Good Thursday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you ever found yourself saying goodbye to someone and feeling you have so much you want to say that you don’t know how to squeeze it into a few minute farewell? The past few days we’ve been with the apostle Paul, reviewing the six-chapter letter he wrote, in about 48ad, to the first generation of Christians.
Today, as I look at Paul’s sixth and final chapter, it seems to me Paul was struggling to put into a few closing sentences so many things he had left to say. Let’s take a close look…
Winding up Paul’s powerful exhortation about living a God honoring, world impacting life, under the leading and filling of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live indwelt by the Holy Spirit, let us keep in step with the guidance of the Spirit. Let us not become prideful, provoking and envying each other.” (Gal. 5:24-26) It’s a powerful statement… which calls us to self-evaluation, isn’t it? I see three significant, brief challenges:
First… Are you and I regularly starving our sinful nature and its desires?
I say ‘starving our sinful nature’ because every waking moment you and I face the inner battle of our sinful nature wanting our attention and trying to control our thinking, our emotions, our attitudes, our words and our choices. Do you recognize that constant inner struggle? And many times each day, with our choices, we either starve or feed our sinful nature! Do you see Paul challenges to us to ‘crucify’ our sinful nature and its desires, daily! How are you and I doing with that first challenge?
Second… How are we doing with Paul’s challenge to: “keep in step with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.” (Gal. 5:25)
I have found this to be a remarkable, daily challenge. Paul is right. If the Holy Spirit of God lives within you and me, then we would be FOOLISH to disregard His presence and guidance. God ALWAYS knows what is best for each of us in each and every situation, right? So, how are you and I developing our ability to DISCERN and FOLLOW the moment-by-moment guidance of the Holy Spirit within us? And if this is not a priority, why not?
Third… Paul wrote: “Let us not become prideful, provoking and envying each other.” (Gal. 5:26)
Oh my! Have you and I yet learned the vital lessons of great personal disaster if we become PRIDEFUL or we provoke other people to anger or we allow ourselves to envy what other people have? All of that is dark kingdom behavior which tears apart relationships and ruins reputations. Do you agree? So… what are we doing to PREVENT those terrible things from taking root in our lives?
I love how Paul then suddenly calls us to live as lifeguards patrolling the beach as the waves crash ashore. I’m sure you’ve had the experience of watching excited children splash and play in the waves totally unaware of the riptides which could easily and quickly drag them into deep water, or a very large wave which could crash over them, or even a shark that might be underwater!
Paul calls us to be lifeguards for our fellow Christians: “…if a brother or sister is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should RESTORE that person gently.” (Gal. 6:1) Oh my, do you love that word RESTORE as much as I do? Have you noticed God is in the RESTORING business?
Jesus loves to rescue us from our self-enslavement, as we saw yesterday. (Gal. 5:1,13,16) Then the Holy Spirit cleanses us (1 John 1:9) and restores us into fellowship with God our heavenly Father. (2 Cor. 5:18) THEN, the Holy Spirit leads us back onto the path of life Jesus has for us which will be for our greater good and His great glory!
But very often that wonderful RESTORE process needs the help of someone we trust and that’s what Paul is challenging us to live in this statement! Did you get that? And is that the life you and I are living? And who are we helping by restoring them?
But it’s risky, isn’t it? Remember the lifeguard picture I gave you a moment ago. Paul writes: “But watch yourselves or you will be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens…” (Gal. 6:2,3) When we step in to help a friend who has wandered off the path into the darkness, we must be very careful that we don’t get caught up in whatever has captured their heart and drawn them away.
That means we need to be strong and confident in our relationship with Jesus; and also, carefully follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives; and then make sure our minds and hearts are filled with and guarded by God’s Truth, His Word. That’s how a good spiritual lifeguard leaps into the churning waves to restore a friend in danger! Are you and I living alert and always prepared to do that?
May I give you two more of Paul’s closing salvoes? Gal. 6:7,8 says “Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows!” Oh, it’s true, isn’t it? And we all know it, because we’ve experienced it. And it can be painful when the wild oats we’ve sown by spiteful words or bad attitudes or poor choices, or even disregarded warnings, come back to haunt us. So, what important lessons have you learned about that, my friends?
And finally, Paul wrote: “Let us not become weary in well doing, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believes in Jesus Christ.” (Gal. 6:9,10) Some people say the Bible seems to speak only about DON’Ts, things we should NOT say or do. But here is one of many, many wonderful statements motivating us to CHOOSE to BE a BLESSING, to other people at all times, if at all possible. Pause, HOW do you and I do that…consistently?
Now let’s invite the Holy Spirit to permeate our minds and hearts with this powerful little letter of Paul’s. Written nearly 2000 years ago, to those people he had met on his first missionary journey, these six chapters are very, very relevant to you and me, no matter who you are, or where you live, today, in 2026, do you agree?
Will we embrace Galatians and soak in its truth for a while? If we do, we will make a significant difference in our world. Oh, one more question… will we help our children & grandchildren understand and embrace this little letter as God’s wonderful letter to them in their generations?
The study notes link below has some powerful truths to consider, and then a wonderful worship song will draw your heart to Jesus, and tomorrow we’ll rejoin Paul and Barnabas in Syrian Antioch, for a very significant event.
Today’s Scripture: Galatians 6.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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