OUR FATHER WHO CANNOT BE MOCKED

The book of Galatians chapter 6 concludes Paul's letter saying this:

1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 

The apostle Paul gives an instruction to the Galatians on how to respond to a fellow brother or sister who was entrapped in a sinful addiction.  He tells them that those who walk in the Spirit should restore the person gently but he warns those who undertake this work to be careful lest they get tempted to pursue the sin themselves.

2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

Paul also advises them to be careful with pride that would cause them to think too highly of themselves. The prescription for this propensity is to humbly carry one another´s burdens and also to examine continuosly their own actions to calibrate their headings so that if they are on a true course, they can be satisfied in their own conduct without measuring themselves against the actions of other people. 

The Galatians are advised to be self-supporting but allows that if anyone receives a blessing from a teacher who instructs them in the ways of the word of God, they should share all good things that their instructor.

In this context, Paul states two axioms: God cannot be mocked and  A man reaps what he sows.

By first saying that God cannot be mocked, Paul is saying that the axiom that follows cannot be circumvented in any way. 

If we sow to the satisfaction of the flesh, we will reap what the corruption of the flesh has accrued to itself which is destruction.

If, on the other hand, we sow to please the Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of life, we will reap eternal life. As such, as a farmer patiently waiting for what he has sown to mature into a harvest, sowing into the Spirit will yield an eternal harvest if we do not give up. Paul counsels us to use every occasion we have to do good to other people especially fellow believers.

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Seeming to take over the writing of the letter to the Galatians from an assisting scribe, Paul marvels at how large his own alphabetical characters were as he points out that he was writting in his own hand. The anachronistic phrase in verse 11 seems to indicate that a transition in who was writing  had taken place.

11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

The Apostle Paul, now with the pen in his hand, recapitulates the indictment on those who were bringing the false doctrine of mandatory circumcision for believers noting that they were doing so in an attempt to impress the religious establishment of the time and be able to boast to others that they had brought righteousness to the gentiles. As well, they wanted to avoid being persecuted by the authorities by being able to claim that they were propagating the same religious pratices as the estabishment was.

12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. 

Regarding the infiltrators boasting of their subversion of the gospel, Paul declares that he would only boast in the cross of Christ which was the instrument which the Lord Jesus  made available to us by which the things of this world are made dead to us and we are made dead to the world. With the cross as the pivot on which human beings are freed from slavery under the kingdom of darkness, all other religious practices became meaningless and the only things that were left with meaning were under the realm of the new creation.

14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. 

Paul concludes his letter to the Galatians by blessing those who remain in faith and inhabit the new creation. 

He asked the Galatians not to trouble him anymore with their challenges to his apostleship and his doctrine because the persecution for his work for Jesus had left their marks on him that validated his ministry.

16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God.

17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

Amen.

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