All right, Galatians chapter
6. Paul wrote this epistle to the
churches in Galatia, reminding them especially of one thing,
that salvation and eternal life is not ours by the works of the
law. The salvation and eternal life
is not ours by the good deeds that we do in this flesh. The
salvation is by the mercy and grace of God in Christ Jesus
our Lord. Acceptance with God is not ours
by our obedience, but by his obedience. Turn with me to Romans
3. Romans 3, verse 19. Now, we know that what things
soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law,
that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become
guilty before God. Therefore, this is a fact, by
the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in God's
sight. But by the law is not the forgiveness
of sin, not the putting away of sin, but the knowledge of
sin. And then look at verse 28. Paul
concluded this chapter with this statement. Therefore we conclude
that a man is not justified, we conclude that a man is justified
by faith without the deeds of the law. A man is justified by
faith, not by the deeds of the law. And then I want you to read
Ephesians chapter 2, verse 8. It says here in chapter 2 of Ephesians,
verse 8, for by grace are you saved through faith. And even
that's not of yourselves. Even faith is the gift of God.
Even faith is not of yourselves. It's God-given. It's not of works,
lest any man should boast. But, now hold that right there.
lest anyone be deceived into thinking that obedience is of
no importance. All we do is believe. Believe
that Christ died on the cross, was buried and rose again, was
saved. Obedience is not important. Oh, yes, it is. Godliness is
not required. Oh, yes, it is. Good works do
not exist. Oh, yes, they do. Let's read
this again, Ephesians 2.8. are ye saved through faith, that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, if not of works,
lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, we
are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus on two good works,
on two good works, which God hath before ordained, that we
walk in them. It's true what the scripture
says in Galatians 5, verse 6. In Jesus Christ neither circumcision
availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith. But what kind of faith? It's true circumcision availeth
nothing, nor uncircumcision, but faith. But what kind of faith?
A faith that works. A faith that works motivated
by love. Love. Not duty, love. Not for reward, but love. It's a faith that works. Now
let me show you what James says about this, in the book of James. You cannot separate belief and
conduct. You cannot separate faith and
works. We're redeemed by faith, but
it's by a particular kind of faith. It's a faith that works.
It's a faith that works. In James 2, verse 14, what does
it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith and not
works? Can that kind of faith save him?
A faith in word only, can that save a man? A faith that has
no works, it cannot save. That's what James is saying.
And then look at verse 17. Even so, my brethren, faith,
if it hath not works, is dead. It's a dead faith, being by itself. Look at verse 22. Verse 22. See'st thou how faith wrought
with his works, and by works his faith was made perfect? Our Lord Jesus Christ was giving
the witnesses of his deity. And he said, John the Baptist
bore witness of me. He said, God the Father bore
witness of me. He said, the scriptures bear
witness of me. And he said, the works that I
do. the works that I do, the same works that I do, bear witness
of me, that God sent me. And that's what James is saying
here, too. He says, these works bear witness, bear witness that
we are God's children. I look at James 2.26. For as the body without the spirit
is dead, and all of you have been around death, and you've
seen there is a body with the same eyes and ears and hair and
face and flesh and bones, the same, identical, one change,
and no spirit, and no life. And he said that's the way faith
is, it hath not works, it's dead, and no life. Christ is not that, without hope,
without help, without God in this world. I don't care what
a man believes, how strongly he preaches sovereignty, or election,
or particular addiction, or sexual call, or perseverance, or preservation,
or eternal heaven, or eternal hell, or blood, or cross, just
name it, preach what you want to. But if it hath not worked,
you're dead. Verse 17, James 2, faith, if
it hath not worked, you're dead. Verse 26, as the body without
the Spirit, without breath, without God, without the Holy Spirit,
is dead. It's dead. Faith without works is dead. Totally dead. You see, this thing
of salvation is a hard work. confess with thy mouth, Jesus,
to be Lord, and believe in thine heart." God raised him from the
dead. Not just confess with your mouth.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth, Jesus, to be Lord, yes,
but and believe in thy heart. A life-changing faith. As a man thinketh in his
heart, so is he. God said, My son, give me thy
heart. keep your heart out of any of
the issues of life. That's what motivates a man.
God looks not on the outward countenance, he looks on the
heart. And true salvation is a heart work in which a person
is born again and made a new creature in Christ Jesus. He
receives a new nature with a change in attitude and a change in spirit
and a change in direction, a change in conduct and a change in conversation. And the scripture says the love
of God is shed abroad in his heart, the peace of God is in
his soul, the thoughts of God are in his mind, and the works
of God are in his hands. Not in order to be saved, but
because God has saved me. Not to be accepted, but because
the works that I do, they bear witness that God sent me. And that's what this is all about
here. And here in Galatians 6, where we're looking for our message
today, in verse 1, he talks about these works. The results of faith,
the results of a new birth, the results of God's saving grace,
the results of the spirits living within. Brethren, household of
God. It is five words I want to look
at now, five words. The first one is the word others,
others. Brethren, if a man be overtaken
in a fault, if a man who is a brother is weak, he has faults, he's
overtaken in a fault or misconduct, whether it's spirit or flesh,
and he's repentant, that's important to have. If a brother be overtaken
in a fault and this brother is repentant, ye which are spiritual,
ye which are mature, don't punish him, don't exclude him, don't
avoid him, don't ridicule him, restore him. Restore him, restore him to his
place of fellowship. Restore him in the place of a
brother. Considering yourself, lest you
be tempted, and then verse 2 says, and baring one another's That
word burden is weaknesses. Bear ye one another's weaknesses.
That's exactly what that word means. Everybody has them. Bear
ye one another's infirmities. Everybody has them. Bear ye one
another's faults. Everybody has them. And that's
what that word you bear one another's faults. Bear them, that is, overlook
them. That is, identify with them.
That is, be understanding of them and be most tolerant. Turn to 1 Corinthians 13. 1 Corinthians
13, the word bear. Bear ye one another's weaknesses
and infirmities and failures and faults. Bear them. That is,
overlook them. Be understanding and tolerant
of them. Here in 1 Corinthians 13, it talks about love. It says in verse 4, love suffers
long. Love is kind. Love endeth not. Love does not vaunt itself. It's not puffed up, proud. Love
doesn't behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily
provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, rejoices in
the truth. and beareth, beareth, tolerant
all things, believes all things, hopeth all things, endureth all
things, but he beareth the other fellow's failures and weaknesses,
tolerant. All right, back to my text. If
a brother, overtaken in a fall, either spirit or flesh, it doesn't
matter, either and spiritual and mature, restore such a one,
forgive him, receive him back into fellowship, considering
yourself lest you be tempted, and there want to tolerate, understand,
be understanding and tolerant of one another's burdens or infirmities,
and so fulfill the law of Christ. That's how you fulfill the law
of Christ. What is this law of Christ? John 13, verse 34 and 35. Here is that
law of Christ that we fulfill in doing just exactly what we
are talking about here. John 13, verse 34, a new commandment
I give unto you, that you love one another. How do you love
one another? As I have loved you. As I have
loved you. That you love one another. And
by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you
have love one to another. That's as witness of your faith. If you don't love each other,
you don't love Christ. If you love Christ, you love
one another. And you bear all things, and believe all things,
and hope with all things, and you endure all things. And these
are the two motivating factors. Did you notice them in verse
1 and 2? Let's look at them. They're motivating. All right. We forgive and we forget. We
tolerate. We bear each other's infirmities
and weaknesses. And we have two motivating factors.
Did you notice them? Verse 1. What's the first one?
Considering yourself. lest you be tempted." That's
the first thing. He's just like me. She's just
like me. A sinner by nature, with weaknesses
and faults and failures. And I consider myself, if I was
under the same situation, what would I do? Probably follow just
like him. You see, consider yourself. That's
the first motivating factor of this forgiveness business, considering
yourself. It didn't say, lest ye fall,
lest ye be tempted, because if God leaves us alone, the temptations
are all we need, we're gone, unless he restrains us, unless
he keeps us. If he doesn't keep us, we won't
be kept. The second motivating factor is the law of Christ.
Love one another as I love Jesus. How did Paul interpret that?
Be ye kind, tenderhearted. forgiving one another as God,
for Christ's sake, forgave you. That's no problem. That works. If you don't have it, you're
not saved. If you don't have it, you don't have faith. Faith
without work, faith without this attitude is dead. It's a body
of divinity without a spirit of divinity. It's a body of creed
and catechism and truth and doctrine without the spirit of Christ.
And it's dead. It won't save, James says. It
just will not save. That's the first word, others.
Here is the second word, ourselves. Verse 3. For if a man think himself
to be something, when he is really nothing, he deceives himself. Why would a believer think himself
to be something? Why in the world? Let's look
at 1 Corinthians 3. Paul says we're nothing. We're
nothing. Our Lord told Adam that. He said,
Adam, dust you are, and to dust you shall return. That's what
you are, dust. You're nothing. By nature, by
birth, you're nothing. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3,
verse 5, who is Paul? Who is Apollos? but ministers
by whom ye believe, even as the Lord gave to every man. I planted,
Apollos watered, God gave the increase, so then neither is
he that planteth anything, nor he that watereth. But God giveth
the increase. We're nothing, we're dust. 1 Corinthians 4, verse 7, look
at this. We do differ. We do differ. Some are blessed
with some gifts and some with others. We're different. Verse
7, but who made you to differ? Who made you to differ? Who gave
you the talent? Who gave you the gift? Who gave
you the mind? Who gave you these things? Who gave you the grace?
Well, who makes you to differ? What do you have you didn't receive? If you received it, why do you
gloat as if you didn't receive it? How in the world could a
believer possibly think himself to be something? For he really
in himself is nothing. And if he thinks himself to be
something, he's deceived. That's what verse 3. If a man
thinks himself to be something, to be somebody, to be important,
he's nothing. He deceives himself. I tell you
what does this. That's verse 4. But every man,
let every man prove his own worth. Then shall he have rejoicing
in himself alone, not in another, not rejoicing over somebody else.
Now here's what does it. This one scripture will give
you the keys to the whole thing. 2 Corinthians 10. 2 Corinthians
10, verse 12. I tell you, if a man thinks he's
smart, I'll tell you why he thinks he's smart. Not looking at God,
because God's infinite wisdom. He thinks he's smart because
he's looking at somebody that's not quite as smart as he is. If a person thinks they're strong,
he's looking at somebody that's weaker. That's the only reason.
He can base... You've got to make a decision
about something based on something you compare it with. And he's
comparing himself with somebody weaker. That's why he thinks
he's strong. That's why he thinks she's smart,
that's why she thinks she's good-looking. She's comparing herself to somebody
who ain't quite so good-looking. 2 Corinthians 10, verse 12. We dare not make ourselves of
the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves,
but they measuring themselves by themselves, compare themselves
among themselves, that's not smart. That's not wise. The Pharisees stood in the temple.
He said, I thank you, God, I'm not like other men. I tithe and
I fast and I give alms, I'm not like that publican. He felt pretty
good because he wasn't like that publican. We're not like God either, and
that's our whole problem. All that's sin then comes short
of the glory of God. And that's what we're to be compared
with and judged by. the perfect glory of God. Let this mind be in you which
is in Christ Jesus. Be ye merciful as your Father
is merciful. Be ye holy as God is holy. Well, look at verse 4. Let every man prove his own worth. Let every man examine himself,
not by somebody, Not on the basis of what he sees in others, but
let's just examine himself and prove his own work, his own state,
his own condition. Now, we're told to do that in
the scripture when we come to the Lord's table. Let a man examine
himself. Don't dare raise your eyes on
anyone, just examine yourself and so let him eat. Do I know
Christ? Do I believe Christ? Do I discern his broken body
and shed blood? Is there a relationship between
me and the Son of God so that I drink his blood and eat his
flesh and find my life only in him? There is. Then I take the
table. Let a man examine himself and
so let him eat. No comparison with anybody else,
just do I know Christ. Then in 2 Corinthians 13 it says,
examine yourselves whether you be in the faith. Our Lord was talking to Peter.
After he had risen from the dead and after they had come in fishing,
he fixed the fish and the bread for them, and they finished eating.
He turned to Peter and said, Do you love me? Peter said, Yes, Lord, I love
you. Feed my sheep. Feed my sheep, feed my sheep.
Then he said to Peter, One of these days they are going to
take you against your will and crucify you. That's how you're
going to glorify God, the death, you're going to die. And Peter
immediately turned and looked at John, and he said, What's
this man going to do? And our Lord said, What is that
to you? You follow me. And that's what
this thing, let every man prove his own self, his own work, his
own calling, his own relationship with God, examine yourselves
whether you be in the faith. Know ye not your own selves,
how that Christ dwelleth in you, that is, unless you are reprobate?
If I can find a trace of grace in me, it's by his grace. If I can find a trace of grace,
I believe I can, that's a gift of God. If I can find a bit of
love, just a bit of love, nothing compared to his love for me,
nothing compared to his love for us, nothing compared to the
love of the cross. But if I can find a little forgiving
spirit and a little love in me, it's not of me, it's the gift
of God. If I can find a spirit of gratitude
and praise, a spirit of worship or a spirit of forgiveness or
a generous spirit, if I can even find a trace of that in me, it's
the gift of God. It's his gift. So what you'll
do, let a man, what he's saying here now, we think we're something
when we're nothing. We're deceitful. We're comparing
ourselves with somebody else. But let a man prove, let him
examine, let him prove his own condition and state and work.
Prove it how? By the Word of God, by the Spirit
of God, by examining himself. If he can find some grace and
some faith and some love, if he can find it in himself, then
he can rejoice, not over somebody, but because of God's grace. Isn't
that what that's saying? If he can find a trace, he can
say, Thank you, Lord. Thank you. You didn't pass me
by. I'm so glad. I'm less than the least of all
the saints, but I'm a saint. I'm not worthy to be called an
apostle, but that's what they call me. I'm the chief of sinners, but
I'm a safe sinner." You can rejoice in that. For every man shall bear his
own burden, his own weaknesses and failures
and mistakes and flub-ups. You'll bear those, that's right. Here is another word, stewardship. Let him that is taught in the
word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Let's read two scriptures here.
Read 1 Corinthians 15. I quoted this a minute ago. Let's read it. First Corinthians 15, verse 10. But by the grace of God I am
what I am, and his grace was not bestowed
upon me in vain. Now, that's what we ought to
look at. Stewardship. We talked about others and ourselves.
We are what we are ourselves by the grace of God. But God's
grace is never bestowed in vain, never, ever, ever bestowed in
vain. He said, My word does not return
to me void. I don't ever send my grace into
a heart in vain, no such thing, never. But I labored more abundantly
than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God in me. But my
grace is not in vain. Now, here's the other scripture.
in 1 Peter 4, chapter 4, verse 8. Above all things have fervent
love among yourselves, for love will cover a multitude of sins.
Do you know what we've been talking about? Love buries all things.
tolerates, overlooks infirmities. That's right. Love will cover
a multitude of infirmities and faults and failures. Just forgive
70 times 7. Verse 9, use hospitality one
to another without grudging, as every man hath received a
gift, whatever gift it is. Minister the same to another. Even so, minister the same, one
to another. Minister whatever God's given
you, whatever God's given you, whatever gift, whatever grace,
whatever ability, whatever talent, whatever possession, whatever
strength, whatever time, whatever help in hand. Use it for one
another. By the grace of God, I am what
I am, have what I have, and His grace wasn't in vain. Now use
it, one to another. Listen, as a good steward, of
the manifold grace of God. That's what we're getting into
right here. Now look back at my text, Galatians 5. All right, you with me? First
of all in verse 6 we talk about pastors and teachers and missionaries.
Let those who have taught in the word of God, every one of
us, the Lord gave prophets and apostles and evangelists and
missionary pastors and teachers. Let him that is taught in the
word, let him contribute and communicate, contribute unto
him that taught him in all good things. If you have been taught
the word of God by a faithful pastor, support him. If people
on the mission fields have been taught by a faithful missionary,
support him. That's what he teaches over there
in 1 Corinthians 9. I want you to read this over
here. First Corinthians 9, verse 11 through 14. Listen to this. Paul is speaking,
First Corinthians 9, 11. If we've sown unto you spiritual
things, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?
If others be partaker of this power over you, have not we rather,
we who came and brought you the message? Nevertheless, we've
not used this power, but that suffer all things, lest we should
hinder the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that they which
minister about holy things live of the things of the temple and
the priests and the rabbis and the teachers back in the Old
Testament? And they that wait at the altar or partake of the
altar, even so God hath ordained, the Lord hath ordained, that
they that preach the gospel should live by the gospel they preach,
by the support of those to whom they preach the gospel. But this
does not include every religious worker, every preacher out there
calling himself a preacher. You're supposed to rush to support
all of these causes and programs and preachers and things like
that. I'll tell you, we're to support
those who teach the truth, the word of God. Paul said if any
man preached any other gospel than the gospel I preached, he
didn't say let him be supported, he said let him be accursed.
We support those who teach the truth, the truth of God. Not just sending your money and
your support anywhere to anybody. And I'll tell you another thing
that identifies these men we support. Turn to 1 Timothy 5. 1 Timothy 5. Here it is, now listen to it. 1 Timothy 5, verse 17. Preachers, pastors, teachers
who rule well, who rule well, be counted worthy of double honor,
especially they who labor." What do they do? They labor. I hear
people say, well, he's a working man. There are a lot of working
men. I work. I labor. I didn't get
this message out of air. I studied, studied, studied.
And don't you support anybody who doesn't. You support those
who rule well, those who preach the truth, absolute truth of
God. Those who rule well, who rule
kindly, but strongly and plainly. and for the glory of God, and
those who labor in the word of God." Now, the Bible warns these
preachers to become entangled with the things of this life
and this world. It says, "...no man that warth entangling himself
with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who chose
him to be a soldier." Now, remember those three things. If you've
been taught the word of God faithfully and truthfully, You support those
that teach you. But you support those who teach
truth, and those who rule well, and kindly, and plainly, and
according to the scriptures, and for the glory of God, and
those who labor, labor in the word. All right, verse 7. This is a
good story. And don't be deceived, don't
be deluded. God's not to be trifled with.
This is so important right here. This has to do with being a good
steward. This has to do with helping one another, and encouraging
one another, and loving one another. I don't mean to say, God's not
to be trifled with. What a man says, that's what
he reads. Let us never be less than honest
with God. Let us never be less than truthful
before God. Let us never be less than truthful
before his people. Pretense God will not tolerate. Put on may deceive men. Put on and pretense may fool
men. But God is not mocked. God is
not deceived. God is not deluded. God is not
to be trifled with. What a man is, that's what he'll
be. What a man sows, That's what
he'll reap. What a man gives himself to,
that's what he's going to receive in return. 5. He that soweth to the flesh,
that is, he that is only concerned about the material world, the
physical world, and his fleshly welfare. That's all he's interested
in. He's interested in getting ahead
in life and Being somebody and being recognized and having the
praise of men, being a good fellow, a fellow well met, satisfying
his fleshly cravings, casting people off as he pleases and
taking them on as he pleases and getting rid of them as he
pleases, he devotes his time, strength, and substance to pamper
his own flesh, provide for his own flesh, and the pleasures
of the flesh, he's going to reap what? Corruption. Because that's
what the flesh is, corruption. I don't be deceived, don't be
deluded. Don't anybody here think otherwise? God's not to be trifled
with. This is what this is saying.
Don't be deceived, don't be deluded. A man that's deluded has deluded
himself. Don't do it. God's not to be
trifled with. What I say is what I'm going
to read. If I give my life to this world, to the Nothing but
surrounding myself with comforts and conveniences and pleasure
and all the luxuries of the flesh and pampering this flesh, I'm
going to reap just exactly what I sowed, and that's corruption. But he that soweth to the Spirit,
he who devotes his time and his strength and his thought and
his substance to seeking the kingdom of God, for the glory
of God and the blessings of God and the blessings of others,
he's going to reap life everlasting. And here's the fourth word, it's
providence. Let us not be weary in well-doing. Don't be weary. Don't be weary in preaching,
and teaching, and witnessing, and praying, and giving, and
sharing, and helping, and praying, and lifting others, and overlooking
the faults. Ah, I'm just so tired. Don't
do it. Don't be tired. We're going to
have disappointments. This is life. We're going to have failure.
That's life. We're going to have trials. We're
going to deal with ingratitude. I've been sending $500 a month,
this church has, to a missionary in a certain place in the world for five years. I've received
one thank you note. I know he's busy. I know he's
working. I know he's witnessing. But that's
ingratitude. I don't care how you spell it.
It's ingratitude. And we're going to face ingratitude.
You're going to give and you're going to help and you're going
to do these things and nobody's going to say thank you. Your husband's
going to sit down and eat his meal and get up and walk out
and not even say I enjoyed it. That's like keep feeding the
bird. Keep feeding him. Let's not be
weary in well-doing. We're going to have disappointments,
ingratitude. We're going to have enemies,
persecution. People misunderstand you. People say, that fellow
Mayhem preaches babies in hell. Well, I don't, but that's all
right. That's all right. That's all
right. I'm the only one who preaches
babies in heaven. The only one. Because I believe they're saved
for the foundation of the world. I believe they're God's elect.
I'm the only one who gives a baby a shot. Because they're preaching
that it's not the sin question, it's the son question. Well,
that baby's got nothing to do with the son. And he don't mind. He don't know who the son is.
But God knows him. Not a question of your knowing
him is nearly as much as his knowing you. But that's alright. I don't care about that. I won't
preach anything. Whether you like it or not. And in due season. What's this say? In due season.
Whose season? His season. Don't be weary in
well doing. Don't quit. Don't faint. Don't
be disappointed or discouraged. Keep on. Do what he calls you
to do. Because in his season, in his
time, according to his purpose, you're going to reap. It's not
my work anyway, it's his. It's not my gifts, they're his
that I'm using. It's not my world, it's his. They're not my sheep,
they're his. But there's reaping time. And
that's not mine either, that's his. And there's a reward. And that reward Christ said,
is with me when I come. That's the good providence of
God, and that just suits me fine. So as you have, verse 10, here's
the last word, opportunity. So as you have opportunity, as
the occasion presents itself, and you'll encounter a lot of
them every day. As the person is before you,
as God gives you the ability, as God provides the means, As
you have, therefore, opportunity. See, he gives the opportunity,
he provides the means. He gives you opportunity, he'll
provide the words. As you have opportunity, let's do good to
everybody you meet, to all men, especially these people that
love you and you love them. This is a family. This is a family. If somebody in the family hurts,
the whole family hurts. We sympathize with those on the
outside, sure, but when somebody in the household hurts, everybody
hurts. When somebody rejoices, we all
rejoice. So as you have an opportunity, watch for it. Watch for it. Be alert. Do good. How you're preaching works. It's
exactly what I'm preaching. You got it! It's exactly what
I'm preaching. Not to save you. But purgat,
do good always, especially God's people.