in Greek “tis”) is (as indicated in the King James Version) in the masculine gender. (Although undoubtedly ladies can sin in this area as well.) But Paul does have the MEN in mind here! The men who have been arguing over the Gospel of Grace, some denying its sole power to save sinners!

Remember Proverbs 13:10 … “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.” Especially that first clause! (And “thinking oneself to be SOMETHING” sure sounds like pride!) Hence the Galatian “contention,” that needless doctrinal “controversy!”

For “something” read “someone powerfully significant!” A “big shot” the old timers would have said! But self-conceited, in reality!

Then Paul “drops the hammer” so to speak, bursts that man’s inflated “bubble” … “when he is nothing!” 

Using a verb and an adjective … “to be” and “no way, nothing, no one!”

In truth the man is as “little” as he perceives himself to be “big!”

Wow!

Is Paul (in context) saying that this vain man “who thinks himself great” will be of no help whatsoever in “restoring a fallen brother?” Or in “bearing someone else’s burdens?”

I think so.

Then our Text verse draws a conclusion: this man “deceiveth himself.” (Another verb – adjective combo!) But a surprise verb awaits us here!

For “deceive” one would have expected the simple “apatao,” meaning “misled” but with some logical reason for being so deluded. With an “objective” emphasis! (Well, he DID graduate summa cum laude! Or … he IS the best preacher around! Or … do you know what honorable family heritage he POSSESSES?)

He is still deceived … but can give you two or three reasons why he is so puffed up!

But instead, the Holy Spirit has Paul use the verb “phrenapatao,” simply meaning “deceived” but with no reason whatsoever informing his vanity, his pride!

The term literally means “to lead one’s own mind (‘phren’ in Greek) astray!”

Wow!

How silly!

A man intoxicated on his own (perceived) self-worth! 

Thus a man useless in the Body of Christ, in the area of helping others anyway.

This verse also may have linkage to Galatians 2:2 which talks about those who were “of reputation!”  And Galatians 2:6 where some people “seemed to be somewhat!” In both instances our verb “dokeo” is used. Translated “thinketh” here in our Text today. It seems the Galatian Churches were overly saturated with such pride!

“Nobodies” thinking themselves to be “Somebodies!”

Sad!

Oh, Jesus would have taught them that to ever be a real somebody for Christ … you’d need to make yourself a “nobody” first … by going out and serving and serving and serving others!

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Oh how we need humility in our lives!